Parenting to prevent and heal ACEs

One of the biggest questions we have is, how do we prevent and heal adverse childhood experiences?

A lot of studies prove that creating and sustaining safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments for all children and families can be the first step in preventing adverse childhood experiences. In addition to that, it also helps children reach their full potential as they grow up. 

Why do we have to prevent ACEs? To sum it up, it’s because it can have lasting, negative effects on health, well-being as well as life opportunities such as education and job potential. A certain study has proven that children who grew up with stress and trauma have more difficulty forming healthy and stable relationships. They are also that ones who most likely have unstable work histories as adults and struggle with finances, jobs and depression throughout life.

These effects don’t end as it can also be passed on to their own children. Most children are even exposed to further toxicity due to historical and ongoing traumas caused by different things such as racism and the impacts of poverty resulting from limited educational and economic opportunities.

WAYS YOU CAN PREVENT ACEs:

Nurture and protect kids as much as possible - be their source of safety and support.

Make Eye Contact - Look at kids and babies. It says, “I see you. I value you. You matter. You’re not alone.

Say Sorry - We all lose our patience and make mistakes. Acknowledge it, apologize, and repair relationships. It’s up to us to show kids we’re responsible for our moods and mistakes.

Move and Play - Drum. Stretch. Throw a ball. Dance. Move inside or outside for fun, togetherness and to ease stress.

Give 20-second Hugs - There’s a reason we hug when things are hard. Safe touch is healing. Longer hugs are most helpful

Slow Down or Stop - Rest. Take breaks. Take a walk or a few moments to reset or relax.

Keep Learning - Understand how ACEs impact you and your parenting. More tips & resources for parents on back.

Hunt for the Good - When there’s pain or trauma, we look for danger. We can practice looking for joy and good stuff, too.

Help Kids to Express Emotions - Hard stuff happens. But helping kids find ways to share, talk, and process helps. Our kids learn from us.

Be There for Kids - It’s hard to see our kids in pain. We can feel helpless. Simply being present with our kids is doing something. It shows them we are in their corner.