Paradise Kids Australia
teaching the skills you need to weather life’s storms.
Paradise Kids Australia and The Rainbow House @Home online Program are the children’s educational divisions of the Rev. Dr Ian Mavor Foundation. We are here to help children and teens who are dealing with serious issues from life’s big changes. After a loss or a big life change, children can experience grief. Children often start exhibiting various emotional and physical changes but their grief can go unrecognised, and thus is unsupported. While all children grieve differently, it’s a common thought among children aged 7 to 11 that the loss or change occurred is somehow “their fault”.
When a child is grieving, behavioural problems can start. Disruptions in relationships and routines can occur and in many cases, the child’s school performance suffers or rapidly declines. It’s very tempting for parents to shield children from the pain and feelings associated with a loss but children need to acknowledge and express their mixed emotions of grief, including their anger, hurts, sadness, guilt and fear.
what grief might look like in children…
Emotional
denial
guilt
mood swings
emptiness or sadness
fearful & worried
Physical
changes to sleep
changes to appetite
nightmares
tearful
aches & pains
Behavourial
aggressiveness
difficulty concentrating
uncooperative
prolonged withdrawal
becomes clingy
We take a holistic approach to address all aspects of the child… body, mind and spirit. Our child-focused programs teach that loss and change are part of life and grief is a natural response to loss or change of any kind. Children are taught each grief experience is unique to the individual but also happens in the life of others. With peer sharing and support, their grief is normalised and they no longer feel alone.
Children tell their story and deal with any “unfinished business” around the loss or change. A supportive space is provided for them to safely express the full range of their feelings, including anger. Feelings are not judged to be good or bad. To assist healing, the loss is commemorated and new life skills are established. We believe this helps children to move forward in life with restored confidence. The ability to make healthy life choices, invest in new relationships without fear and be resilient in times of further change.
storytelling
breath-work
imaginative exercises
movement
yoga
art & music