Rainbows

What is Rainbows?

Rainbows is an international not-for-profit organization that offers peer support to assist children, adolescents and adults who are grieving a death, divorce, separation, abandonment or other painful loss.

Since 1983, caring volunteer facilitators in 17 countries around the world have helped over one million youths. Rainbows and their program is endorsed by clinicians, courts, educational organizations, churches and mental health professionals.

There are three levels of programs currently available:

Rainbows:	Ages 4 to 14
Spectrum:	Grades 9 to 12
Prism:	Parents of children enrolled in either program.

Dates to Remember

• Tuesday January 24, 2012 - Facilitators Pot Luck
• Saturday January 28, 2012 - New Facilitators Training

Rainbows Resources

There's a great activity book for kids that you can order free from the Department of Justice Canada called "What Happens Next? Information for Kids about Separation and Divorce." Order it by e-mail at cca-dgve@justice.gc.ca or by phone at 1-888-373-2222. It can also be downloaded as a PDF from www.justice.gc.ca or printed copies can be picked up in the Hospice office.

www.familieschange.ca
An excellent interactive website for kids, teens and parents about separation and divorce, prepared by the B.C. government. It features a ÔtalkingÕ judge who tells kids about feelings, the law and definitions.

www.sesameworkshop.org/grief
A website for all ages dealing with grief after the death of a loved one.Ê If you are going through separation or divorce, remember that you and your kids are also going through grief and the feelings, reactions and stages are very much the same.

www.kidshelpphone.ca
Kids can talk to a counselor online.

Books

• The Unwedding
  Helps to make light of a hurtful event. Kids enjoy and relate to it; can be ordered thru Amazon.
• On the Day Daddy Left
  Deals with the blame and guilt that most kids feel.
• Was it the Chocolate Pudding?
  Deals with blame and guilt.ÊKids have a chocolate pudding fight and make a big mess, then find out the next day that mom and dad are separating and think its their fault.
• When Dinosaurs Die or When Dinosaurs Divorce
  Excellent. For Ages 4-8 yrs.

Phone Numbers to keep handy:

• Kids Help Phone 1-800-668-6868: Kids can talk to a counselor 24/7
• Telecare Distress Centre 705-726-7922: Trained volunteers on duty 24/7

Rainbow Stories

John's Story
John and his brother came to Rainbows after their mom and dad separated. John in particular seemed very angry; he didn’t want to be there and didn’t care to participate in the Rainbows program. He refused to write in his journal but instead scribbled angrily on the pages with a black marker. His facilitator, Laurie, didn’t comment on his ‘artwork’ but gave him a fresh piece of paper, which he scribbled on as well. She continued to give him pieces of paper and he continued his scribbling; only varying slightly to include red sometimes to accompany the black. He did this every time he came to Rainbows for five weeks.

On the sixth week, before leaving with his mom, John drew a black and red rainbow, gave it to Laurie and wanted her to take it home. The next week, and every week after, he drew a colorful rainbow and gave it to Laurie. He also started to open up and share his thoughts with his group.

On our final Celebrate Me Day, John’s dad came to Rainbows, holding a stack of children’s art, and asked to meet Laurie. He showed her drawings that John had done at his house on weekends. First, he indicated a stack of black and red scribbles and said that that was what his son used to do when he came to visit. Then he showed her a stack of beautiful, colorful rainbows and told Laurie that this was what John started drawing about six weeks ago.

John is just one of the many kids in our Rainbows program who use paper and crayons or markers to express their feelings about the changes in their lives. We try not to judge their art. We don’t say ‘that’s a nice picture’ or ‘that’s not a nice picture’. The best thing to say is, ‘Tell me about it’, then give them another piece of paper.