When should you worry? Anxiety is a normal response to stress, but some children worry a lot more than others. The difference between “normal” worry and something more serious is severity. A child may need additional help if their anxiety is out of proportion, is pervasive, or if it interferes with life and healthy development.
Common Complaints: Headaches
Stomachaches
Acid Reflux
Frequent
Diarrhea
Weight Loss
Poor Hygiene
Poor Sleep
Awesome Apps Positive Penguins: Resilience-building & Challenging Perceptions FOCUS On the Go!: Identifying Feelings Feelings with Milo: Identifying Feelings Feel Electric!: Emotional Vocabulary Calm Kids with Mamaphant: Deep Breathing Smiling Mind: Meditation Made Easy Kids Yogaverse: Yoga Made Easy Breathe2Relax: Deep Breathing & Stress Management
Contact me Lindsey Yoder, MSW, LSW Student Services Coordinator (317)844-1158
[email protected] Visit us on the web: http://www1.ccs.k12.in.us/mte/home http://www.simplyssw.com
Coping with Worry Understanding and Overcoming Stress and Anxiety in Children Parent Workshop March 2016
Things that can be Upsetting
5 Sense Solutions
Children have the uncanny ability to hold onto a thought like nobody’s business. They have an enormous amount of time to simply sit and think, so you taking the time to think about possible triggers is important too!
When we think of helping our children calm down, we really need to focus on tools that will be immediately available to them regardless of where they might find themselves. Using the 5 senses (hearing, sight, smell, touch, taste) can help children immediately access tools to help them calm down and breathe!
Family
Weather
Friends
Homework
The Media
Validation Agreement
Auditory: What sounds does your child like to hear? Can you put them on an iPad or iPod so they can listen to them when they need to relax? Visual: Is there any clutter you can clear? Is there a special something they like to look at (family picture, etc.) that they can keep in their bag/pocket for them to look at when they are feeling stressed? Smell: Is there a smell that brings back happy memories for a child (lavender, cookies, perfume)? Pair that smell with a relaxing time for them to use later.
Steps of Validation
Touch: Give your child a tool that isn’t too obvious—especially if you are going to send them to school! Taste: Build your child an anti-stress meal for lunch! Include not only foods that they enjoy, but ones that will provide good tactile and sensory input for them. Peppermint and ginger are great for upset stomachs!
Acknowledge/validate the child’s feelings
It sounds like you’re really ::fill in the blank with emotion::.
Get some feel-good hormones pumping!
Distract them, laugh, etc.
Let them know that these feelings are okay!
Give them a plan of action!
Great time to model coping strategies!
