by Cassie Nash
Child Life Specialist

A while back I wrote about what I was learning in the book I was reading Shepherding a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp. Well, I am still intermittently reading it and thought I would give you some updates on what else I was learning.  

One chapter is all about communication.  In the Bible, in Deuteronomy chapter 6, it talks about communicating with your children while talking, sitting, walking, lying down, and when you rise! That's a lot of opportunities for communication. I want to encourage you to not have all of your times of communication with your children when something is wrong. Tripp says, "A regular habit of talking together prepares the way for talking in strained situations. You will never have the hearts of your children if you talk with them only when something has gone wrong." This is crucial if/when hospitalization time comes. 

As a child life specialist, part of my job is not only to help prepare patients and families for tests and procedures, but to help them get through those tests and procedures. It is absolutely wonderful when patients have relationships with their caregivers so that when the time comes to have an IV placed or to have a lumbar puncture we are all there to help and love on the child. 

Children need to know that their caregivers love them, and children need to trust their caregivers. I think that love and trust can be established with communication and lots of it! Tripp also says, "You undertake the shepherding process through rich and multifaceted communication." I have noticed that when it comes time to do a procedure, the patients and families that have a lifestyle of having "shepherding" communication tend to do better. So talk with your children and talk with them often!