This butterfly, a dark brand bush brown, was resting on a slender leaf, after a heavy down pour, a few days ago in our garden! It might be about 2 cm in size and is hardly noticeable as it blends with the earthen colour.
It moved from plant to plant and then moved away to another part of the garden. They have a silent presence in the garden.
Following the landslide in Wayanad, several children are displaced from their families and home. They live in the relief camps. They live among adults who are grieving over loss of their loved ones, houses and their possessions. Children too have their sense of loss and bereavement.
Amidst this, professionals have a responsibility to recognise the unspoken suffering of children. Often children are silent about their loss and grief. Adults cry, express, share, ask for help! Often younger children withdraw, become moody, sleep less, avoid playing and stay isolated. Their silence expresses internalised grief.
Just as the little butterfly remains unnoticed, children can go through suffering silently.
A personal engaging time with each child if possible every day is important to help them to express their concealed anguish or hidden fear.
I hope we would recognise that children are likely to be more vulnerable to feel lonely, and fearful !
Adults recover faster as they have the cognitive skill to process and develop their coping skills with the help of cognitive behaviour support. Children are not cognitively experienced enough to process disappointments and loss. That calls for friendships which would protect them and make them feel endeared towards a healing relationship.
The personal friendship developed through play, conversations, narrating stories, and encouraging them to pursue their creative skills become supportive and restorative!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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