By Wendy J. Wallace, DO, President of CCF

My career as a pediatrician allowed me to witness a child’s growth till adulthood. There are many advances in medicine to cure children of blindness, cancers, and even genetic diseases, but not much research in giving them the gift of resilience – empowering their voices and giving them the keys to a long, healthy life.

The foundation for long-term health is in healthy eating, daily sunshine, exercise, regular sleep schedules, and routines. There are a few other things that support resilience in the future too.

The first is a safe space – this is a place that you know for sure you will have a hand to pull you out of the water if you are drowning. This could be a parent, grandparent, best friend, or spouse that loves you unconditionally. The structure for this can also be a daycare that gives a child a place to explore, eat healthily, play with friends, and learn new skills on a schedule – it’s reliable! They know by the structure what is coming next. Children especially need this reassurance to navigate the trials and tribulations of growing and learning.

Another is bridging the brain – this could be learning a new language, arts, music, and creativity. This enables the brain to navigate alternative pathways when stressed. (One of the reasons the Care Center Foundation daycare is built on supporting the bilingual brain.)

Since the brain grows rapidly in those first 5 years, what happens around the child is critically important for future challenges. If a challenge comes in the first 5 years, it’s important to reassure the child of a safe space and allow free play. Sometimes there’s a grieving process that can take weeks – the structure of healthy living and a safe space will help their body to regulate back to being a child.

You will know by their happy, smiling faces that all is well.