My name is Maycee Holden and I’m majoring in Criminology. Although I’m not in a major that consists of nursing or early childhood specifically, the Bear Breaks trip to Colorado stuck out to me from the beginning. I love working with kids. Any opportunity I get where I’m able to help a family or child in any way, I will gladly pursue.
Children’s Hospital Colorado
I have been fortunate enough to spend the last four days working with the amazing kids, staff, and volunteers of Children’s Hospital Colorado in Aurora. With my past experience in childcare and my current job at Mercy, I had a small idea of what to expect. I was excited to get started. Children’s Hospital Colorado is so much more that I could ever imagine. Walking in, I don’t get the typical hospital “feel.” You’re greeted with bright colors and the warm smiles of everyone, including patients. Every person seems so happy with their role in the hospital, no matter what it is. You can tell that the hospital does everything they can to make the patients and their families as safe and comfortable as possible. The resources and services they offer are unbelievable.
Our Service
Coming in, I had no idea what our days in this hospital would consist of. One of our roles is to supervise and play with kids in their Creative Play Center. This center is made specifically for kids of all ages. The parents can drop off a child on their way to another child’s appointment, surgery or meeting. Or if their sibling is long term, it can just give the child a break from sitting in the hospital room. Coming from working in a daycare, I originally thought that the main idea was to make it easier for the parents. A way to give them a chance to get done what they need to do without having to worry about bringing their child along.
After playing with some of the kids, I realize that this isn’t just a convenience for the parents. This is somewhere the siblings can unwind. The kids spend time for themselves, and don’t have to worry about a thing. They deserve a space where there aren’t any doctors, medicine, or poking and prodding. They can be a worry free kid for a couple of hours.
Another one of our roles this week is hosting a craft party in the lobby. This seems like a small activity. After seeing how excited some of the kids get to color a rainbow, or make a thank you card for their favorite doctor it really puts things into perspective. These kids typically have so much more going on in their lives than we could ever imagine. A lot of them have just received shots, had x-rays or even just gotten out of surgery. You would never know by the smile on their face when they’re done. It speaks volumes. This is part of their day where they just get to be a kid.