Control over your own life is one of the known predictors of mental health and happiness, and children have so terrifyingly little of it. One of the few ways they can expect and control events in their lives is by having a regular and predictable routine. It’s positively cruel, then, not to give them such a routine in their lives.
Of course, life happens and sometimes there have to be deviations. In these cases children should be told why as much as possible for their developmental stage and treated with compassion when they are, understandably, frustrated and upset.
I worked in a non profit facilty that housed children in the system and it was pretty terrible for a number of reasons so I can’t imagine what a for profit facility looks like. I worked in the field for years and didn’t even know there was such a thing (the ceo of the company i worked for was making high 6 figures while master’s level counselors were barely making 30 grand a year and most direct care staff working 2 or more jobs to survive btw). A lot kids need to be removed from their home, but unfortunately there is not enough adequate resources for them or their families so there’s never any improvement. And for the kids who dont need to taken from their homes (saw a lot of them too), putting them in this environment often exacerbates whatever behaviors or issues they had that brought the attention of social services in the first place. This is terrifying, especially for poc. I hope everyone wakes up and realizes that this country is so beyond morally bankrupt. Literally everything and everyone got a price. Disgusting.
The voices of little girls are so powerful and profound because they haven’t yet been completely eaten away at by social conditioning.
“I am a rich pie filled with knowledge. I will not be eaten.” Holy fuck my new motto.
Transcription (with original line breaks):
The true feminine
I am not sugar and spice and everything nice. I am music, I am art. I am a story. I am a church bell, gonging out wrongs and rights and normal nights. I was baby. I am child. I will be mother. I don’t mind being considered beautiful, I do not allow that to be my definition. I am a rich pie strong with knowledge. I will not be eaten.
i’m not kidding, this poem shook me to my core. it inspired me more than any famous poet in the past few months. this little girl is going to influence the world in such a beautiful way.
I have the flu! I don’t want to infect any little monsters! So please help yourself!
with an arrow pointing to the candy bucket next to the door.
So far three separate small children have yelled PLEASE FEEL BETTER at me through my door. Also one of them told what was clearly his younger brother “Take ONLY ONE, don’t be greedy, the Great Pumpkin can see you.”
Faith in the world: restored.
Yeah but apparently there is a great pumpkin outside your house
Starsha Skywalker is the sixth born child of Finn and Rey Skywalker. She is an unusually powerful Force-user with a gift for flying and a deep love for exploring. For a time she trained under Grandpa Luke, but after successfully completing her training she realized that she was never meant to become Jedi and immediately set to work on building her very own ship.
Unable to resist the call of the stars, Starsha left home with her family’s blessing and went on to travel the galaxy in her ship that she affectionately calls: The Solo.
L.J.'s Obsessions 