ACE’s or Adverse Childhood Experiences are traumatic events that occur mainly between the ages of 0-17 and these events can include abuse, neglect, or violence in the home or also in the community. Toxic stress can occur if a child experiences very tough adversity which can include physical or mental abuse, family economic struggles, exposure to violence, etc. If you’re a kid that grows up in poverty and violence or racism it really affects your development growing up and even as an adult. If you see and hear these things on a daily basis it distracts you from what you need to do whether it’s school or extracurricular activities. When you grow up in these situations it’s very hard to get out and make it to where you want to get in life. ACE’s can have a big impact not only on literacy but school in general. Growing up with these kinds of distractions especially if you are a young kid it is very hard to get your school work completed. A lot of these families didn’t take their education seriously and don’t push their kids in school. Dedication and hard work is your best bet in getting out of these toxic environments.
