Moms – they’re there to guide, to support, and encourage. But, sometimes, moms need someone to guide, support, and encourage them once in a while too. When they do, we’re here to help.
One of the ways we help is by holding Legacy Weekends with parents of our residents. On these weekends, which are held once per month, parents come to our campus – free of charge – for a weekend of therapy with their child so they can receive the encouragement they need to eventually go home and be a successful family unit.
Siobhan VanAlistine, one of the Residential Casework Specialists at Eagle Village, works with the residents and families on these weekends. She explains that during one of the activities, a boy named Josh was supposed to climb up our rock wall by listening to his mother’s instructions. The theme of this Legacy Weekend was “Roles,” so Josh was supposed to be learning to listen to his mom and learning that he could trust her, while his mom was supposed to be learning how to take on a more parental and authoritative role.
Unfortunately, Josh wasn’t listening to his mom’s instructions.
“When he had gone about 2/3 of the way up the wall with only listening to 2-3 instructions, I pulled him back off the wall and blindfolded him,” says Siobhan. “Josh was really frustrated once the blindfold was put on him. He struggled in wanting to do things his way without direction from his mother. Once he was about ¼ of the way up and he and his mother began working in sync, then he was able to accomplish the task.”
Josh wasn’t the only one who took a lesson away from the activity though.
“[Mom] needed some assistance in finding different ways to guide Josh, but she ended up doing a great job,” said Siobhan. “Mom was pleased that she was able to help Josh get to the top, and Josh was glad he was able to get to the top.”
We know that sometimes moms need support too, and we are happy to give it to them when they need it so they can continue helping their kids get to the top of whatever obstacles may come their way.
From all of us at Eagle Village, Happy Mother’s Day!
Note: Boy’s name was changed to protect his privacy