by Jerrie Lynn South-DeRose

Created on: March 16, 2009

Creating and Sustaining a Positive Family Environment Living in a Tent City

With the severe economic downturn and families losing their homes in record numbers, more children are living in tent cities and homeless shelters, in automobiles, and on the street. Everything they know and are familiar with is wiped away and not only have they lost their homes, children have lost access to the parks, playgrounds, and their yards as a place to play. Other children can no longer attend child care centers and pre-schools, go to boys and girls clubs, attend scouts, and may even lose access to Sunday School, which sets children up to be bored, stressed, and feeling lost. Unfamiliarity can breed discontent.

Parents and civic organizations need to help children find activities within the perimeters of the tent city, or other areas where homeless families congregate and live in order to create a sense of community for themselves and their children. There are many activities that parents can do with their children that will both create a learning environment and add a little fun to their lives. Civic groups could volunteer in these tent cities', as well, to help children have something to do.

Inexpensive Purchases for Busy Work

Most Dollar, Dollar General, Everything's a Dollar, and similar stores have toys, coloring books, crayons, puzzles, books, balls, paints, and other items available for purchase that many parents, charitable, and civic organizations can get for children at a small cost. Most communities also have a Salvation Army or Red Cross, etc. that may have crayons, balls, dolls, cars, and other small toys available to be given away to children who need them. There are also Community Action Centers in many communities.

Yoyos', Frisbees, large rubber balls, basket or soccer balls, etc. can also be found at dollar stores. Encouraging children to get out into the open and play together, with a parent, or with other children in the tent center is healthy and fun for everyone. Sometimes a croquet or badminton set can be purchased for not too much at a discount store.

These items will help keep children from becoming bored and they will help take a child's mind away from the drastic change in their environment as both parents and children struggle to adjust to the loss of the home and everything that is familiar. There are also items like lunch size paper sacks, plastic storage containers, beads and other things used for arts and crafts that can be purchased for no more than

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