Give a shout out for your school counselor!

Hey, it's National School Counselors' Week

Pass along a thank you note or a bar of chocolate to your child's school counselor!

My counselor colleagues are a delightful array of heartful and skilled humans.

I learn a lot from them

and like sharing my ideas with them.

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I am being celebrated in little mists of appreciation at my school.

Some of the kiddos have written notes or drawn pictures for me this week.

So cute.

Another class sang to me as I came in to teach.

"For she's a jolly good counselor, for she's . . ."

They were so excited to hand me a big poster where each had written a note.

I promised to read every word.

My job presents me with a wide range of needs.

Coming through my office door might be a child

who has had a fight with their friend.

Or they are feeling the pressure of

a full schedule,

trying to get school work done,

along with sports, lessons and family chores.

Or they are worried about their family.

It is not unusual

to listen to a kiddo

who is sad, shocked or scared ----or numb

because of

parents fighting (they can name how many emergency vehicles were there)

mom in jail (wanting to make her a picture for her wall)

critical illness in the family (parent health declining from cancer)

being evicted (worried about living under a bridge)

mental illness in the family (yelling is scary--"I just can't take it any more.")

**********

Children

feeling the waves.

Parents

doing the best that they can

heavy weighted

with

deep challenges.

And a school counselor

offering

a quiet place

to feel

to talk

to play

to consider and decide.