Have you ever been with a group of people when their positive energy is infectious? People laughing and joking around. Dancing while they walk, maybe even wearing crazy costumes. It just pulls you in and you can’t help but smile! This is exactly what we experienced last week at the Child Life Annual Conference in Chicago.
This is our third conference in four years. Every time it is better and better. It was so great to see some familiar smiling faces we have seen all three times, like Sami. Three years ago she was a student seeking to become a Child Life Specialist. Now she IS one and teaching others! Sarah is another one we have seen every year. She always has a smile and a hug for us as well as encouraging words. A large part of HAPPYtown exists because of people like Sami and Sarah helping us, teaching us and supporting us all along the way. This year, we met Child Life Professionals from Canada, Australia, Japan, even Kuwait as well as some who were traveling to Malawi and Myanmar. All remarkable and inspiring people.
We are just in awe of these amazing unsung heroes who help children through a wide variety of stressful and potentially traumatic events. To be a Certified Child Life Specialist, they have to have a bachelor’s degree from an endorsed academic program or a degree that includes 10 college courses in areas such as Child Development, Family Systems, and Loss/Bereavement. And then they have to have a 600 hour Child Life Clinical Internship! Wow!!
They have to be passionate to go through all this education and training. But we really feel the passion when we get to talk with them. Last year they talked about needing help with children in hospice situations or those grieving the loss of a loved one. This year they talked about needing help with children with diabetes, autism and sickle cell anemia. But the common bond all CLS’s have is they all care so deeply about reducing fear, anxiety and pain for their children, adolescents and their families going through what can be the most difficult times of their lives.
So if you REALLY want to make a difference in the lives of those who need help, become a Child Life Specialist. Read more about it at www.childlife.org.
You are our heroes!!!
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