The Lost Childhood Series

In May 2023, I started a sculpting project that would allow me to express the long-term psychological impacts of the lost of childhood due to trauma. I named this project the Lost Childhood series. Childhood trauma is a shunned topic. Most people don’t want to talk about it let alone spending time to read about it. I’ve written a post about Childhood complex trauma, most people who visit my website don’t visit this post.

So, I thought, why don’t I use my artistic skills in sculpting to express what I want to say. Most people who love art love sculptures. So I followed my inner guidance and put aside all other planned sculpting projects and started the Lost Childhood series.

I’m now sculpting the third child in the series after receiving very encouraging responses from my first two child-sculptures on Instagram.

I’m hoping my Lost Childhood series will take my message of the importance of treating childhood trauma to a larger audience.

Below are the videos of the sculptures in the series that I’ve sculpted and am sculpting so far. Each of these children expresses their response to the particular type of childhood trauma they face. Each of them imparts wisdom that we can all benefit from.

Children are emotional beings

Children should not be expected to be the happy and shiny products of their parents’ factory. They are human beings with all the complexities of a normal human.

Because of their underdeveloped cerebral capabilities, their emotions can be more intense and confusing than those of adults. It’s time we paid attention to how they feel and validate the honesty of their innerworld.

The first child in the series, entitled “Tenacity“. I love the self-reassured expression on his face . The poverty he faces does not dim his spirit. That’s what tenacity means.

“A Victor Forged in Turmoil”. Millions of children are threatened by war and unrest every day. They grow up feeling unsafe. Many of them become overachievers (such as myself), striving to make the world a better place for the frightened child within them. Being an overachiever takes a huge toll on the physical and mental health. Overachievers need help.

“Secrets”. Work In Progress. Children do not have the vocabulary or cognitive capabilities for processing trauma. They’re trapped in unexplained circumstances and confused by intense feelings. Many of them go into shutdown, or the freeze mode and slip into deep depression. Their emotions are secrets even to themselves. Childhood depression is one of the most overlooked mental health issues. Let’s acknowledge that children have deep feelings and help them find the right words to explain their experiences.