Healing Childhood Trauma with Love

We have our priorities and our priorities become our responsibilities. As children we develop as we grow, and we like to think caring for us is a priority to those who are responsible for us.

But some have the audacity to think that abuse of a child is acceptable. Though everyone thinks of abuse as physical, mental abuse as well, can cause childhood trauma. Trauma that will leave a lasting impact on that child’s life.

Trauma has a big impact on how a child will grow and influence how they think they should treat other people, including their own children someday. Though it may seem simple to some of us, too many people don’t understand the way they treat a child as they’re growing and learning about the world can have such a lasting effect on him or her. The treatment of a child is what shapes their perception of what they believe is the reality of the world.

I, unfortunately, understand too well the lasting impacts of childhood trauma. I didn’t have the luxury of a loving home. As a child, I was sent to another home, along with one of my sisters, to people who didn’t really want either one of us.

Childhood trauma leaves tragic memories versus innocent childhood memories. Trauma makes a child flinch when others want to touch them affectionately because they only know hurt from human touch. As a child they are left angry and depressed, unsure how to navigate those emotions, because no one cares enough to teach them how. As a child they don’t feel that their feelings or emotions are important because the adults in their life taught them that they don’t matter.

The only thing that can lift a child from his or her trauma is the love of the adults that step in to tell that child they matter and their feelings and emotions matter. Abuse and trauma leave a child empty inside. Though they may resist at first because they don’t know love, knowing there are loving arms waiting for them to run to helps bring them away from the darkness of the memories of their childhood trauma.

Showing a child they belong, helping them understand making mistakes can be learned from and isn’t the end of the world is one of the best ways to help them move forward. Though the road forward may be difficult at times, walking down it together in love is the best thing to help a child overcome childhood trauma.

Children need love and kindness. You, the adults, are teaching us about the kindness and cruelty of the world. We learn what to expect from the world and how to treat others in it from the adults in our lives. If a child is going to be an adult’s responsibility they need to show that child through love they are a priority in their life.