When I was growing up, money was tight. My mom took my siblings and me to the city health clinic for our childhood vaccinations. There would be a long line of kids, all with their sleeves rolled up for their shot. We would pull out cards and play war while we waited for the nurse to reach us.
Access to healthcare is sometimes treated as a privilege rather than a right. Yet every person deserves to receive basic preventive care and treatment when they are sick. Children may not realize that going to the doctor isn’t something all families take for granted. Their own family might even struggle to cover medical bills and buy medicines.
Invite children to reflect on the social justice theme of ‘healthcare access’ with this guided meditation recording, or listen to the recording yourself and then use the transcript to guide children in the practice.
Transcript
Find a comfortable place to sit and close your eyes. (pause)
Take a deep breath (pause) and let it out. (pause)
Deep breath (pause) and let it out. (pause)
Once more, breathe in (pause) and let it out. (pause)
Imagine that a friend is recruiting people to participate in a fundraiser for a local health clinic. (pause). You are not sure that you want to get up early on a Saturday to walk. (pause) Your friend invites you to come to the clinic and see the work they do. (pause)
When you arrive, you notice a poster about vaccination on the wall. (pause) You hear a baby crying as she gets a shot. (pause) You see pregnant moms waiting to get their check-ups. (pause) You watch as a kid with an inhaler picks up refills at the desk. (pause) You move out of the way so a man in his 70s can test out his new walker. (pause)
The clinic staff are very busy. There are lots of people who need their help. How do you feel as you watch the staff take care of people? (pause) What do you want to do to support them? (pause)
Take a deep breath (pause) and let it out. (pause)
Open your eyes when you are ready.
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