Violence and Chaos and its Effects

Violence and chaos are two stressors that can go hand in hand; with violence comes chaos. Children, especially at the tender age of infancy and toddler, are not equipped to handle and cope with such devastating, life-changing trauma. Exposure to stressors like violence and chaos leave traumatizing effects on a child's life, as early as infancy, and can follow them into adulthood. In my many years as an Early Childhood Educator, I have interacted with many children from all walks of life. I vividly recall a young boy, four years of age, who was clearly exposed to violence and chaos. It was during our "Community Week", in which we invite community helpers (police officers, fire fighters, doctors, dentist, etc.) to visit with the children and speak about how they help the community. On this particular day, we had Police Officers to visit. All the children we sitting on the floor, kris-cross applesauce, and ready to listen. As the Police Officers entered the classroom, I noticed this little boy become very fidgety and nervous. Not wanting to alarm the other children, I slowly walked over to him, in efforts to comfort him; but before I could reach him, he begins screaming at the top of his lungs, tears running down his little face, yelling repeatedly, "Please don't take my daddy!Please don't take my daddy!". At that point, myself and the director of the center comforts him as we escorted him out of the classroom. At this point, I too had tears in my eyes, which I tried to hold back, because I have never experienced this before. Words cannot describe the pain I felt in my heart for this little boy. The director encouraged me to go back into the classroom with the other children, but I reassured him that my assistant and the additional teacher were capable of monitoring the other children. There was no way I could leave this little boy, after what he just experienced. Later that afternoon, I spoke with his mother and informed her of what happened earlier that day. To my surprise, she seemed quite nonchalant about everything, and replied it's a part of life, we all got to grow up at some point.  The amount of anger and mixed emotions that boiled up inside of me were too much to handle, and I thought it in my best interest to cut the conversation short, report the conversation and her response to my director, and made a mental note to pay close attention to this particular little boy, as he well needed to be comforted and reassured that he was in a safe environment when he was at school, and in my presence.
Brazil is the one place that I am longing to visit. Brazil has the highest poverty rate in the world.
"The disparity between the rich and poor in Brazilian society is one of the largest. The richest 1% of         Brazil's population control 50% of its income. The poorest 50% of society live on just 10% of the country's wealth, while the poorest 10% receive less than 1%!" (http://www.childrenofbahia.com/childpoverty.htm). Most poverty amongst children in Brazil is caused by abandonment, and HIV among parents. Survival on the streets involve finding foods in bins and garbage cans, exploitation, running drugs and stealing. Other children turn to drugs, such as glue sniffing, because it is so inexpensive, as a means of escape from the realization of their poverty stricken lives. The affects of drugs and exploitation on children in Brazil are tremendous and traumatizing to their physical and mental health.

References

Child Poverty in Brazil-Facts, Reasons and what can be done. Retrieved from       http://www.childrenofbahia.com/childpoverty.htm