Picture this. It’s the first day of school and there’s two children sitting next to each other in second grade. They both have new outfits on and backpacks full of all the things they need to start school. But inside their young brains, two different realities are playing out.
The first woke up in the same bed she’s woken up in for much of her life. She went downstairs for a healthy breakfast before being walked to the bus stop by her mom. When she gets home, she knows there will be a snack ready and tonight she’ll fall asleep in the same bed after a goodnight story from a parent, just like she does every night. Her world is full of routine, security, safety and love.
The teacher says: “Take out your math book and turn to page one.” She’s ready to focus on the task in front of her.
The second child woke up on a mattress laid out on the floor of the cramped bedroom she is sharing with her mom and two siblings. Her mom left everything to flee an abusive relationship so they could be safe. Without a home, they’ve been going from house to house living with family and friends and she never knows where she’ll spend the night. She knows her mother loves her dearly, but her world feels unstable, uncertain, and nothing is in order. Her stomach growls and she squirms in her seat. It makes it hard to focus.
The teacher says: “Take out your math book and turn to page one.” The assignment is the same, but the child’s bandwidth for completing the task is not.
More Than Stereotypes
Many hear the word “homelessness” and tend to think of the stereotype: A man on the street corner holding up a cardboard sign. But it’s often more hidden, and impacts children right in our own neighborhoods, just like this scenario.
Nationally during the 2023-2024 school year over 1.5 million children experienced homelessness whether living in a car, a shelter, doubled up in a family or friends’ home, etc. Many bounce from home to home, switching schools and friends with every move. The stability their developing brains crave feels far out of reach.
And then they sit down to learn and well…it’s hard. There’s a reason for that:
The Psychology
These skills are part of what psychologists call executive function, the mental skills that help us manage our thoughts and behaviors in pursuit of a goal.
Harvard’s Center on the Developing Child compares executive function to an air traffic controller: it helps manage the information coming and going inside of a brain and determines what we do with it. Three core components are:
- Working memory: Holding information in the mind and using it
- Inhibitory control: Resisting impulse, distractions, and reactions
- Cognitive flexibility: Shifting gears, adapting to changing demands and seeing things from different perspectives.
These skills help children pay attention to a teacher, remember instructions, ignore distractions, plan ahead, solve problems and more. In short, they are essential to learning and navigating school.
But imagine trying to use those skills while your brain is constantly responding to uncertainty. When children experience strong or prolonged stress, their bodies’ stress-response systems can remain activated for longer than they should. That can interfere with the development and functioning of the brain systems involved in learning, memory and self-regulation. The brain is, in a very real sense, devoting resources to coping with stress rather than simply focusing on the math problem in front of them.
The effects of instability can extend beyond a child’s ability to concentrate in the moment. Persistent fear and uncertainty can affect how children respond to their environments, including how readily they perceive situations as stressful or threatening. When a child’s stress-response system is activated repeatedly, it can affect learning, behavior and emotional regulation.
But this is not a life sentence.
Children’s brains are remarkably adaptable. Safe, stable environments and responsive relationships with caring adults can help buffer the effects of stress and support healthy development and resilience. New neural connections continue to form throughout life, which means that providing stability and supportive relationships can have a life-changing difference.
And that’s why the work we do matters.
When we help a family move from housing instability toward stability, we are helping to create an environment where children can feel safe, settle into a routine, learn, grow, and simply be kids.
Think back to those girls in second grade and let’s change the scenario a bit. The mother of the second child learns about Good Sam and quickly moves into our welcoming housing. The kids each get their own bed, have access to food, clothing, toys, support and safety. Guided and encouraged by staff, the mother finds a job, starts saving money, and soon is able to move into their very own two-bedroom apartment
Instead of instability and uncertainty, the little girl now no longer wonders where they will stay the night. So, when her teacher tells her to start a math assignment, she’s ready to tackle it.
That’s the impact of safe housing and that’s the impact your support of Good Sam can have. Together we can shape brighter futures for families facing homelessness in our community.
