*names changed to protect the privacy of the individuals involved. My foster son, Tyler, moved into our home when he was fourteen. Coming from a difficult background, he already faced…
Personal Story: Don’t Believe Everyone You Meet Online
Personal Story: One person can make a difference
Valisca Joseph, who grew up in Sint Maarten, is a mom of eight-year-old twins and lives in Michigan, United States. She loves children, and her passion is to cook “and…
Personal Story: The World Needs Dyslexia
Told by Lucien York I used to hate my dyslexia, but now I see it as my superpower. I took the most painful thing in my life and turned it…
Fourteen and diagnosed with extreme social anxiety
By Laura Bijnsdorp*Names are changed to protect the privacy of the individuals interviewed. Everyone has feelings of anxiety at some point in their life. Feeling anxious about certain events is…
Everyone needs someone they can rely on
Support, consistency and understanding. That is what children in foster care need most, says James Brooks, who grew up in a foster home. His advice: avoid that children have to…
Teens sharing the mental imprint left by a hurricane
The book Hurricanes and Rainbows comprises a series of stories written by teenagers on Sint Maarten. The project, initiated by psychologist Caroline van Oost and the White and Yellow Cross…
Personal Story: who is going to believe you?
“I washed the sheets,” was the line I remember hearing when I first started to suspect that my ex-husband was sexually abusing my daughter. “I am going to kill you,”…
I have to keep pushing for my children
Despite the abuse Celia and her children experienced from her husband, for a long time she was unable to leave him. After nine years, she escaped to the Crisis Shelter…
The power of grandma’s love and support
Column by Aisaiah Nunes My grandmother’s kindness and support have been a constant source of strength for me. Without her, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Growing up in…
A teen mom’s resilience and growth
When Allia was 14 years old, she felt she might be pregnant. She initially pushed away that feeling, hoping it was not true. When she finally took a test, she…