I’m thankful for…

• People and organizations that donate to children’s hospitals. These donations truly go a long way and make a world of difference for our patient’s year round. As crazy as it sounds, many child life programs do not have a budget and rely on solely on donations for crayons, toys, and stickers!
• Soap! Yes, soap. For without soap there’d be no bubbles! And we all know that Child Life & bubble blowing go hand in hand.
• Those techs, nurses, and doctors that request Child Life services BEFORE they begin their procedure.
• Steve Jobs – for making an incredible distraction tool that not only actively engages patients, but also blocks the view.
• Dansko Shoes – for helping my feet cope with standing, walking, running, and of course, squatting during long procedures.
• My child life assistant and volunteers that not only help me every day with upkeep care of my child life program, but also help me cope with losses on Grey’s Anatomy, The Walking Dead, and Game of Thrones (McDreamy, Glenn, & John Snow forever).
• The summer months when our census drastically slows down.
• These $4 for a dozen gold medals from oriental trading – this is often the most appreciated prize I can give a child for being brave.
• All of the other wonderful Child Life bloggers that not only inspire me to be the best CCLS I can be, but advocate for our beautiful profession & make a difference every day.
• And of course, all of my wonderful readers that continue to encourage me to keep blogging!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

& to all of my fellow CCLS’s, make sure & rest up this week – the hectic holiday season is HERE!