Whole Child, Whole Life: 10 Ways to Help Kids Live, Learn, and Thrive

by Stephanie Malia Krauss, Manuel Herrara (illustrator)

Overview

10 proven practices to help children thrive

In a world that seems to grow more unpredictable and challenging by the day, how can we increase learning and joy for children while offering them much-needed support?

Uncertainty and disruption have created a youth mental health crisis that requires all hands on deck. This urgently needed guidebook offers comprehensive and scientifically-grounded methods you can use to support young people’s well-being, no matter what obstacles they face. Written by an expert with decades of experience in education, youth development, and social work, this timely and timeless resource includes:

• 10 practices that can prevent and address mental health challenges and enable young people to thrive
• Strategies for taking care of kids while also taking care of yourself
• Information on the most pressing issues youth face, from nurturing healthy relationships to building community and belonging
• Key takeaways and reflection questions for individual use and group discussion as well as “Try Now” sections with tips and tools that can be used immediately

Providing essential information, practical advice, stories, and time-tested strategies to help kids live and learn, Whole Child, Whole Life is required reading for anyone who is working with, caring for, or raising young people.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781071884423
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	05/30/2023
Pages:	296
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Stephanie Malia Krauss is an educator, social worker, speaker, and writer. Her work focuses on what young people need to be ready and well, now and in the future. Stephanie is the Founder + Principal of First Quarter Strategies; a staff consultant with the Youth Transition Funders Group; and a senior fellow with the CERES Institute for Children & Youth at Boston University, Education Northwest, and the Children’s Funding Project. Stephanie is the author of Making It: What Today’s Kids Need for Tomorrow’s World and a regular contributor to Ed Surge and Scary Mommy. She started her career as a fifth-grade teacher in Phoenix, Arizona. A proud New Jersey native and GED recipient, Stephanie lives in the St. Louis area with her family. You can contact Stephanie at [e-mail].

Table of Contents

List of Tables and Figures
Preface
Introduction
About the Illustrations
Part 1: Whole Child Portrait
Ch 1: Demographics and Determinants
Profile Parts
From Profiles to Portraits
Ch 2: Age and Stage
A Pandemic Pause
Growing Up Fast and Slow
Developmental Protective Factors
Developmental Growth Charts
Developmental Milestones
Ch 3: Brain and Body
It's All Connected
Charting Kids' Health Profiles
Ch 4: People and Places
Kids in Context
Mapping the Spaces Where Kids Spend Time
Understanding and Using Maps of People and Places
"Whole Child" Interview Template
Part 2: 10 Whole Life Practices
The Art and Science of Helping Kids Live, Learn, and Thrive
Ch 6: Meet Basic Needs
Essentials
When Kids Need Essentials
Safety
Belonging
Purpose
More Than Maslow
Rights Worth Fighting For
Meeting Basic Needs in Times of Crisis
Ch 7: Prioritize Mental Health
Responding to Mental Health Challenges
Mental Health First Aid
Emotional Wound Care
When Feeling Panicky
When Feeling Overstimulated
When Feeling Strong Emotions or Exhibiting Self-Destructive Behaviors
Mental Health Habits and Emotional Hygiene
Prioritize and Practice
Ch 8: Invest in Personal Interests
You Can Only Be What You Can See
Invest in the Individual
Pursuits of Passion and Purpose
Lifetime Pursuits
Ch 9: Nurture Healthy Relationships
Webs of Social Support
Built to Last
How to Nurture Healthy Relationships
Nurture and Nudge
Ch 10: Build Community and Belonging
Different Kinds of Community
Climate, Culture, and Community Building
Building Belonging
Belonging Across the Long and Wide of Life
Ch 11: Embrace Identities and Cultures
Embracing Community and Culture
Identity Development
Ch 12: Attend to the Past and Present
Kid Specialists
Making Rounds
Young People Should Hold Their Own Histories
Ch 13: Act With a 100-Year Mindset
Living Longer Than Ever
Forecasting Possible Futures
Ch 14: Be a Force for Good
Civic Engagement and Sociopolitical Youth Development
Ch 15: Seek Awe and Wonder
Spiritual Development
The ABCs of Spiritual Development
Nurturing Kids’ Spirit and Spark
Wholeness Comes From an Integrated Core
Conclusion
A Fern That Grows in Lava Fields
Optimal Conditions for Well-Being and Well-Becoming
Aiming for Wholeness
Cultivating the Garden
Back of Book Sketchnote
Acknowledgments
About the Author
About the Illustrator
Glossary
Endnotes
Index

Editorial Reviews

Are you someone who is raising or educating children and youth? If so, open this book. The words, charts, and drawings on these pages wonderfully capture the complexity about what we know works to support kids in today’s world and helpfully convey how we grownups might try to do better—for them.

Gregg Behr

"Whole Child, Whole Life is a whole encyclopedia of useful ways for adults to understand and support whole children. From creating an in-depth social/emotional/physical/environmental portrait of a child to addressing key challenges, this book offers a treasure trove of strategies and approaches. "

Eileen Kennedy-Moore

"Stephanie Krauss demonstrates her grasp of the youth mental health crisis we face today and provides the guidance we need to cope with it. This compelling new book is for everyone who cares about young people—not just professionals—and I am so grateful she has contributed to our understanding with such focus and compassion. "

Chuck Ingoglia

"If you care for kids in any capacity, pick up this book right now. It's innovative, humane, solution-oriented, and both powerful and incredibly practical. "

Anya Kamenetz

Whole Child, Whole Life is a book that speaks to the ‘wholeness’ not just of children, but to those of us who love, care for, and educate them. Practical strategies interwoven with moving personal narratives make this a must-read for anyone looking to expand their compassion, competency, and knowledge about what it takes to positively impact a future generation.

Gina Warner

"In Whole Child, Whole Life, Stephanie Krauss has created a blueprint and set of strategies for what adults (parents, teachers, coaches, neighbors, etc.) can do to help children thrive in a rapidly changing world. This book is chockful of insights, practices, and everyday strategies that support the needs of children, from basic survival needs to nurturing their relationships, sense of belonging, and spiritual development. There are practical ideas here that will help any adult support the growth and flourishing of children, youth, and our communities. "

Mark Greenberg

"Momentum for expanding social, emotional, mental, and physical health and development has grown to an all-time high across the country. No one can argue that this is one of the most critical fields in public education. Whole Child, Whole Life is an excellent ‘go-to’ resource for school districts that are committed to creating and sustaining social emotional learning programs as part of their strategic plans on behalf of the students who are learning and growing in their communities. "

Daniel A. Domenech

Whole Child, Whole Life is a vivid and thoughtful recipe for adults interested in supporting children to realize their potential and achieve success. Krauss boldly describes the ways and means people and systems can utilize to personalize child development, meet children where they are, and give them what they need to flourish and to become both resilient and accomplished. This is an incredibly useful manual for caring adults who want to help our children thrive in these challenging times.

Paul Reville