“She likes imagining the characters in the books she reads and thinking about them. She says that it is comforting because she is not worried that they will leave her like people in her life always do.” —Katelyn Hamilton, Ranch Wellness Specialist
Children coming to Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch often gravitate to the Wellness Specialists who work with them as part of their Treatment Team. The Wellness Specialists coordinate activities that stimulate thought, provide new experiences, provide physical activity, and meet sensory needs. They may do yoga with the children, take them to a Science Museum, or orchestrate on-campus “Ranch Olympics.” Because these specialized Ranchers are engaged in activities with the kids, they often learn a lot about them.
If you’ve ever had or been around children and teens, you know what I am trying to explain. It’s like when you’re on a phone call and, of course, that’s when your 3rd grader decides to tell you all the exciting things that happened at lunchtime at school… or when you are driving with your teenager, and they share their angst about “not being popular.” It’s sometimes easier to share if you don’t feel like you’re being focused on.
Katelyn Hamilton is one of our Wellness Specialists, and a very approachable, warm compassionate Rancher. While with one of the children who had just come into care, the little girl said the above. The end of the phrase is gut-wrenching, ”…she is not worried that they will leave her like people in her life always do.”
I, too, love to read and get engrossed in stories. I do not, however, need to hang on to the characters for dear life. I am blessed to have family and co-workers and friends that surround me when I’m not reading. This precious child does not. She carries the people in the books in her mind, because then she is not alone.
Please keep our staff and all these remarkable children, who have endured so much, in your prayers.
In His love,
Joy Ryan, President/CEO
Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch
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