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One of the biggest pressures many parents and carers face is the feeling that they are expected to “fix” a child’s behaviour.

It’s not always said directly, but it can often be felt in meetings, school conversations, reports, and the way progress is measured.

“How quickly are things improving?”“Are the behaviours reducing?”“What strategies are working?”

Sometimes it can feel as though healing should follow a clear timeline — that with the right support, the right parenting, or the right intervention, everything should begin to settle quickly and neatly. But children who have experienced trauma don’t heal in straight lines.

When you’re caring for a child who has lived through loss, fear, instability, or difficult early experiences, it’s easy to start feeling under pressure yourself. You can find yourself focusing so much on behaviours and outcomes that you lose sight of what the child may actually be communicating underneath it all.

Children who have experienced trauma do not need “fixing.”

They need to feel safe.They need consistency.They need connection.They need adults who can stay alongside them, even when progress feels slow, messy, or uncertain.

In my experience, the real shift often happens when we stop asking, “How do we stop this behaviour?” and start asking, “What might this child be needing from us right now?”

That isn’t always easy, especially when families feel watched, judged, or under pressure to show visible progress. But meaningful, lasting change rarely comes through pressure or quick fixes.

It grows through safety, trust, patience, and relationships built over time.

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University High School senior Camren Breeden turned a simple class project into something life-changing for a classmate.

After noticing fellow student Daniel, who is blind, struggling to navigate school with a flimsy, homemade mobility aid, Camren got to work. Using materials from his Career and Technical Education (CTE) class, he designed and built a custom walker to better support Daniel’s independence.

Inspired in part by his own uncle, who is also blind, Camren created a sturdy, easy-to-maneuver device with a wheeled base and properly fitted handles—allowing Daniel to move through hallways more safely and confidently.

Daniel, who lost his vision during the COVID-19 pandemic and is nonverbal, previously relied heavily on others to get around. Now, thanks to Camren’s compassion and ingenuity, he has greater autonomy and freedom at school.

With support from CTE teacher Eric Puyear, the project continues to evolve, with plans to refine the design and build additional devices for other students.

This incredible act of kindness and innovation is a powerful example of what it means to truly see and support others in our school community.

See the full Spokesman-Review article below:
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2026/apr/24/its-incredible-spokane-valley-teen-takes-it-upon-h/

📷 Photo credit: Tyler Tjomsland, Spokesman-Review

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Please join us in celebrating National Autism Acceptance Month and the incredible students who make our community so special. This month, we are proud to recognize the creativity, talent, and contributions of so many of our students.

A special shout-out goes to Colton Hanson, who designed and crafted a fantastic cutting board in Woodshop to help promote this important celebration. His work is a great example of the skill, dedication, and creativity we see in our students every day.

Great job, Colton—and thank you to all of our amazing students for the many ways you make our school stronger!

The future is looking bright.

SFD’s Station 16 and our CRR team stopped by the Westview Elementary School Science Fair this evening to talk about smoke alarms and the fire science behind them.

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Cheney Middle School assistant principal recognized for helping child in crisis AIRWAY HEIGHTS, Wash. — A Cheney Middle School assistant principal is being recognized by the Airway Heights Police Department for her work helping a child in crisis.

When a child is overwhelmed, the goal isn't to talk them out of it — it's to help their body feel safe again first.

The nervous system responds to sensation before it responds to reason. That means the fastest path back to calm is often physical — not a conversation, but a cold splash of water, a tight squeeze, or a few minutes of fresh air.

This is the power of and in action — something many and educators see every day when supporting students’ .