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Teaching Children About Homelessness
Teaching children about homelessness is important if we are all responsible to help make the world a better place. Learning about homelessness helps children become more aware, compassionate, caring people.
When people develop into compassionate, caring human beings, society benefits and individuals are more likely to experience personal happiness and higher self-esteem. Children who have the capacity to be empathetic and caring towards others, and have the motivation and courage to stand up for what they believe is right,
are also likely to perform better socially, academically, and in their adult careers.
We teach children about homeless so they can:
- Learn to think about the needs of others.
- Be empowered to make a difference in their community.
- Become more familiar with people who are different. By recognizing commonalities children will relate more empathetically and feel safer in new environments.
Ways we can teach children about being homelessness:
- Explain that being homeless means that one does not have a place
to live. It might be for a day or two or for many weeks or months. Talk
about how difficult it is. They might live in a shelter with a lot of other
people, or in a car, or have no structure surrounding them.
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Explain that all different kinds of people may find themselves homeless; single people and families can become homeless and that is especially difficult for children.
- Read books and stories about being homeless. Discuss what is happening
as you read the book. Ask children about how they think the characters in the book are feeling and why they think they’re feeling that.
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Explain that in the some urban areas, it is too expensive to pay for a
place to live. Some people might work very hard but still not have enough money to afford a home. Some people are too ill to work and don’t have money to afford an apartment.
- Help children become aware of what their homes mean to them. Talk
about their favorite smell in their home, their favorite room, and the sounds they hear.
- Help children understand that being homeless doesn’t mean that someone
is bad or did something wrong. It is something that happens to some people who are having a very difficult time. Also tell them that homelessness is not necessarily permanent and often people just need some help to get settled again.
- When you see a homeless person, use the meeting as an opportunity to ask children why they think that person or family might be homeless, how they think the people feel what can we do to help?
- Ask children what they think the words that they are using or hearing mean: homeless, poor.
Children learn behaviors and attitudes that they bring with them as they mature. It is our goal as responsible citizens, educators and parents to extend their learning and teach
them to reach out beyond their immediate family, friends and school community.
We have an opportunity to show children that even at their young age, they can
make a difference and help others have a better life. It is these wonderful
children who will have the responsibility to help make the world a better place. Let’s give them a good start.
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- Teach Your Children about Homelessness
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