When Children Feel Safe, Their Truest Selves Emerge Creating Emotional - Safety as Our Children Return to School

Dr. Erlange Elisme
Oct 20
4 min read

The School Bell Rings, But Home Remains the Foundation

As August winds down and backpacks fill our living rooms, Haitian parents across Georgia are preparing for another school year. But before our children step into those hallways, we have the sacred opportunity to strengthen the foundation they carry with them: the emotional safety of home.

When children feel safe, their truest selves emerge. This truth becomes even more powerful when our children face the daily navigation between cultures, languages, and expectations that school brings. The harmony we create at home travels with our children into every classroom, every friendship, every challenge they face. When everyone in our family is in harmony, we create safety that extends beyond our front door.

What Our Children Carry Into School

Emotional safety means more than checking homework and packing lunch. It's the deep sense our children carry of being seen ("Mwen wè ou"), heard ("Mwen tande ou"), and valued ("Ou gen valè"). When children feel emotionally safe at home, they walk into school with confidence that they belong, that their voice matters, and that home is always a place of refuge.

This foundation becomes crucial as our children navigate questions about where they're from, comments about their names, or moments when they feel caught between being Haitian enough at home and American enough at school. Children who feel safe don't have to choose between their identities; they can embrace the beautiful complexity of being both.

The Harmony That Creates Safety

Research shows us that children thrive academically and emotionally when there's harmony between home and their sense of self. For immigrant families, this harmony isn't about perfection. It's about creating consistent love, clear expectations, and open communication that our children can depend on.

Many of us grew up hearing "Pa kriye!" (Don't cry!) or "Fò w' fè fò!" (Be strong!). These words served a purpose, teaching us survival. But as we prepare our children for this school year, we can offer them something more: the strength that comes from knowing their feelings are welcome, their struggles are heard, and their successes are celebrated.

Five Ways to Create Harmony as School Begins

Begin Each Morning With Intention

Before rushing out the door, take thirty seconds to speak blessing over your child: "Bondye ap pwoteje ou jodi a" ("God will protect you today"). This simple ritual creates a bridge between the safety of home and the adventures of school.

Sponsored Ad

Create After-School Connection Rituals

Ask not just "How was school?" but "Ki jan ou te santi ou jodi a?" ("How did you feel today?"). Give them space to share both victories and struggles without immediately trying to fix everything.

Honor Both Cultures in Learning

When homework feels overwhelming, remind your child: "Ou gen de lang nan tèt ou, sa vle di ou pi entèlijan pase yo kwè" ("You have two languages in your head, which means you're smarter than they think"). Help them see their bilingual brain as a superpower, not a burden.

Practice Family Problem-Solving Together

When challenges arise, model collaborative solutions. Ask your child: "Ki sa ou panse nou ka fè ansanm?" ("What do you think we can do together?"). This teaches them they're not alone in facing difficulties.

End Each Day With Affirmation

Whether through prayer, stories of lakay, or simply saying "Mwen renmen ou, pa gen anyen ki ka chanje sa" ("I love you, nothing can change that"), these bedtime moments create lasting security that travels with them into tomorrow.

Building Bridges Between Home and School

The harmony we create at home should extend to our relationship with our children's schools. When our children see us working collaboratively with their teachers, they learn that their two worlds can coexist peacefully. Approach educators as partners in your child's success, advocating with the same strength-based approach we use at home. Our children are watching how we navigate these relationships, learning lessons about standing up for themselves while maintaining dignity.

A Promise for This School Year

As we send our children back to school, we make them a promise: home will always be their safe harbor. Not a place where they must be perfect, but a place where they can be real. Not a place where struggles are hidden, but where they're met with wisdom and love.

This school year, let's commit to creating such deep harmony in our homes that our children carry safety with them wherever they go. When they face moments of doubt, they'll remember our words of blessing. When they encounter challenges, they'll use the problem-solving skills we've practiced together. When they achieve victories, they'll know they have a family that celebrates every step of their journey.

Reflection for This Week

As you prepare for the school year ahead, consider: What kind of harmony am I creating in my home? How can I ensure my child feels both rooted in our Haitian culture and empowered to succeed in their American school? What daily practices will remind them that they are loved, valued, and capable?

Lakòl family, remember: Lespwa fè viv (Hope gives life). As we create harmony in our homes this school year, we're not just supporting our children's education. We're raising the next generation of Haitian-Americans who know their worth, honor their heritage, and contribute their gifts to the world with confidence.

The school bell may ring, but the harmony we create at home echoes in every classroom our children enter.