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We don't like to feel pain. When it shows up, we want to get rid of it as soon as possible. And when it happens to our children... then we would most like to take it from them and take it upon ourselves so that they do not have to suffer.

Nie lubimy czuć bólu. Kiedy się pojawia, chcemy pozbyć się go jak najszybciej. A kiedy przytrafia się naszym dzieciom… wtedy najchętniej zabralibyśmy go od nich i wzięli na siebie, aby tylko nie musiały cierpieć. I choć ból jest tak nieprzyjemnym odczuciem, zarówno fizycznie jak i emocjonalnie, to pełni bardzo ważną rolę.

Joining the family of a sick child is associated with an intense wave of various emotions. Anger, fear, and resentment are intertwined with feelings of injustice and loneliness. This often comes with blaming yourself for your child's illness or critical voices you hear from other people. Lack of information, emotional support, and conflicting information received from specialists can lead to a feeling of confusion and helplessness.

Kiedy do rodziny dołącza chore dziecko, wiąże się to z intensywną falą różnorodnych emocji. Złość, lęk i rozżalenie przeplatają się z poczuciem niesprawiedliwości i osamotnieniem. Często dochodzi do tego obwinianie się o chorobę dziecka lub krytyczne głosy, jakie można usłyszeć od innych ludzi. Brak informacji i wsparcia emocjonalnego oraz sprzeczne wiadomości i opinie otrzymywane od różnych specjalistów mogą prowadzić do poczucia zagubienia w nowej sytuacji i bezradności.

Sometimes it happens that parents want to help and support their child so much that, guided by good intentions, they deprive the child of the possibility of independent action. In situations in which the child could cope by itself or with a little help, the parents help the child, wanting to spare him the effort or experience of failure. It also happens that in the rush of daily duties, caregivers do not allow the child to become too involved in household chores or other self-service activities, because adults will do it better or faster. In the short term, this strategy works, but looking at it in the long term we harm the child more than we help him. It takes time to get into practice and learn to do something right - whether it's dressing, cooking, or building spaceships.

A stay in a hospital is not one of the easiest experiences in the life of a child and its parents. Fortunately, there are people who can make this challenging time pleasant and at least a little easier. They’re the animators. It’s the most advantageous when they’re an integral part of the child care team. Here, at the Paley European Institute, that's exactly how it is! :)