To s e rv e a n d to l i f t
Social Butterflies By Brigette Chirpich
O
ut of the cold and snowy winter, we emerge into the sunshine of spring. We wander through the tree blossoms and spy the pale green leafy buds that follow. We see the sun more often,
and grass is greening up again. There is hope in this new season. With the blossoms of the crocus, then daffodils, tulips, lilacs and, eventually, peonies, our spring walks are glorious. As you plan your gardens, remember to plant marigolds, salvia, coneflowers and goldenrod. These blooms attract the butterfly. Oh, the social and happy butterfly. The fragile and innocent butterfly. Imagine the reaction of children when they see butterflies. They run and chase butterflies. They giggle and smile. They are filled with excitement and wonder. Watching a child play with butterflies brings joy and peacefulness; that is a happy child. A young child is also needy and fragile. When they are exposed to trauma or strife, they are left with holes to fill and repair. These traumas are called Adverse Childhood Experiences, or “ACEs” for short. Some of these experiences include child
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abuse or exposure to drug use. However, some of the experiences are less visible, such as their private fears, possibly of hunger or housing. All ACEs influence a child. Some effects are behavioral like anger issues or being clingy to a parent. Other effects show up in the development of the child’s speech or writing delays. All these effects will have an impact on the young child’s ability to thrive in school. A new program at Catholic Charities, “Social Butterflies,” works with children to repair the void created by their experiences. Social Butterflies will assess the child, work with the parents and create plans for growth. Teaching skills through play, connecting with experts and classes on parenting are all ways Social Butterflies will bring a child and their family forward, beyond the adverse experiences. When children are confident among their peers, they can play like a child, they can feel
Catholic Key • April/May 2022 • catholickey.org
Shutterstock/Mariia Khamidulina
