Full Description
10 proven practices to help children thrive
In a world that seems to grow more unpredictable and challenging by the day, how can we increase learning and joy for children while offering them much-needed support?
Uncertainty and disruption have created a youth mental health crisis that requires all hands on deck. This urgently needed guidebook offers comprehensive and scientifically-grounded methods you can use to support young people's well-being, no matter what obstacles they face. Written by an expert with decades of experience in education, youth development, and social work, this timely and timeless resource includes:
10 practices that can prevent and address mental health challenges and enable young people to thrive
Strategies for taking care of kids while also taking care of yourself
Information on the most pressing issues youth face, from nurturing healthy relationships to building community and belonging
Key takeaways and reflection questions for individual use and group discussion as well as "Try Now" sections with tips and tools that can be used immediately
Providing essential information, practical advice, stories, and time-tested strategies to help kids live and learn, Whole Child, Whole Life is required reading for anyone who is working with, caring for, or raising young people.
Contents
List of Tables and Figures
Preface
Introduction
About the Illustrations
Part 1: Whole Child Portrait
Ch 1: Demographics and Determinants
Profile Parts
From Profiles to Portraits
Ch 2: Age and Stage
A Pandemic Pause
Growing Up Fast and Slow
Developmental Protective Factors
Developmental Growth Charts
Developmental Milestones
Ch 3: Brain and Body
It's All Connected
Charting Kids' Health Profiles
Ch 4: People and Places
Kids in Context
Mapping the Spaces Where Kids Spend Time
Understanding and Using Maps of People and Places
"Whole Child" Interview Template
Part 2: 10 Whole Life Practices
The Art and Science of Helping Kids Live, Learn, and Thrive
Ch 6: Meet Basic Needs
Essentials
When Kids Need Essentials
Safety
Belonging
Purpose
More Than Maslow
Rights Worth Fighting For
Meeting Basic Needs in Times of Crisis
Ch 7: Prioritize Mental Health
Responding to Mental Health Challenges
Mental Health First Aid
Emotional Wound Care
Mental Health Habits and Emotional Hygiene
Prioritize and Practice
Ch 8: Invest in Personal Interests
You Can Only Be What You Can See
Invest in the Individual
Pursuits of Passion and Purpose
Ch 9: Nurture Healthy Relationships
Webs of Social Support
Built to Last
How to Nurture Healthy Relationships
Nurture and Nudge
Ch 10: Build Community and Belonging
Different Kinds of Community
Climate, Culture, and Community Building
Building Belonging
Belonging Across the Long and Wide of Life
Ch 11: Embrace Identities and Cultures
Embracing Community and Culture
Identity Development
Ch 12: Attend to the Past and Present
Kid Specialists
Making Rounds
Young People Should Hold Their Own Histories
Ch 13: Act With a 100-Year Mindset
Living Longer Than Ever
Forecasting Possible Futures
Ch 14: Be a Force for Good
Civic Engagement and Sociopolitical Youth Development
Ch 15: Seek Awe and Wonder
Spiritual Development
The ABCs of Spiritual Development
Nurturing Kids' Spirit and Spark
Wholeness Comes From an Integrated Core
Conclusion
A Fern That Grows in Lava Fields
Optimal Conditions for Well-Being and Well-Becoming
Aiming for Wholeness
Cultivating the Garden
Back of Book Sketchnote
Acknowledgments
About the Author
About the Illustrator
Glossary
Endnotes
Index
