Additional Series
Community Teaching Moment Part 5 - Responding to an Injury
Barbara L. Klika, MSW, Undershepherd, Life Coach
August 2013
Situation: An Injury Occurring during Community Gathering
Infant: An infant’s primary task is to receive care. They can’t care for their own needs so would only be able to receive any care needed.
Child response: A child has learned to care for their own need but has not yet necessarily understood the need to also care for others appropriately. They ideally will have confidence in the adults around them, primarily parents or grandparents, to seek care and comfort without fear when needed. It is also true that some children seem more naturally sensitive and empathetic, and may need comfort just to have seen someone else hurt. Others may be oblivious to an injury situation, and go on with whatever they may be doing if someone is hurt. If an injury occurs during a gathering, a child may know some simple ways to help if it isn’t serious but may also know it is best to get an adult.
Adult/parent response: An adult or parent recognizes an injury situation and begins to evaluate what is needed immediately. The adult’s primary task is to learn how to care for self AND one other person, while parents have the necessary addition of learning to care in a sacrificial way for their children.
1) An adult or parent would likely provide whatever immediate first aid is appropriate or obtain professional help. They would hopefully know some first aid basics so as not to increase harm. They would ideally be able to provide care or support in a non-anxious manner. Mature adults will be more focused on responding appropriately to care for needs rather than panicking or looking for someone to blame. They will offer care and comfort.
2) Adults and parents would also appropriately look around and consider anything that is unsafe and that needs to be changed in the surroundings.
3) Parents more specifically may then also need to determine what if any discipline might be appropriate if the incident is between children.
4) Parents, and sometimes adults, may also need to determine whether or not the situation warrants departing. This may be a sacrificial decision if they personally would prefer to stay, but bow to the greater need of an injured child.
Elder response: An elder has raised their own children and is now looking toward the needs, growth and maturity of the entire community, seeing what may be needed especially for those who didn’t have a parent that was able to instruct them wisely.
1) An elder response may be the same as 1, 2, 3, and sometimes even 4 choices of an adult or parent.
2) If there is any problem between injured parties, anyone causing an injury or the parents of children who were injured or were part of causing an injury, elders may be called upon to mediate resolution.
3) In a community setting where close relationships have developed, it may become difficult to discern the difference between adult, parent and elder responses. Hopefully, as concern for one another has been a clear value in community, it will even be that children will also act responsibly to the best of their understanding to assist.
But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.
Luke 6:35
'And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This [is] the first commandment. "And the second, like [it, is] this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." Mark 12:30-31 NKJV
These Teaching Moments are one way to help apply the Life Model Maturity indicators to actual common events. They are not exhaustive examples but rather conversation starters.
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Com_Teaching_Moment_Responding_to_an_Injury_during_Community_Gathering_Aug_2013.docx