Prevent mexican children from living in the street

We would like to share with you, the history of the Gutiérrez family, which has been attended through The Family Care Program since October 2013 when we first met them.

The family consists of the grandmother, further to be called Mrs. L in order to protect her identity, and her grandchildren A and T.

The first contact with Pro Niños was established by Mrs. L due to her great concerns about her grandchildren. The 12-year-old A and the 7-year-old T had been living all their early childhood in a situation of extreme violence and lack of attention , caused by her mother’s and her life partner problems of addiction, which make it impossible for them to look after their sons needs and safety.

The situation of violence A and T had to experience generated violent conducts and problems in their development during the following years of their lives, which induced their grandmother to take care of them.

Mrs. L is a 56 years old resilient woman. To be able to provide her grandchildren with everything they need, she sells catalog products and works as a hairstylist. These activities allow her to take care of her grandchildren during the day and to accompany them constantly through their different activities such as their therapeutic treatments and the workshops offered by Pro Niños.

A, the older brother, attends 6th grade of elementary school, he cares a lot about his appearance, and likes to go to school well dressed and neat. He also loves to play soccer and videogames. Occasionally he shows difficulties relating with adults, having violent conducts that makes it hard for him to establish relationships with other people, even with his own brother.

For a period A was living in an institution, later on he moved back in with his parents, suffering again abandonment and violence. Therefore his grandma decided to take on the responsibility for taking care of him.

T, the younger brother, is a cordial, empathic and curious boy. He is in second year of elementary school and has gradually improved his grades. Thanks to the support of Pro Niños it was possible to diagnose him with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). He is receiving a treatment with which he has gained a greater emotional stability. T plays soccer and takes swimming classes in the afternoons, activities which help him a lot in his physical, mental and emotional development.

Through one and a half year, Pro Niños has helped Mrs. L to identify her relationship’s style with her grandchildren, to recognize the abilities of breeding she needs to develop, and to believe in her strengths. She actively participates in the improvement of the family-bonds and atmosphere attending promptly the different activities which allow her to develop her abilities. The children had been able to establish a healthier relationship with their grandmother, developing a greater emotional stability thanks to a continuous psychological attention. Their sport activities have helped them to develop psychomotor skills, increase their concentration, security and to recognize their strengths.

A challenge to the Gutiérrez family is to achieve a more assertive communication on the part of Mrs. L, establishing clear and flexible rules, based on the age and development of each of her grandchildren. That way she can continue to construct a safe environment, decreasing the possibility that her grandchildren, due to their emotional instability, leave their home to live on the street.

Later on we will tell you more about the progress of the Gutiérrez family and everything that happens with them thanks to your participation, which supports their extensive attention and those of the other families.