Separation, divorce, death, incarceration and foster care.
These adult issues often involve children indirectly but are rarely treated as though they do. This is where Rainbows Canada, part of Rainbows International, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping kids understand these problems, steps into the picture.
Crossfield Elementary School has quietly racked up what it believes to be an unofficial Canadian record for implementing the Rainbows program at a single location.
“We are the longest running site in Alberta, we know that,” said Adele Gamble, child development advisor with the school for 18 years. “For sure we are in the top two in Canada.”
Gamble attributes Rainbows’ success and past administration that believed in the program and implementation during daytime hours.
“We run it during the day which made it a long running program,” said Gamble “All of our principals in the past have recognized the value of it.”
Due to staff and administration turnover, Rainbows programs in other jurisdictions often change venues, but that’s not the case in Crossfield.
Gamble tirelessly spends her time helping initiate the conversation among young children who have a great deal on their mind with no proper outlet.
“The real premise of the program is ‘it’s not your fault,’” she said. “They didn’t cause this. Their mom and dad might not love each other, but they love you.”
Once a week a group of students between grades 2 and 5 get together to discuss the issues they face. They also participate in the program through workbooks and puzzle games.
“It becomes like an Alcoholics Anonymous group, they’re supporting each other,” explained Gamble. “It’s a special, special time. They get close to each other.”
The workbooks deal with subject matters such as Where Do I Fit In?, Who Is To Blame? and Making the Pieces Fit. At the end of each chapter, students fill in a reflection and draw a picture to correspond with the lesson.
“So often, children don’t have the words to express grief,” said Tammy Dikeman, principal at Crossfield Elementary. “(Rainbows) gives them a comfortable way to talk about it in child language.”
At the start of each school year a notice goes out to all parents in Crossfield notifying them of Rainbows, so as not to target specific households.
Gamble said Rainbows averages 25 students each year and insists that Crossfield is no different than any other community for rates of separation, divorce or death.
“If it (Rainbows) wasn’t successful and doing good, people wouldn’t be requesting it,” said Dikeman. “It’s sustainable because the adults understand the impact of this and the importance of this.”
According to Rainbows’ website, four out of 10 families include a mother, father and children. The rest have experienced death, separation or divorce and one in five Canadian children are raised by a lone parent.
“Feelings don’t just happen at home,” said Dikeman. “Kids need to feel safe here just like they feel safe at home. This is often where their feelings do come out.”
As for the naming of the program, Gamble said a rainbow represents the end of a stormy, tumultuous period in someone’s life.
“The rainbow, in secular and non-secular hearts of the world, has always symbolized hope and that is why we use that,” she said. “The clouds have cleared in their life.”
