Get your teacups ready because we are back and ready to spill this week! Keep your questions coming because you could be helping someone who has similar questions!
Question from Hartford County- There is a new child who recently joined our program and shows up with clothing that looks damaged. The clothing has holes and stains. We are not sure if we should reach out to their parents/guardians and ask what is going on. How do you think we should approach this?
Hey Hartford, thank you for asking this question. It’s understandable why there is hesitation about reaching out in this situation. You don’t want to seem like you are trying to intervene in this family’s personal life. However, being concerned in a situation like this is not uncommon. We have a few suggestions of how you can handle this situation. I would try to get in contact with the parents/guardians. Have a conversation with them that is coming from a place of concern instead of judgment. You don’t want to seem like you are trying to make them feel bad about the situation. Talk about some possible solutions. Ask them if they need access to resources. Offer to provide extra clothing, like t-shirts, that are left over from any activities or special events. This is a sensitive situation and having direct conversations will help reach a solution more effectively. We hope that this is helpful.
We’ll see you next week for another segment of After School Tea Time! Don’t forget to submit your anonymous questions here.