Keep calm and just smile
Frodo, my 4-year-old dog, regularly accompanies me to the EIGT. As soon as he arrives in the building, the students come to greet him. During these moments, I have the opportunity to get in touch with the children.
I, Carina Benavente, social worker, coach and certified in animal assisted pedagogy, have been working with my dogs in secondary schools for almost 12 years.
When students come to me to the Island and need reassurance, Frodo can come and sit next to them on the sofa. Often they start petting the dog. This simple gesture creates confidence and allows the young person to calm down and refocus.
Given that we live in a time where mental stress remains present with all our efforts to prevent it, and that adolescence remains a difficult period in a young person’s life, the dog can bring comfort to these young people who suffer from unease.
Because, in the end, what matters is the well-being of our school community.
