The Unknown Continues…

When this pandemic started in 2020, most of us couldn’t have imagined that we would be entering 2022 still filled with uncertainty. Although, as adults, we don’t always have all the answers (especially these days!), our kids look to us to ensure them that they are taken care of no matter what the circumstances are. When you don’t have all the answers, all our children need to hear to feel secure is that we will take care of them and figure things out so that they don’t have to.

This poster was created by another counsellor who makes beautiful resources. It provides great ideas for what to say to your anxious child when you may be feeling anxious yourself!

Supporting Children in Uncertain Times

 

Calm Down Strategies

As our kids grow and mature they begin to be able to regulate their emotions. The first step in regulating emotions is learning to calm down after a big emotional reaction. When kids are young they often need help from their parents to calm down; this looks different for each child but it may come in the form of a hug or deep breathing together. With a little more maturity a child learns to calm down on their own after an emotional storm. The final step (which many adults are still working on) is to be able to identify when an emotional storm is about to begin and do something to calm down before it’s too late. This resource: https://gostrengthsftp.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/Printables/CalmDownCards_GoZenPrintables.pdf provides many calm down strategies that kids (and adults) can draw from, both before or after an emotional storm.

Becoming a Peaceful Leader for Your Strong-Willed Child – Janet Lansbury

I read this article this morning and thought it needed to be shared. It is simple and concise and it provides really great guidance for parents who have strong willed children with BIG emotions. It can be hard to empathize with our child’s feelings especially when their emotional reactions seem so much bigger than the trigger. In this article Janet Landsbury explains that the trigger is often just the straw that broke the camels back. Remembering this can help shift our mindset from “What is wrong with my child?” to “this is healthy and normal and my child trusts be enough to let these emotions out with me.” Enjoy!

Becoming a Peaceful Leader for Your Strong-Willed Child

National Truth and Reconciliation Day

This Thursday, September 30, is the first National Truth and Reconciliation Day in Canada. On this day we seek to remember, acknowledge and heal the wounds that Indigenous people in Canada have experienced.

Below I have shared resources to help you talk about the Indian Act, Residential Schools and the history of Racism in Canada. Our children need to know and understand our history so that it is not repeated.

 

 

Emotion Coaching Cheat Sheet

If you attended the virtual presentation I did yesterday on Emotion Coaching you may find this “cheat sheet” helpful when you are trying to remember the steps in emotion coaching. Often when our kids have “flipped their lids” we too flip ours which makes it hard to access the thinking part of our brain. Some families choose to post this sheet in a central location in their home!

Emotion Coaching cheat sheet

School Anxiety and Attendance

Beginning of the school year jitters are to be expected in September; however, if you are struggling to get your child to school, anxiety may be the reason. If this is something you need support with watch this webinar on practical strategies to support children with school attendance.

https://keltymentalhealth.ca/school-attendance-webinars