Listening to Stories That A Childs Behavior Can Tell Us

This resource attempts to explain behavior from a new perspective. Our goal is to help youth workers "see" behavior as a story that a child is trying to tell and for them to learn and empathize from these stories.

Most of us, irrespective of age, do not always have the capacity to articulate exactly what we are feeling and why we might behave a certain way, especially when we experience stress, crisis or trauma. For a child, this communication deficit can be profound.

Therefore, as caring youth workers, we must look to other means to fully understand what a child might be experiencing. For children affected by complex trauma, and for many children in general, their actions may be the only means they have to let you know they are suffering or need help.

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