This book assists parents and other lay caregivers in the prevention and healing of trauma by serving as a practical guide to stress-busting and building resilience in kids so they can easily cope with our fast-changing world of mishaps, increasing pressures and turbulence--Provided by publisher. Now in 15 languages. Understand the different types of upsets and traumas your child may experience-and learn how to teach them how to be resilient, confident, and even joyful. The number of anxious, depressed, hyperactive and withdrawn children is staggering-and still growing! Millions have experienced bullying, violence (real or in the media), abuse or sexual molestation. Many other kids have been traumatized from more ordinary ordeals such as terrifying medical procedures, accidents, loss and divorce. Trauma-Proofing Your Kids sends a lifeline to parents who wonder how they can help their worried and troubled children now. It offers simple but powerful tools to keep children safe from danger and to help them bounce back after feeling scared and overwhelmed. No longer will kids have to be passive prey to predators or the innocent victims of life's circumstances.In addition to arming parents with priceless protective strategies, best-selling authors Dr. Peter A. Levine and Maggie Kline offer an antidote to trauma and a recipe for creating resilient kids no matter what misfortune has besieged them. Trauma-Proofing Your Kids is a treasure trove of simple-to-follow stress-busting, boundary-setting, sensory/motor-awareness activities that counteract trauma's effect on a child's body, mind and spirit. Including a chapter on how to navigate the inevitable difficulties that arise during the various ages and stages of development, this ground-breaking book simplifies an often mystifying and complex subject, empowering parents to raise truly confident and joyful kids despite stressful and turbulent times. Dedication and Acknowledgments ix Foreword xi Mira Rothenberg Trauma Is a Fact of Life 1(14) Real-Life Examples of Children We Have Known 4(3) Trauma Is Not Only in the Event 7(4) The Recipe for Trauma 11(1) The Recipe for Resilience 12(3) Building Resilience by Building Sensory Skills through Practice, Practice and More Practice 15(26) Giving Appropriate Support to an Overwhelmed Child 15(1) Simple Steps to Build Resilience 16(1) Developing a Calming Presence 17(3) Getting Acquainted with Your Own Sensations 20(11) Exercise: Noticing Sensations 20(4) Exercise: Exploring Sensations and the Rhythm of Pendulation 24(3) Exercise: Tracking Sensations with a Partner 27(2) Exercise: Making a Sensation Treasure Chest 29(2) First Aid for Trauma Prevention: A Step-by-Step Guide 31(10) Tricks of the Trade: Restoring Resilience through Play, Art and Rhymes 41(36) The Story of Sammy 43(3) Four Principles to Guide Children's Play Toward Resolution 46(8) More Help for Kids through ``Make-Believe'' Play 54(5) Art Activities: Clay, Play Dough, Painting and Drawing 59(5) Nature and Animal Rhymes Combined with Drawings That Build Resources 64(13) Remedies for Specific Situations: Amusement Park Rides to Zebra Bites 77(48) First Aid for Accidents and Falls 78(5) The Purpose of Touch When Helping a Child in Shock 83(2) The Power of Language to Soothe and Heal 85(5) Exercise: Experiencing the Power of Words 86(4) More Animal Rhymes to Help Your Child Regain Self-Confidence 90(9) A Guide to Constructing a Healing Story 99(3) Prevention of Medical Trauma 102(4) What Parents Can Do to Prepare Children for Surgery or Other Medical Procedures 106(8) When the Medical Procedure Is an Emergency 114(2) Elective Surgeries 116(1) Sensitivity to Your Child's Pain 116(6) A Timely Word about Bullies and School Shootings 122(3) Ages & Stages: Building Confidence by Fostering Healthy Development 125(10) Responding to Your Infant: Issues of Safety and Trust 126(1) Your Toddler's Needs: ``Me Do It Myself'' 127(1) ``Tug of War'' with Your Three- to Four-Year-Old 128(2) Your Flirtatious Four- to Six-Year-Old Boy or Girl 130(2) Adolescent Development: Who Am I? 132(3) Sexual Violation: Reducing the Risk and Early Detection 135(24) Sexual Trauma Symptoms 136(2) Reducing the Risk of Sexual Wounds 138(2) What Is Sexual Violation? 140(1) Steps Caregivers Can Take to Decrease Children's Susceptibility 140(11) Games for Kids to Practice Making Boundaries 151(3) Why Most Children Don't Tell: Making It Safe for Them to Tell You 154(2) Date Rape and Other Teen Issues 156(3) Separation, Divorce and Death: Helping Your Child Move through the Grieving Process 159(32) Symptoms of Grief versus Symptoms of Trauma 159(4) Two Views of Divorce: Rosy or Dark? 163(2) Surviving Divorce: A Guide to Preserving Your Child's Wholeness 165(11) Helping Your Child Grieve 176(2) Dealing with the Death of a Pet 178(6) Steps That Help Children Resolve Their Grief 184(7) Exercise: Grief Recovery 185(6) Guerrilla Warfare in Our Neighborhoods: The Real Battle to Protect Kids from Terror 191(30) Models for Change in Hospitals and Medical Centers 192(5) A Peek at a Model Family-Centered Children's Hospital 197(7) Community Crisis Intervention 204(9) A New Model for Crisis Debriefing at School 213(8) Notes 221(4) Bibliography 225(4) Additional Resources 229(4) About the Authors 233(2) Foundation for Human Enrichment 235