Sometimes all it takes is a little extra help to be successful.
For the Dona family, who recently immigrated from Nicaragua to Las Vegas, Boys Town Nevada’s In-Home Family Services program was able to provide that much-needed help.
Financial hardship, behavioral issues with a child and simply adjusting to a new country and way of life were just a few of the hurdles the Dona family had to overcome.
But perhaps the biggest challenge came in the behavioral problems for son, Lucas. He would suffer emotional outbursts at home and had trouble accepting “No” for an answer. At school, the problems were compounded by him hitting other children and misbehaving in the restroom.
Solutions were not easy for Lucas as he would often stonewall and shut down when he was asked what was wrong. He would never advocate for himself when he was upset. Lucas’ mom, Lesly, found herself continuously solving problems for him, which also lead Lucas to lack developing proper social skills.
After Boys Town Nevada got involved, it went to work with In-Home Family Services for the Donas. It helped Lesly find alternatives for employment. This allowed the family to move into a different apartment that better met their needs and fit their budget. Lesly also was able to get enrolled in Medicaid/EBT services which helped her obtain therapy services for Lucas.
In addition to Boys Town’s services, Lucas was able to attend therapy sessions to help with his communication. This therapy helped Lesly implement at home what was being taught outside the home and helped Lucas begin to follow instructions. Before long, Lucas learned to accept no for an answer.
Lesly was able to preventive teach and prepare Lucas for school activities. A stay calm method was implemented at home where Lucas was given time in his room to calm down during his outbursts.
Socially, Lucas and Lesly now spend time together at Cambridge Recreation Center, or the library, to allow Lucas outside activities at little to no cost. Facebook groups for mothers also offered many free events for Lesly and Lucas to attend.
Lesly and Lucas recently completed their services with Boys Town Nevada. Lesly showed her appreciation and gave many thanks for the services they were able to take advantage of on their road to successfully transitioning to a new life in a new country.