Kids Turn San Diego

WITH A MISSION OF PROMOTING, SUPPORTING AND SECURING THE WELL-BEING OF CHILDREN WHO ARE EXPERIENCING FAMILY SEPARATION, WE EMPOWER CHILDREN AND HEAL FAMILIES. WE CHANGE FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS IN POSITIVE WAYS SO CHILDREN EXPERIENCING FAMILY SEPARATION, DIVORCE OR MILITARY TRANSITIONS HAVE HAPPIER CHILDHOODS.

OUR FAMILY WORKSHOP IS A COURT APPROVED CO-PARENTING PROGRAM FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY. CHILDREN LEARN HOW TO SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS ABOUT THEIR FAMILY SITUATIONS, THAT THEY ARE NOT ALONE AND THAT THEIR PARENTS' DIVORCE IS NOT THEIR FAULT, THUS FREEING THEM UP FROM SELF-BLAME. PARENTS GAIN INSIGHT INTO THEIR WORDS, ACTIONS AND BEHAVIORS AND LEARN HOW TO ACCEPT THE THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS OF THEIR CHILDREN WITHOUT JUDGING, MINIMIZING OR INVALIDATING THEM. THIS PROGRAM CONTINUED TO BE OFFERED VIRTUALLY WITHOUT ANY INTERRUPTIONS DURING THE YEAR. A TEEN WHO GRADUATED FROM THE PROGRAM PROUDLY READ HIS GRADUATION POSTER, DEAR PARENTS, I NOTICED THAT YOU ARE TRYING TO IMPROVE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH ME, AND I APPRECIATE IT. I LIKE THAT YOU ARE COMMUNICATING MORE WITH ME! I LIKE THAT YOU PUT ME IN THIS PROGRAM, THANK YOU! THE PROGRAM HELPED ME BUILD RELATIONSHIP WITH MY PARENTS. WHETHER IN-PERSON OR VIRTUAL, KIDS TURN SAN DIEGO CONTINUES TO CHANGE LIVES BY EMPOWERING CHILDREN AND HEALING FAMILIES. CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION CLASSES ARE OFFERED AS AN ADVANCED 2-HOUR REFRESHER CLASS FOR FAMILY WORKSHOP PARENT GRADUATES AND THEIR NEW PARTNERS. CLASSES WERE OFFERED VIRTUALLY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

IN OUR COUNSELING PROGRAM, WE ARE PROVIDING A SAFE PLACE FOR CHILDREN AGES 5-17 TO TALK ABOUT THEIR FAMILY SITUATION AND TO LEARN NEW COPING AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS, REALIZE THAT THEIR FAMILY SITUATION OF SEPARATION IS NOT THEIR FAULT AND FIND NEW WAYS TO EXPRESS THEIR FEELINGS. WE ARE HELPING CHILDREN FOCUS IN SCHOOL, ENGAGE IN APPROPRIATE SOCIAL INTERACTIONS WITH OTHERS AND ARE PROVIDING TOOLS THAT PROMOTE RESILIENCY AND INCREASE SELF-ESTEEM. COUNSELING SERVICES WERE OFFERED THROUGH THE ZOOM TELEHEALTH PLATFORM THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. AFTER 13 COUNSELING SESSIONS, 14-YEAR-OLD SONYA WAS LIKE A DIFFERENT CHILD. SHE REALIZED THAT HOLDING IN HER FEELINGS LED TO TEARS OR ANGER OUTBURSTS BUT SHARING THEM USING I STATEMENTS MADE IT EASIER TO COMMUNICATE AND TO CONNECT WITH BOTH HER PARENTS. SHE ALSO LEARNED THAT BY OWNING THE PROBLEM, HER TRANSITIONS BECAME EASIER. BY USING THIS SKILL, SHE REALIZED THAT SHE WAS SO WORRIED ABOUT BEING REPLACED BY HER HALF-SISTERS THAT SHE WAS CREATING DRAMA SO HER DAD WOULD PAY ATTENTION TO HER. BY THE END OF COUNSELING, SHE HAD SHARED HER FEARS WITH HER DAD AND THEY AGREED TO RESERVE DADDY-DAUGHTER TIME DURING EVERY CUSTODY WEEK. SONYA BEGAN TO LOVE HER HALF-SISTERS AND FOUND A LOT OF JOY IN BEING THE BIG SISTER. ON HER LAST DAY OF COUNSELING, SHE SHARED, COUNSELING REALLY HELPED ME. IM GETTING TO SPEND QUALITY TIME WITH BOTH MY PARENTS NOW AND IM NO LONGER STRESSED DURING TRANSITIONS. I GUESS I LEARNED THAT THE STRESS WAS MORE ABOUT THE FEAR OF LOSING MY DAD THAN ANYTHING ELSE. I WOULD HAVE NEVER FIGURED THAT OUT SO I AM SO THANKFUL! OH, AND ANOTHER GOOD THING IS THAT NOW IM COMFORTABLE TALKING WITH BOTH MY PARENTS. AND THEYRE BOTH MEETING MY NEEDS BECAUSE I LEARNED HOW TO TELL THEM HOW I FEEL AND WHAT I NEED.