Children Wonder: Where Do I Belong?
Children and adults alike need to feel that they belong somewhere. Sometimes we find our niche in our family, in our circle of friends, or in an affiliation with a particular group of some sort. It might be an affiliation with a school or religious group or community group. Relationships with others are a fundamental part of who we are and contribute to how we feel about ourselves. Yet probably everyone has had a time when a group or a person they desperately wanted to connect with refused to give them the time of day. Sometimes the cold shoulder was deliberate and sometimes it may have been unintentional but it always leaves us feeling hurt and vulnerable. Children in particular struggle with belonging when they are ostracized from a group and this is a common concern in schools these days with the emphasis on anti-bullying programs. As a school counselor, I teach several lessons every year on the importance of accepting differences in ourselves and others. Some of the concepts that are highlighted in these lessons are:
- Everyone is different and that's a good thing!
- We all have areas of strength and areas of weakness
- Teasing or ostracizing someone because they are different in some way is hurtful.
- Everyone wants to feel they belong somewhere and YOU might just be the friend that someone needs.
- Recognize and affirm your own and other's strengths
Author, Chandler Goldstein, resides in Sandy Springs, Georgia and plans to add other books to her series. I wish her much success! This is a great book for school counselors to add to their shelves for lessons on peer pressure and self-esteem.
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