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Why I Want To Become A Child Life Specialist When I Am Older

A Child Life Specialist is just as important as the doctors and nurses in a medical team.

Breanna Sprenger

Nov 15, 2016

Cleveland, OH

2680

Why I Want To Become A Child Life Specialist When I Am Older

Pixabay

I often get asked the question, "What do you want to be when you are older?'', and I have known the answer to that question since I was eight years old. The reason I knew that answer at such a young age came from me working with Child Life Specialists in my first eight years of my life. The Child Life Specialists were the ''good guys'' in my mind since I knew they were not going to hurt me. The Child Life Specialists got me through hospitalizations, 18 surgeries, and countless tests & procedures.

People often wonder what a Child Life Specialist is when I tell someone that is what I want to be when I am older. If you are wondering, let me tell you — A Child Life Specialist is a health care professional who helps children understand what they are going through. A Child Life Specialist helps children understand by age-appropriate explanations, play and self-expression activities such as art.

The Child Life Specialists that walked into my hospital room made a huge impact on me. I want to hopefully impact my future patients as much as the Child Life Specialists made on me. I want to be an advocate for my future patients just like how my Child Life Specialists were for me. The Child Life Specialists really focused on my mental and emotional health which I appreciated. I want to make sure my future patients' emotional and mental health are being treated along with their physical health. I remember making bracelets and doing art activities in the hospital with my Child Life Specialist. I look forward to helping my future patients express themselves in a creative way. I remember telling my Child Life Specialist when I would be scared or anxious about the upcoming procedure, and my Child Life Specialist would help ease my anxiety. I hope that I can help my future patients' anxiety ease ,and not be as scared as they were before.

The number one reason why I want to become a Child Life Specialist is that I know how they are feeling. Being away from your family and friends while being in an unknown place is scary. My Child Life Specialists made my hospital experiences 100x better, and I hope to do the same for my future patients.

Thank you, Child Life Specialists, for inspiring me to become one too. You all rock.

Love,

A Future Child Life Specialist

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.

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Why I Want To Become A Child Life Specialist When I Am Older

A Child Life Specialist is just as important as the doctors and nurses in a medical team.

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All names should be "unisex names."

1. Communicating via email can be awkward.

2. Appointments usually accompany weird looks.

3. Introducing yourself to someone is never without a hitch.

4. You’ve probably thought about changing your name.

5. You’re often asked why you have the name you do.

6. You get excited when you meet someone of your gender with your name.

7. You feel awkward when you meet someone of the opposite gender with your name.

8. You’ve had someone say to you, “I knew a [your name], but they were [your opposite gender].”

9. You’ve heard a bad joke/pick-up line or two about your name before.

10. People are surprised when they see you.

11. You’re extra sensitive to other unique or unisex names.

12. You’ve fought with your parents about it.

13. All things considered, you’re happy your name makes you unique.

You know that all of these things apply to you. You'll just never tell.

I get it... I'm pale.

1. At least I can't lose you in a crowd!

2. Oh my goodness your skin is like glow-in-the-dark.

3. Can't you just get fake tan?

4. Do you tan or just burn?

5. Your kids are going to look like Casper the Friendly Ghost!

6. *holds arm against your arm* Look how much darker I am compared to you!

7. *holds pale arm against another pale arm* Aw, at least you're darker than her!

8. I laid out by the pool almost every day over break!

9. I haven't used sunscreen since I was, like, five.

10. *adjusts selfie lighting to their face* Oops, where'd you go??

11. *after working out* Your face is SO red!

12. *wears white* Look! You're all one color!

13. You need to get some sun.

14. Aren't you excited for summer?

The struggle bus is real.

1. Child prodigies:

2. Hearing other musicians in the practice room next door and accepting that you will never be as talented as them:

3. That anxiety that takes over before every performance:

4. Taking a million 0 credit classes:

5. When there's a paper due the next day, but you have to attend yet another concert in order to pass a 0 credit class:

6. When your friends try to encourage you after a performance, even though you are criticizing everything in your mind:

7. Knowing that there's always that one professor during juries:

8. The oh-so-attractive band/choir uniforms:

9. Realizing that a college campus is maybe not the best atmosphere to finish your latest composition:

10. Hearing "Oh, you sing opera? I LOVE Phantom of the Opera!" for the hundredth time:

11. When people think finals week is a breeze for you.

12. When you're drowning in the stress that comes with 18+ credits (and not to mention all those 0 credit classes) and people ask you how you are:

13. When it all comes down to it, though, you know that at the end of the day, music is your passion:

Because you need it in your life.

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6. holds arm against your arm Look how much darker I am compared to you!

7. holds pale arm against another pale arm Aw, at least you're darker than her!

10. adjusts selfie lighting to their face Oops, where'd you go??

11. after working out Your face is SO red!

12. wears white Look! You're all one color!