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Uplifting Children’s Wellness 

From Wellness Interactive Branding, LLC.

It is truly a holistic endeavor that takes courage, creativity, and resources. From community and regional initiatives to national and global programs, a veritable “quilt of wellness” is being sewn right at this moment to help children through this historic challenging time — facilitating better mental and physical health.  

Expanded Access to Vaccines

May 15, 2021, was a great day for so many children and their parents in the U.S. As of May 15, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends everyone 12 years and older should get a COVID-19 vaccination to help protect against COVID-19. The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective. It not only provides protection against the virus, but widespread vaccination is a critical tool to help stop the pandemic. 

Vaccines are available in many locations across the United States now, including many healthcare providers, local pharmacies, and state or local health departments. Make sure your child gets the second shot of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine 3 weeks after their first shot. Know that your child can’t get COVID-19 from any COVID-19 vaccine, including the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

Protecting your child with a vaccination not only acts as a strong supporter of their health, but it also serves to benefit the local community, the state, and the country. 

Concentrating on Children’s Mental Health

There is nothing like a child’s smile — or their contagious laughter. Concentrating on the mental health of children and helping them to be happier and find joy wherever they can be a critical component of overall wellbeing. Supporting mental health has always been an important job for parents, but with the additional extraordinary stressors of the pandemic, taking extra time and effort is so crucial.

Thankfully, parents are not on their own in this effort. From local communities to national initiatives, there are many resources available to uplift children’s mental health. One excellent example is On Our Sleeves. Powered by the experts from Nationwide Children’s Hospital and their collaborating partners, the mission of the On Our Sleeves national movement is to provide every community with the free resources necessary to break child mental health stigmas and educate families and advocates. They have resources and links to additional resources directly on their website. On Our Sleeves has also launched the Million Classroom Project to get free mental health resources to one million classrooms across the country.

The On Our Sleeves national movement is just one of the major resources available to parents. For U.S. parents, check out the Administration for Children & Families (ACF), a division of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, for more information. WHO also has excellent resources and programs for children around the world about children’s mental health.

Creative Learning for Children’s Wellness

When addressing wellness for our children, there are so many possibilities. Creative strategies in the development and deployment of resources, programs, and activities bring new, powerful options.

One excellent example of this is an initiative launched by the acclaimed director and storyteller Ana DuVernay. Highlighted in a recent article in Essence magazine, Array 101 was developed after the Coalition for School Well-Being, a statewide effort to improve mental health in California schools, approached DuVernay. The difficulties of schooling in the pandemic have taken a real toll on kids, including in the areas of socialization. DuVernay and her team began developing online and downloadable learning companions for all of her work, focusing on pursuing social and emotional development through a racial equity lens that “highlights key themes (e.g., power) and objectives (e.g., the ability to analyze your understanding of individuals rights before and after a viewing), as well as providing resources for “self-reflection and deeper-learning.” 

New ideas, such as Array 101, are a central part of the future of education. They are, as DuVernay says, “reimagining systems, systems that are intentionally anti-racist, systems that take new approaches to complex issues.” They empower and engage young people. Not only individually but in a social context through the power of art. With creative approaches to learning, these kinds of initiatives are extremely exciting and bound to serve our children well.

Helping Children With Grief

Dealing with grief is difficult enough for adults. But when children suffer, it is even more heartbreaking and challenging. In this unprecedented time of the COVID-19 pandemic, children around the world have lost parents, grandparents, and many others close to them. They need help coping.

Seeking out community resources can make a real difference in a child’s wellbeing when they are grieving. There are often city, county, or state programs that promote equity in access to resources. One such community resource is the Children’s Grief Center of El Paso. An incorporated non-profit children’s grief support service agency since 1995, the Children’s Grief Center of El Paso was awarded $111,000 as part of the million-dollar grant from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI). According to a feature in the El Paso Herald Post, these Communities for Children grants have the goal of helping advance racial equity and support student mental wellness in communities significantly impacted by COVID-19. 

For young children, Sesame Street also has helpful resources in helping answer difficult questions and much more. Options are available in myriad places. If you have or know a child that is struggling, there is help and comfort available.

Addressing Childhood Hunger & Decreasing Food Insecurity

https://www.tapinto.net/towns/camden/sections/health-and-wellness/articles/cooper-health-care-gets-25-000-grant-from-no-kid-hungry

Childhood hunger and food insecurity have increased since the pandemic began. Having enough food, as well as appropriate nutrition, is a basic need that is a central component of children’s wellness.

The COVID Relief Bill from the federal government has provided much relief in the U.S., and organizations such as No Kid Hungry also play a significant role across communities. Childhood hunger and food insecurity are a priority for leaders at multiple levels, from local organizations, food banks, and churches to federal programs. As with other areas of children’s wellness, resources are available to assist families in need.

With a holistic, comprehensive, and creative approach to wellness, children can have their physical and mental health uplifted to new heights. It truly does take a village to raise a happy, healthy child. Seek out and take advantage of resources. Parents and caregivers, you do not have to do it alone.

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