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Curated for Educators and Families

Support Social-Emotional Well-Being

When children practice social-emotional skills throughout their day, they learn to understand emotions and cope with everyday challenges. Use and share these research-based social-emotional learning (SEL) resources to empower children to thrive at school, at home, and everywhere in between.

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SEL Activities and Resources | Second Step

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Use and share these research-based SEL activities and resources to empower children to thrive at school, at home, and everywhere in between.

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SEL Activities and Resources | Second Step

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Use and share these research-based SEL activities and resources to empower children to thrive at school, at home, and everywhere in between.

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Curated for Educators and Families

Support Social-Emotional Well-Being

When children practice social-emotional skills throughout their day, they learn to understand emotions and cope with everyday challenges. Use and share these research-based social-emotional learning (SEL) resources to empower children to thrive at school, at home, and everywhere in between.

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SEL Activities and Resources | Second Step

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Use and share these research-based SEL activities and resources to empower children to thrive at school, at home, and everywhere in between.

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How to help you kids handle Disappointment

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How to help you kids handle Disappointment

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School and events are shutting down, impacting children in unexpected ways. Here's how to deal with the letdown.

Credit... Lilli Carré

As coronavirus continues to spread across the globe, we're working to answer the questions on many parents' minds. This is a fast-moving situation, so some information may be outdated. For the latest updates, read The New York Times's live coronavirus coverage here.

When I told my 10-year-old daughter that her elementary school would be shutting down for two weeks, she didn't seem to mind. But after Lexi had time to process the news and realized a friend's birthday party, a dance competition and the "Jump Rope for Heart" fund-raiser at school were also looped into the cancellation list, I was met with tears and a string of questions, both of which caught me off-guard.

With the new coronavirus leading to school closures and event cancellations across the country, parents are getting mixed reactions from their kids that range from joy over extra time off to confusion and sadness over missing a highly anticipated event - and even fear of the unknown.
[10 questions parents may have about coronavirus.]
Whether they're forced to skip a musical performance, a tryout for a spring sport, a visit to their grandparents or a family vacation, simply telling children that disappointment is a part of life doesn't cut it. In fact, breaking this news may also spark anxiety in parents.

So how can parents help kids process their disappointment? I asked a few experts for their advice.

First, check your own emotions.

"Fear can be contagious, so above all, parents need to monitor and manage their own worry, especially in front of their children," said Robin F. Goodman, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and art therapist in New York City. "The good news is this also means that calm is contagious."

Regardless of a child's age, honesty is the best approach, but Gayle Cicero, Ed.D., a clinical assistant professor at the Loyola University Maryland School of Education, advised not using phrases that kids simply don't have the capacity to understand. "Terms like 'the right thing to do' or 'think about the elderly' or 'for the greater good' are hard to grasp when, developmentally, kids are in a stage when their worldview centers around them, their family, and perhaps their neighborhood and friends," Dr. Cicero said.
[How to talk to kids about coronavirus.]
When breaking the news of cancellations, parents should focus on validating their children's emotions, whether that is disappointment or fear or something in between, said Dr. Neha Chaudhary, M.D., child and adolescent psychiatrist at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital.

"Kids often gain comfort in knowing that they are not alone," Dr. Chaudhary said. "It may help for parents to say that a lot of kids are feeling the same way and even admit that they are a little worried, too. At the end of the day, the most important thing that parents can do is to send their kid the message that it's OK for them to feel what they are feeling. These are the interactions that help a child feel seen."

Naming your child's emotion (for example, saying, "That must be so disappointing") helps them begin to realize what they are feeling, said Leighanne Scheuermann, an educator based in Dallas. "In the long term, your child is more likely to remember how you respond to their emotions and also will recognize the efforts you made to make the situation better for them," Scheuermann said.

Disappointment can be linked to a feeling of loss of control in children, said Roseann Capanna-Hodge, Ed.D., a psychologist and pediatric mental health specialist psychologist in Connecticut. "When you have to talk about canceled events that kids were looking forward to, think about it as a learning opportunity to manage disappointment," Dr. Capanna-Hodge said. "We often are so worried that our kids will get upset when we should be thinking: 'What can my child learn here? Can they learn about managing stress and feeling upset?'"

When Rachel Engel's 8-year-old daughter, Sydney, found out that her dad, currently mid-tour in South Korea with the Air Force, had to cancel his trip home to Kansas last week, she was confused. The family had been building a chain out of colorful construction paper to count down the days until his visit, and Sydney threw the remaining links into the trash after hearing her dad wouldn't be coming home. Engel noted after they talked through her daughter's disappointment, Sydney felt better and went to her dance class later that day.

It helps just to be a listening ear so your child can freely vent her frustration. Of course, as parents, there is an urge to swoop in and wipe out disappointment. But, Dr. Cicero said, parents can actually get in the way of a child's development when they do this. "Plus, there's something so therapeutic about a person willing to hear you out and just be with you," she added.

When a child's emotions are really starting to disrupt his usual disposition or he seems stuck in a funk, it's probably time for some direction from you.

A fun technique to distract younger kids, said Alexandra Friedmann Finkel, L.C.S.W., a licensed clinical social worker and therapist in New York, is a color game. Have your child choose a color and look around the room to point out everything he can see in that color. "This can help a child break the worry spiral and calm the body and mind," Finkel said.

Once your child is in a good place emotionally, don't make any promises about rescheduling events or making up for lost time, Dr. Goodman said. Instead, she advised focusing on what you can do now for enjoyment or to support your community.

For example, rather than the planned movie party with friends that Suzanne Cope's son, Rocco, of New York, was looking forward to, they improvised and celebrated his seventh birthday at a park by flying kites and riding bikes with one other family.

[Schools are closing for coronavirus. Now what?]
If your child is upset about missing the chance to star in a play, ask if she wants to put on a play with stuffed animals, Scheuermann suggested. Can you FaceTime Grandma for her birthday or support a local business by having a cake sent to her? If a vacation has been canceled, have the kids create a poster board of activities they wanted to do on that trip. Essentially, find a way to modify the missed activity so it can be creatively executed at home.

In tackling school closures, a routine is crucial, whether the teachers sent home a lesson plan or not. "Just by putting a routine in place can help alleviate stress for children and their parents," Dr. Capanna-Hodge said. "Create a homeschooling schedule and go over it every morning with your children and teens. Make sure to have consistency in your day-to-day and incorporate breaks, exercise and snack time." Keep a physical copy of the schedule your child can look at, too.

Since research shows that those with a positive outlook can manage stress better and actually live longer, this is a time to help foster resilience in children, Dr. Capanna-Hodge said. "While some kids have a glass-half-full outlook naturally, others need to develop that over time, and these kinds of disappointments are great opportunities to do that."

Erinne Magee is a Maine-based journalist. Follow her on Twitter.

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Handling Your Kid's Disappointment When Everything Is Canceled (Published 2020)

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School and events are shutting down, impacting children in unexpected ways. Here's how to deal with the letdown. As coronavirus continues to spread across the globe, we're working to answer the questions on many parents' minds. This is a fast-moving situation, so some information may be outdated.

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Coronavirus Parenting: Managing Anger and Frustration

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Coronavirus Parenting: Managing Anger and Frustration

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Coronavirus Parenting: Managing Anger and Frustration - Child Mind Institute

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Overwhelmed by everything they’ve been asked to do during the coronavirus crisis, parents are finding themselves losing their temper at their kids. Tips for maintaining your cool under stress.

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When kids are misbehaving, it is natural for parents and educators to want to correct them, pointing out - sometimes not too calmly - what they are doing wrong. Though this may seem like common sense, it can actually backfire.

Experts have found that giving kids positive rather than negative attention is much more effective in changing behavior. Research shows that praise for behavior you want to encourage gets more results than calling out things you want them to stop doing.

So what do we mean by positive attention? And how is focusing on the positive, instead of the negative, different from "looking the other way" and letting kids off the hook when they misbehave?

What is positive attention?

It's easy to respond harshly when kids are doing something they're not supposed to and not react at all when they're doing what we expect of them. Positive attention requires a lens shift in which we call out kids for good behavior and ignore (at least in the moment) the not-so-good.

The idea is that for children, parental attention is so powerful that whatever behavior we pay attention to will increase, even if we're telling them to stop.

Essentially, rather than chiding them for what they're doing wrong we want to catch kids doing right. It's a simple shift, but one that goes against centuries of parenting norms and takes some practice before it becomes second nature.

How to implement positive attention

So what does this look like in practice? Positive attention can take many forms, including verbal praise, hugs, kisses, high fives or rewards. It may look different for a three-year-old than it does for a teen, but the basic idea is the same.

The key, explains Lindsay Gerber, PsyD, a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute, is being as descriptive and specific as possible in your praise so that children know exactly what behavior they should replicate. Experts sometimes call this giving "labeled praise."

Instead of saying "great job!" or "I love how you're doing that," try to spell out exactly what they are doing well. For example, you could say "I love how you are sharing your crayons with your sibling" or "it's awesome that you finished your homework before asking to use your tablet." No matter their age, letting kids know that you appreciate their behavior will make them feel good, and when they know exactly what they are being praised for they will be more likely to do it again in the future.

But what about bad behavior?

This is the part that may be the most challenging. If a child is behaving in a way that is unsafe for themselves or others, then of course an adult should intervene. Otherwise, do your best to ignore the behavior then provide positive attention when they stop. Child behavior experts call this "active ignoring." By withdrawing your attention, you are sending the message that acting out is not the way for them to get what they want. You reinforce this message when, as soon as you see them calming themselves down or obeying an instruction, you do give them your attention.

Just because you are ignoring a behavior in the moment doesn't mean that you don't ever address it or that you are pandering to your child; quite the opposite. "When you're seeing a behavior that you want to decrease, that's really not the time to interact with the kid," says Dr. Gerber. "That's a time to take a deep breath, notice it, maybe gently try to redirect them to something else or actively ignore it."

Redirecting them can be anything from asking if they want a snack to pointing out something fun coming up on the family calendar. Later, when things have calmed down, you can circle back around to talk about it.

Positive attention in action

How does the framework of positive attention work in a challenging situation? Let's take a scenario any parent will experience at some point: your child throwing a tantrum in the check out line at the grocery store because they want a candy bar. Giving in and letting them have the candy bar would likely stop the tantrum quickly, but it would also guarantee that the behavior would repeat itself. Negotiating (you can have a brownie when we get home) would likely have the same effect.

Many parents feel judging eyes on them in a public space and feel that they need to make a show out of being firm with their child by telling them to stop, raising their voice, or issuing ultimatums. Chances are this kind of response won't make you or your child feel very good, and also won't prevent the behavior from reoccurring, since you are inadvertently reinforcing the behavior by feeding it attention.

If you are practicing positive attention, however, you would ignore the tantrum until it's over (which is of course easier said than done). As soon as the child is calming down, that's the time to give positive attention and praise. "I'm really proud of you for calming down, for taking a few deep breaths, and for understanding that this is not something we could do right now."

When you're back home and things are less emotional, then you can address the tantrum. Dr. Gerber says to use a lot of validation when talking with your child in this scenario. For example, saying "I saw in the grocery store that it was really hard for you when I told you that you couldn't have the candy. When I say no to something, that means that we can't have it in that moment. So next time something like that happens, what do you think we can do? How do you think that we can better manage?"

In this way, Dr. Gerber says, "you've acknowledged and reflected back their emotional experience and their wants and needs in that moment, and you're also reaffirming your expectations and your boundaries and priorities as a parent." She says that an interaction like this also helps teach kids to problem solve by modeling, and increases their agency and ownership over their behavior.

It's important to note that ignoring something like a tantrum won't make it stop immediately. In fact, Dr. Gerber tells parents to be mindful of the "extinction burst" - in other words, it's going to get worse before it gets better. So the intensity of the tantrum may increase before it stops completely, and it also may take a few times of ignoring tantrums or other behaviors before they cease.

What to do if the behavior doesn't stop

If you continue to see behaviors you are trying to extinguish, then Dr. Gerber says it may be time to team up with a mental health provider to create an individualized plan of action for you and your child. Something like a behavior chart can be very effective, especially if the reward is positive attention. If the end goal is too challenging for the child to start out, you can break it down into smaller, more manageable goals that can help pave the way to achieving the desired ultimate outcome.

Sometimes all it takes for a teen to change their behavior is a little appreciation. Teenagers are self-absorbed by nature, but that doesn't mean your teen doesn't care how you feel. If it's important to you to eat dinner as a family, sans phones, say so. "It really meant a lot to me when we all ate together the other night. It was so nice having no phones or distractions, it made me feel like we were able to really hear each other."

Creating a stronger bond

Transitioning to a model of positive attention takes patience and practice on the part of the parent. Sometimes you might backtrack and lose your cool, and that's okay. We're only human. If that happens, turn it into a teachable moment by apologizing, expressing your own frustrations, and talking about what you can do differently next time. Dr. Gerber says that the mental health provider you're working with can be support for you, too. "We're also providing support to parents, because whenever we're thinking of changing a child's behavior, a parent really plays a very big role," she says.

Another thing that can be helpful in the long run is carving out even just 10 minutes a day of check-in time. During this time, a parent can give their child undivided attention doing an activity they enjoy, whether it's playing a card game, doing a puzzle, building with LEGOs or making some art. "We want to build that into their schedule on a daily basis, and to make sure that we are giving them attention in a positive way," says Dr. Gerber. "Because if they're not getting that attention, they're going to seek it another way.

In the end, beyond addressing behavior, utilizing positive attention can create a stronger bond with your child. "And what we know about children's mental health in general," adds Dr. Gerber, "is that having a positive relationship with any adult - whether it's a parent, a grandparent, a caregiver, or someone in the community - is just an overall protective factor against other mental health disorders or symptoms."

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The Power of Positive Attention | Child Mind Institute

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When kids are misbehaving, it is natural for parents and educators to want to correct them, pointing out - sometimes not too calmly - what they are doing wrong. Though this may seem like common sense, it can actually backfire. Experts have found that giving kids positive rather than negative attention is much more effective in changing behavior.

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The following resources offer tips for families including age-appropriate responses to common questions, a guide to self-care, and activities for young children experiencing social distancing.

We want to hear how we can best support you! Let us know how coronavirus has impacted you by sharing your thoughts, experiences, best practices, and questions.

LATEST RESOURCES

COMIC: A Kids' Guide To Coping With The Pandemic (And A Printable Zine)
A short comic presents tips and advice to help kids through the pandemic.

Talking about the Coronavirus

Just For Kids: A Comic Exploring The New Coronavirus
NPR presents a comic developed from an interview with Tara Powell, Joy Osofsky, PhD, and Krystal Lewis on what kids might want to know about the Coronavirus.

Self-Care & Time at Home

Setting Limits
Try the Feel-See-Do method in response to metldowns and irrational insistence.

Parenting During Coronavirus: You Are Enough
Managing expectations as a parent is key during stressful times.

First Things First: Parenting in the time of coronavirus and social distancing Families have lots of questions, so First Things First, an early childhood agency, reached out ZERO TO THREE's parenting expert for her thoughts and advice for parents with babies, toddlers and preschoolers during this period of social distancing.

COVID-19: Advice for Caregivers of Young Children This infogram handout from experts at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center outlines common ways children react to stress, and ideas to help.

Staying Connected

Sesame Street Resources

Our neighbors on Sesame Street offer these fun activities and guides to staying safe and healthy as part of their new Caring for Each Other initiate :

My Healthy Week!
Chart a schedule of the ways little ones can stay strong with this free printable.

How to Wash Your Hands
Share the video featuring Bebe to show the right way to stop the spread of germs, and have a child show you how they use soap, then water!

H is for Handwashing
Read this storybook to explore the ways that children across the world stay happy and healthy. Invite children to think about how the ways we wash our hands that may be different and similar to our friends in other places.

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The following resources offer tips for families including age-appropriate responses to common questions, a guide to self-care, and activities for young children experiencing social distancing. We want to hear how we can best support you! Let us know how coronavirus has impacted you by sharing your thoughts, experiences, best practices, and questions.

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Community Health Awareness Council (CHAC)

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Informed Consent for Telehealth Form for Current Clients

announcements

PARENTS IN NEED: CHAC Family Resource Center's diaper and wipe distribution will take place next Friday, April 24th, at Vargas Elementary (Sunnyvale) from 11am to 1pm. Registration required, please click the links below for instructions.

CHAC and the California Psychological Association stand together with the Asian and Asian American communities against xenophobia amidst the current COVID-19 pandemic. Read Statement

CHAc clinicial expertise in the news
San Jose Spotlight: How to Talk to your Kids about the Coronavirus Includes input from CHAC Supervisor Dr. Rebecca Jedel
Dear Friends of CHAC,

I hope that this note finds you and your family well.

These past weeks have been difficult for all of us as we try to adapt to our new reality. We use words such as "unprecedented" or "extraordinary," but they barely capture the enormity of the challenges, changes, and disruptions to everyday life that we are all facing.

Acknowledge Your Feelings

We know that feelings of anxiousness, loneliness, and helplessness are not uncommon, and in fact are perfectly natural to have in these uncertain times. We are all experiencing a wide range of emotions and we encourage you to be patient with yourself and your family as you learn coping skills. We want you to know that you are not alone. Likewise, we want to ensure that our clients-many of whom are among the most vulnerable and at-risk in our community-understand that their therapists and CHAC are, and will continue to be, here for them as long as they need us.

Our New Service Delivery Platform

In the last two weeks we have transitioned our agency to tele-health services to ensure the safety of our clients and our staff. As your community mental health agency, continuity of care for all of our clients is our top priority. Our therapists have directly reached out to community members receiving individual, couple, and family counseling at our in-house clinic, as well as to parents of the children and youth we serve in our elementary schools, to schedule tele-health appointments. We have received an overwhelmingly positive response from parents, who are so grateful to CHAC for continuing to provide services for their children as they face the challenges that come with sheltering in place with their families. To further their chances of success in that area, we are also offering increased parent coaching where needed. As adolescent problems are often parent-related, our therapists are continuing to contact their teen clients directly or through the schools.

In short, we, too, are adapting.

What's Next for CHAC

Our next steps will be expanding our reach to serve new and waitlisted clients via tele-health. We ask for your patience as we work hard to continue to navigate the challenges that this new service platform presents for both our therapists and their clients. The move to tele-health has been logistically challenging and required specialized training for our clinicians, all of whom are juggling their own family and personal situations so that they may be fully present for clients. Over the next few weeks, we will be implementing new technologies which will provide easier access for you to reach us and enable us to serve more clients in the community.

Stay Connected and Safe

We will keep you informed of our work each week. In the meantime, we hope that the resources we have added to our website: Parenting Tips, Reducing Anxiety, and Staying Healthy, will be helpful to you as you shelter-in-place.

Again, please know that your well-being is always our primary concern. If you have a life threatening emergency, call 911. If you have a mental health crisis, please call the Santa Clara county crisis line at (855) 278-4204 or the Crisis Text Line at 714714.

With sincerest wishes for good health,

Marsha Deslauriers
Executive Director

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CHAC - Counseling & Mental Health Services

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PARENTS IN NEED: CHAC Family Resource Center's diaper and wipe distribution will take place next Friday, April 24th, at Vargas Elementary (Sunnyvale) from 11am to 1pm. Registration required, please click the links below for instructions.

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I use this to help counseling students set attainable goals; it may be a helpful way to set structure around less motivated students with check-in's

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This tool can help student break larger projects into smaller chunks

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To help build planning and organizational skills around managing several assignment expectations

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(May be helpful to guide for check-in's)

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(May be helpful to build rapport for check-in's)

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18 Mindfulness Games, Worksheets and Activities for Kids

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Mindfulness for kids is best instilled early, to develop mindful adults.

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There are a lot of unknowns in the world right now. But one thing is certain — Headspace is here for you. To help support you through this time of crisis, we’re offering some meditations you can listen to anytime.

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There are a lot of unknowns in the world right now. But one thing is certain - Headspace is here for you. To help you, we're offering some meditations you can listen to anytime.

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Here is a quick video that I hope will help explain what we currently know to your little ones.

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Guided drawings from the Author of  The Pigeon Books.

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Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

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Guided drawings from the Author of The Pigeon Books.

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Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

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Staying organized is the key to keeping your sanity.
It is a well-known fact that children thrive when there are routines. This time of year most children wake up, get dressed, eat their breakfast, head off to school where they move from class to class, come home and have a snack, do some homework, have some free time or participate in an afterschool activity, eat dinner, and then get ready for bed. The daily life for most children is pretty mapped out and organized. But, as children suddenly need to stay sequestered home due to this unprecedented response to the coronavirus, unless parents are planful, it is easy for the structure to fall apart. When structure falls apart, restlessness sets in and chaos can take over.

It might be easy for a parent to treat this break as a vacation for their children, letting them sleep in, watch TV, play video games, and stay up late. But, even during vacations children behave better when there is structure. Here are some strategies to make being shut-in a more harmonious experience for everyone.
Keep Routines
Routines can be used to ensure that children continue to learn and grow, and they help to reduce boredom. Now that your child is out of school, make sure that learning continues. Certainly, have students do any required on-line classes and homework, but also have them read, try a new hobby, or learn a new activity.

Routines help behavior. Children behave best when they are familiar with situations and know what to expect. When children know what to expect they are more likely to mentally prepare themselves for change, making the transition from one activity to the next go more smoothly. Routines also help to reduce the fear of boredom. The idea of being bored is terrifying to some children and when they are bored they tend to follow their parents around like a sucker fish on a shark. Children fear that the boredom that they are experiencing may go on "forever" causing them to feel anxious. Anxious kids often act out. But, when parents have a schedule in place, children know what to expect. They know that the end of their boredom is only the next activity away, and this makes it much easier to cope with their feelings.

To keep a happy household, parents should try to maintain their child's daily schedule even though you all may be confined at home. Wake up and bedtimes should be set. Meals should happen at regular intervals. The routine should have quiet time for cognitive activities, like reading or doing homework. Plan time for exercise and there should be ample time for imagination, creativity, and play.

Older children should be encouraged to participate in the development of their daily routine. Allowing children to participate in planning helps to build their executive functioning skills. And, the more they participate, the more likely they will be to "buy-in" to the system.
Provide Outlets
People will get a little stir-crazy being stuck in their houses all day without visitors. Making things more complicated is the fact that many parents will need to continue to work from home. This creates the conflict between parental expectations and a kid needing to be a kid. It is unrealistic to keep a child quiet all day, so make sure the routine includes outlets to "blow off steam." Outlets will vary from child to child, depending on their interests. Exercise is always an important option. If you are able to go outside at your home, taking breaks to spend time outdoors is very helpful in maintaining mental health. Take some time to explore nature, ride bides and take hikes. If you live farther from nature, pogo stick, jump rope, have a crazy dance party, take walks or play catch in the yard or on a non-busy street.

Creative play can be an outlet for some children. This includes doing art work or elaborate play with miniatures, stuffed animals, and dolls. Parents should not fear the mess a child may make during play - clean up can be a separate step in the routine. Music is another great outlet. For some, listening to music is satisfying, but even better, now can be the time to learn to play an instrument. There are great on-line music lessons for just about every instrument.
Maintain Limits and Rules
When you first heard that school was cancelled, you thought, "What am I going to do to occupy my child?" Your child thought, "I am going to play on the computer and watch TV all day!" Parents should make it clear that even though school is out, rules have not changed. There will still be limits on electronics, regular bedtimes, and expectations for hygiene.

To clarify, each child has a variety of need to-dos and want-to-dos. There are certain things all children need to do, like take care of their health (exercise, sleep, nutrition), hygiene (brush teeth, shower, wear deodorant), homework (or ongoing learning during the COVID-19 break), and household chores. The want-to-dos can happen if the need tos are getting done. Children can understand this simple designation of things that must happen and things they want to do.

But, be careful when the want tos are only electronic screens. After using screen time on phones, tablets or computers, many children are more stressed and irritable, because the games are designed to get kids to want more. To be extra clear about the boundaries and limits for screen time, create a family media plan, and refer to the guidelines established by the American Academy of Pediatrics that show more than two hours of electronics (television, computers, gaming devices) per day can be harmful to children.
Teach Life Skills
Part of your at-home learning routine can include teaching life skills. Young kids can learn to plant a garden, vacuum, set a digital clock, build something, and sew. Teach older kids how to do laundry, wash a car, and cook a meal. This break is an opportunity for all of us to get back to the basics and get out of our digital lives. Don't look at these activities as just chores, but things that your young adult will some day need to be able to do on their own. While you are all confined together, this is an excellent time to practice practical everyday skills.
Connect with your Family
Being home together is a wonderful opportunity for families to connect. We all live such busy lives that sometimes we forget that the most important things are the family members who are quarantined at home with us. Set up your routines so that the family is in sync. Set similar sleep times. When the kids are doing quiet activities, parents can work quietly. When possible, share in the same outlets such as exercising or going on walks together. There are many fun family activities you can do together, like reading/story time, playing board games, sharing music or singing. If you want to do electronics, think about family activities like watching a family movie or playing a team video game like Dance Central or Rock Band.

The goal is not to just survive this break, but to thrive. If you are feeling overwhelmed, turn off any media for a while. Overexposure to frequent sensationalized news reports about coronavirus may be anxiety-provoking and stress-inducing, particularly for children. Instead, be mindful and think about the things that you can smell, hear, taste, feel, and see, and this will help move your mind to the present. Focus on the things that are in your control. The thing that you have the most control over is your home. Maintain normalcy for your family by continuing routines and setting limits. Try to find the positive parts about the pandemic shutdown and share your thoughts with your children. This is an unusual moment in time, but by keeping your family working together with consistent plans and routines, this unpredictable situation should be much more manageable.

Damon Korb, M.D., a Developmental Behavioral Pediatrician and the Director of the Center for Developing Minds in Los Gatos, California, is the author of Raising an Organized Child: Five Steps to Boost Independence, Ease Frustration, and Promote Confidence.

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Staying organized is the key to keeping your sanity. It is a well-known fact that children thrive when there are routines. This time of year most children wake up, get dressed, eat their breakfast, head off to school where they move from class to class, come home and have a snack, do some homework, have some free time or participate in an afterschool activity, eat dinner, and then get ready for bed.

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Podcast: Corona Virus Anxiety for Adults

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Podcast: Corona Virus Anxiety for Adults

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A Podcast to enjoy on a walk

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How to Handle Coronavirus Anxiety | Special Edition

We're all being inundated with unsettling news about the new coronavirus, but there isn't a lot of information out there about how to stay sane, balanced, and calm in the midst of this pandemic. So that's what this special episode is all about. We've brought in two highly qualified experts: Dr. Luana Marques, an anxiety specialist from Harvard, and Jay Michaelson, a meditation teacher (who also happens to be a lawyer, journalist, and rabbi). We discuss practical tips for handling the fear, uncertainty, and denial that is arising for so many of us right now.

Dr. Luana Marques' website: http://www.luanamarquesphd.com/
Jay Michaelson's website: https://www.jaymichaelson.net/

Email address for health care workers who want free access to the app: care@tenpercent.com

Buzzfeed article:
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/annehelenpetersen/coronavirus-prevention-what-to-do-how-to-help

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Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris - How to Handle Coronavirus Anxiety | Special Edition - 1:07:35

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We're all being inundated with unsettling news about the new coronavirus, but there isn't a lot of information out there about how to stay sane, balanced, and calm in the midst of this pandemic. So that's what this special episode is all about.

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Games that Build Executive Functioning Skills

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Games that Build Executive Functioning Skills

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These games can help maintain necessary executive functional skills to plan and organize.

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These are my favorite board games for kids that help them practice and learn executive function and self-regulation skills. These skills are going through major development in early and middle childhood. These are my favorite learning games for 5-year-olds, 6-year-olds, 7-year-olds, 8-year-olds, and 9-year-olds!
In graduate school, I did my dissertation on effortful control, which is really a fancy way of describing the skills children use to control impulses. To do this we used several learning games to test 4 and 5-year-old's self-control abilities.

The type of games we used were similar to Simon Says, or games that asked children to move-slowly, wait their turn, following a change in the rules or switch between two sets of rules. All of these kinds of games were designed to specifically measure how well children had developed executive thinking.

Executive function is the cognitive or "mind" part of self-regulation. The Center for the Developing Child defines executive functions and self-regulation skills as:

the mental processes that enable us to plan, focus attention, remember instructions, and juggle multiple tasks successfully. Just as an air traffic control system at a busy airport safely manages the arrivals and departures of many aircraft on multiple runways, the brain needs this skill set to filter distractions, prioritize tasks, set and achieve goals, and control impulses.

It is no coincidence that playing board games are a great way to help our kids practice these skills and not just a way to test their skills.

The Center for the Developing Child at Harvard Universit y recommends that to help kids develop executive function skills you should play many kinds of games with your kids, including board games.

Learning games that challenge memory skills, attention skills, quick-response games, strategy games, logic and reasoning games, guessing games, and I spy games are all games that give kids the opportunity to practice executive function skills. I've included a link to their activity guide at the bottom of this post.

* This post may contain affiliate or referral links for your convenience. Clicking on these links directs you to a website to purchase the product. Nurture and Thrive receives a small fee for this service. Thank you for your support!

Learning Games are listed from least challenging to most challenging below.

Some of the learning games on this list will be too hard for a 5-year-old, but they will grow into it soon. There are also many games that your child may start playing when they are 6 years old, but that is still really fun when they are 8 or 9 years old.

To truly practice these brain skills you want games that are truly challenging for your child, but not too challenging- something that they can master with practice.

You will also notice that your younger child may focus in on one aspect of strategy, ignoring others. Whereas, older kids will begin to play the games in a more sophisticated way.

Go at your child's pace with this - you may gently point out other strategy choices (or simply model them), but I mostly prefer to let them discover this on their own as they play over and over. You can literally see the "lightbulb" go on when they realize a new way to win the game.

Reading is not required for any of these games.

Best Learning Games for Kids Ages 5 to 9

The object of the game: Don't Knock it Down! Players are supposed to use one hand to hang their piece on a spot that isn't occupied. You can modify the one hand rule if it is too challenging. The first to run out of pieces wins the game. This is a really fun and quick game that is actually quite challenging.

I recently brought this game to a class party and the first graders loved this game. This was probably the most popular game at the party. In fact, I brought it back again for the end of year party and it was a big hit the second time around as well. While this is labeled 4+ a group of 7-year-olds loved it too.

Skills Practiced: Planning, decision making, attention, following instructions, impulse control, taking turns, and regulating disappointment, excitement, and frustration.

We got this as a gift and my 5-year-old loves this game. The board is 6-feet long and has different time periods from prehistoric to the future. The object of the game is to get home before your time machine runs out of fuel. It is a cooperative game - meaning that players work together to get the time machine home.

Cooperative games are nice because children can be mentally challenged without having to regulate the disappointment of losing. These kinds of games are great for siblings.

As you move along the board you also search for objects and place finder rings on the board. The search for objects is similar to the "I Spy" books and is great for practicing attention skills.

Skills Practiced: Focused and selective attention, working memory, categorization, taking turns, counting, prioritizing, and following instructions.

The goal of this game is to plot a course to the treasure before the Ogre gets there. Players work together to win the game and beat the Ogre. I absolutely love that in order to set up the game, children will be using basic graphing skills. This is for the younger kids, 7-year-olds may be bored with this game. But, it could be fun for older-younger sibling pairs.

This one is great for spatial attention and planning. It has also was several awards, including the PAL (Play Advances Learning) seal of approval.

Skills Practiced: Spatial planning, working memory, inhibitory control, c ognitive flexibility, basic graphing, prioritization, coordination, taking turns, following instructions, and cooperation.

My son got this game for his 5th birthday from his cousin and we love it! The object is to discover which fox stole Mrs. Plumpert's prized pot pie before the fox escapes.

Players work together (cooperative game) to beat the fox. Like a game of Clue, players use dice to uncover suspects and clues. I think this may be my favorite game to play on most days because it's entertaining and pleasant - it's cooperative so I don't have to be prepared to help my son handle disappointment and I don't have to think as hard as I do for some of the more challenging memory or strategy games, but it's not boring either. Again, as a cooperative game, it is great for siblings, and the younger kids within this age group.

Skills Practiced: Counting, probability, attention to details, deductive reasoning, prioritization, planning, working memory, critical thinking, cooperation, taking turns, and suppressing impulses (resisting the urge to peek too soon at the Thief card in the "clue decoder.")

This is the junior version Catan. If you are a Catan fan, you will love introducing your child to this game series. If you are new to Catan but you like strategy games, this game is a great introduction into a world of games that you can play with your kids forever.

My brother-in-law introduced us to Catan and it is so cool to see how he and his brothers still gather around their parent's table at holidays to play. These days that table has grown as the brothers bring home their own families and pass on the game and the tradition.

If your child is 7-years or older, you might consider skipping the junior version and going straight into Catan. My son is 8, and we still play this one, but the real one as well.

In this junior version of the game, the object is to collect resources in order to build pirate hideouts or "lairs" and ships. The first player to have 7 pirate lairs wins the game. Players must think about where to build lairs in order to get resources that they need, watch out for the ghost pirate, and evaluate trades with the bank, the market or other players to get the resources they need. This is a great game for developing critical thinking skills.

Skills Practiced: Planning, working memory, inhibitory control, taking turns, prioritizing, competition, cognitive flexibility, counting, and critical thinking.

These are our new favorite games. We started with My First Carcassonne, but my son is 7 now and we like the regular version better. If you have an older child, skip the junior version.

In this game strategy for what you build and where you build it is key. You need to plan ahead, weight options, and make decisions. This is truly a fun game for adults and kids.

Another fun aspect of this game is that it changes every time you play it because you recreate the game board with each game. This keeps the game fresh and interesting.
Buy on Amazon: My First Carcassone or Carcassonne

This is my 5-year-olds favorite on the list and perhaps mine too. It is a gorgeous and brilliant game that is challenging and captures the imagination of children. Winner of the Kinderspiel des Jahres in 2009 (and 14 other awards!), this is a game that really challenges self-regulation skills. Every time I ask my son if he wants to play a game - this is his first choice.

The object is to collect 5 magical symbols by moving your wooden character along a board. But watch out! Invisible walls block your path! As the instructions say "Labyrinth, turn around, walls disappear, ways will be found." The wooden characters are magnets for a metal ball that you place under the board. Beneath the board is a grid-like structure that holds wooden "walls." To get to the magical symbols you have to learn the path through trial and error.

The challenge is remembering the path. Honestly, your child may be better at this than you are. Maybe that is why it's my son's favorite - he knows he can beat me. Ha! My mommy-brain is no match for his 5-year-old memory. Keep in mind though, this game can be very challenging. If you child gets frustrated, put it away and try again when they are older.

Skills Practiced: memory skills, inhibitory control, taking turns, prioritizing, competition, cognitive flexibility, counting, and critical thinking.

This is another more recent favorite. Winner of the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Best Toy Award and the Mensa 1996 Best New Mind Game Award, this is a fun and fast-paced card game that challenges memory, strategy, timing, and math skills.

This is another one that is fun for both adults and kids. If you are anything like me, your memory isn't what it used to be, so while adults have more strategy and math skills than kids- they often have better memories, so it is fun for everyone!!

My son loves playing card games with his grandparents. This one and Five Crowns Junior are great first card games for kids.
Buy on Amazon: Rat-a-tat-cat
This is a "fast response" game. The object is to match the order of colors on the card either vertically or horizontally with your stack of cups. The first one to finish rings the bell. A quick-paced, fun, and challenging family game.

Challenging is the keyword. This is just on the cusp of difficulty for my 5-year-old, mostly because of the racing aspect. If he races on his own, he does fine. But if I try to play with him he gets so distracted by what I am doing that he can't focus on his stack. That takes ALOT of regulation. I imagine at age 6, he will love this game.

This game requires cognitive flexibility at a quick pace - you have to change how you stack based on the direction of the card. This is a hard skill for kids to master and truly fun for the whole family.

Skills Practiced: Attention, cognitive flexibility, quick decision making, inhibition, taking turns, competition, and working memory.

This is currently my 8-year-old's favorite game to play and probably ours as well. Winner of the Spiel Des Jahres 2017 this is a fun family strategy game.

Building on the basics of dominos, player build kingdoms by matching landscapes. Points are multiplied based on the number of crowns on the landscapes. I highly suggest watching one of the many videos online that show how to play - it's really an easy game to play, but hard to explain.

Planning, spatial awareness, decision making - the multiple layers of strategy are great for practicing executive function skills, yet it is a light enough game that the whole family can enjoy.

This is a new game that is available in a limited edition first-run, but if their Kickstarter campaign is successful it will be more widely available. Click over to support their campaign today!

We received this game to review and it has quickly jumped to the top of the pile in terms of which game we chose to play on family game nights. It is truly fun for the whole family and younger players could team up with parents to play older siblings.

My son loves the 3-D aspect of the game, which is like checkers, but in modular form. Thinking in 3-D is definitely challenging, especially when it comes to jumping in a straight line to different levels in order to capture your opponent's pieces. There are also special pieces that allow you to beam around the board, leaving the linear game of checkers far behind.

Honestly, I haven't figured out all of the possible strategies yet - thinking in 3D challenges my brain - so this game is a seriously good brain-stretching exercise for parents as well.

During the game, each player has the chance to build onto the board which can completely change board and your strategy (mind blown!)

Spatial planning, divergent thinking, and strategic decision making are just some of the executive function skills this game will help your kids (and yourself) practice.

I am always on the lookout for great children's games. Comment below and let me know what your favorites are and I will check them out!

More on Self-Regulation:

Here is the link to the Center on the Developing Child's guide to developing self-regulation and executive functioning skills in children at all ages.

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Best Board Games For Kids: Boost Their Executive Functioning Skills

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These are my favorite board games for kids that help them practice and learn executive function and self-regulation skills. These skills are going through major development in early and middle childhood. These are my favorite learning games for 5-year-olds, 6-year-olds, 7-year-olds, 8-year-olds, and 9-year-olds!

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650-968-0836
The offer a rent-relief package by the city of Mountain View as well as support services for families on low income.

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Community Services Agency of Los Altos and Mountain View

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We are the community's safety net

The rent relief package offered by the City of Mountain is now active. To apply, either call our main line at 650-968-0836 or email [email protected] and include your name and your phone number. We are receiving a high volume of calls and emails so please be patient with us. Someone from our staff will reach out to you as soon as possible. There is no guarantee, but we will try to get you the help you need.

CLICK BELOW FOR LATEST RENT RELIEF PROGRAM UPDATE.

CSA has been designated an essential service provider and will be operational during these difficult times. In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, all CSA services have been modified in some way. We continue to monitor the situation closely. For the most up-to-date information about how you can help and changes to our services, please follow our Facebook page.

Here at CSA, we offer services to individuals and families on low or fixed incomes, to those who are homeless, and to seniors (60+ years old). Our goal is to provide the basic necessities of life to those in need, including assistance with homeless prevention, food, and health checks for the elderly.

Volunteering fuels our organization and is a wonderful way of giving back to the community. Each year, hundreds of volunteers support CSA in nearly every program and department. Volunteer opportunities range from helping in the food pantry to escorting a homebound senior to a medical appointment.

We are a non-profit organization whose mission is to be the safety net for the most vulnerable members of our community. Your donation of food items, children's toys, financial contributions and your time are all greatly appreciated. By helping CSA, you are helping the community.

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We are the community's safety net The rent relief package offered by the City of Mountain is now active. To apply, either call our main line at 650-968-0836 or email [email protected] and include your name and your phone number. We are receiving a high volume of calls and emails so please be patient with us.

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408-453-0400
They offer practical experience, support, education, comfort and understanding to anyone concerned about mental illnesses and their treatment in Santa Clara County.

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Santa Clara County Suicide & Crisis Hotline

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Santa Clara County Suicide & Crisis Hotline

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1-855-278-4204

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These podcasts can be added to your child's exercise break

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Podcast recommendations and a collection of resources to keep kids busy and educated over the Coronavirus break.
With the school closures from Coronavirus/Covid 19 now coming in fast and furious (and yes, that includes my three kids' school), parents and caregivers are scrambling. Suddenly, we have weeks of unplanned time before us, with no real guess at when the kids will be back at school, and no real desire to park our kids in front of the tv for hours at a time.

The podcasters at Kids Listen have put together this collection of podcast episodes to help ease the pain somewhat. We've gathered together episodes that will keep your kids learning (including about the corona virus), laughing, and even letting loose a little. We've also included some other resources at the end outside of the Kids Listen universe because - we're all in this together. And we've got this.
Knowledge is power. In these episodes, kids can learn about the coronavirus and Covid-19 in an age-appropriate way.
This post will be updated as more episodes come in. And we will be turning this into a Kids Listen playlist as soon as possible, so check your Kids Listen app for updates!

is a science podcast for curious kids and adults from American Public Media. In the episode Understanding Coronavirus and How Germs Spread, the podcast tackles coronavirus in its usual deft way, leaving kids feeling empowered rather than scared. Relatedly, Brains On! also put out this episode on how flu vaccines work.

Tumble Science Podcast for Kids explores stories of science discovery - how science actually works. In this special episode,Answering Kids' Coronavirus Questions, they share questions from listeners with an infectious disease pediatrician. Dr. Juan Dumois provides clear answers and explanations of how we know what we know about coronavirus, and what kids can do to protect the people they love. Tumble also has a great episode about viruses and two scientists who teamed up to make vaccines faster. It's called The Sign of the Ninja Virus.
School's out, but don't let those brains go to mush!
The podcast ! is another great one to add to your list. Shabam! is a new type of science show that blends fictional stories with real science. The first season is all about the spread of disease. You can find the first episode here.

Book Power for Kids, another kid-driven podcast, reviews books in a fun, friendly, accessible way. Here, Book Power for Kids swoops in for the rescue with two great episodes about having an adventure without leaving home. What better time than now to have a pile of books waiting to be read! In this episode, Leilani reviews Hilo: The Great Big Boom, by Judd Winick. And in this episode, Chaska review The Book of Three, by Lloyd Alexander.

The Good Words Podcast is for kids and grownups to take a deep dive into words while learning together to use words better and to use better words. Since school closings have become Ubiquitous, you can learn more about that word here. And while your whole family is stuck together at home for a while, you also might want to learn about the word Magnanimous!
A break for your kids, a break for you. Win-win.
Of course, I have to put in some episodes from our podcast, Cool Facts About Animals - a podcast by kids and for kids. In this episode, we speak with Dr. Justin Schmidt, made famous for his Schmidt Pain Index Scale, about what the most painful stings are. And in this Earth Day episode, we talk about animals facing extinction and what kids can do to help.

Unspookable, best for kids ages 8-12, is a spooky look at the histories and mysteries behind your favorite scary stories. In these two hand-picked episodes, Momo and Media Literacy, and Friday the 13th, you'll get hooked on Unspookable's unique approach to storytelling, blending modern context to history- and science-based storytelling.

Grammy and the Star Soup, from the lively and silly storytelling podcast April Eight, is the first in a series of three interrelated stories ending in a leprochaun tale for Saint Patrick's Day, Birdie and the Unexpected Guest. These are stories of sibling relationships, unexpected friendships, magic, and mystery. They are filled with lovely songs and silly limericks!

This Week in the Multiverse is a serialized storytelling podcast. In the episode Fortnite of Many Earths, hear a tale about video games from other Earths that will make the video games of this Earth seem boring it will inspire your kids to do something else!

Buttons and Figs, a podcast for kids about playing with words, is a treat for the whole family. In Nonsense Play, with Calef Brown, use nonsense to take your minds to other places. This helps you focus attention on things you may not have seen before and encourages laughter, the best medicine. Also check out A Colony of Collective Nouns because, although we may not be able to join a crowd right now, we can still play with collective nouns!

Circle Round remains an enduring favorite in our household, and our go-to car-trip podcast for stories from around the world. In the Mountain Spring, a magical folktale from Japan and Korea, listeners will be whisked away to a faraway mountainside, where a kind, generous old man and woman discover the proverbial fountain of youth. The episode stars real-life husband and wife Greg Naughton (an actor/writer/singer-songwriter) and Kelli O'Hara (a Tony Award-winning Broadway legend). Also check out The Beggar and the Baker's Daughter. Comedian Margaret Cho headlines this English tale about a greedy woman who bites off more than she can chew. Children will love the enchanting story and grown-ups will love the hilarious Margaret Cho!
Things can feel a little overwhelming. It's good to take a breath.
is a fictional serialized podcast featuring the Ventura twins, who are yanked into another dimension where they receive the mission to preserve their culture's true history. Check out the episode "," where the twins seek an invisible danger with the help of Monsi Roman, a primary school student on campus for a local science fair. The character of young Monsi is based on NASA microbiologist Monserrate Roman. You can find an interview with her here.

Be Calm on Ahway Island helps kids learn to meditate and relax. In the episode , learn to meditate around the big feelings of going to the doctor, beecause kids might feel nervous about being sick or going to the doctor. In Robot Build, kids will get their imaginations going while staying in.

is another great podcast for relaxing and meditating that helps children calm down by being guided through visualizaton and breathing exercises. In the episode Mycelium Mindfulness, kids will explore the hidden and fascinating world of fungi. They also introduce a loving kindness practice, sending friendly wishes to yourselves and others. In this uncertain time, it's even more important for us to be kind to those around us. The episode is perfect for this period, because some children may be feeling increased anxiety during this time listening to news or overhearing their adults talking about the coronavirus.

And a few other podcasts we recommend -

The Show About Politics and The Show About Science, hosted by the effervescent and knowledgeable Nate.

Six Minutes - my son's fourth grade class listened forward to this podcast in class, a sci fi, robot-filled adventure.

Activist, You - a podcast dedicated to interviewing and learning from young activists.

Captain Ryan Stories - adventure stories for kids.

Professor Theo's Mystery Lab - superhero, timetravelling, adventure-loving fun.

The Fifth Grade Futurists - A podcast created by 5th-grade students from Troy, Michigan about our global goals for a better future.

The Fourth Grade Innovators - A4th grade class in Michigan sharing their learning with the world. From wise word quote discussions to book reviews, this podcast will help inspire listeners to level up their life.

Here are some other educational and fun things to consider to keep the kids entertained:
New! DIY science experiments from Physics Girl.
New! Angela from Story Spectacular is providing all sorts of free printables to keep your littles ones busy. Make an April Fool's pop-up card here, and find free activity pages, song downloads, and more here.

New! Mark Rober will be doing regular livestreams on YouTube explaining science topics in simple terms with demos.

New! Free stories on Audible! The Terrible Two is a favorite in this house if you like pranks and shananigans.

Listen and Learn. Kids Listen is starting a podcast y'all! It's called the Kids Listen Activity Podcast. On it, you'll find podcasts from your favorite podcasters (like Tumble Podcast, What if World, Noodle Loaf, and others), and follow it up with an activity - a great way to spend an active hour of learning and listening.

Beloved author Mo Willems will offer daily drawing clinics with his Lunch Doodles videos. Catch it live, or view the archived version.

Tumble Podcast Resources. Curriculum packages, worksheets, transcripts & music for some of Tumble Podcast's most popular episodes are available for free at their Teacher Store. Use COVID at checkout. As long as schools are shut down, the code will be up!

Animal Learning Activities with Scientist Olivia Sanderfoot. Learning modules on owls, honeybees, monarchs, and more plus an offer to be a pen pay. Amazing.

Picture book read-alouds. Compiled by Pernille Ripp, lots of links to creators of books reading their stories.

More kid lit read-alouds. Including read-alouds in non-Engish languages, from KidLit.tv.

Jess Keating offers writing lessons. Ten videos to help tackle writing projects.

Aquarium viewing. Tune into the famous Monterey Bay Aquarium via numerous webcams. You can see the coral reef cam, jelly fish cam, and others.

Submit a question to an author. GRACE LIN YOU GUYS is creating a 5-10 minute podcast featuring other children's authors. Submit a poem, book review, or question here.

Free Art Lessons from NY Times Best-Selling Author/Artist Jarrett J. Krosoczka. These will be streamed live on his youtube channel at 2 pm ET, and lessons will be archived.

From Scholastic Learn at Home - Day to day projects to keep kids reading, thinking, and growing. "Even when schools are closed, you can keep the learning going with these special cross-curricular journeys. Every day includes four separate learning experiences, each built around a thrilling, meaningful story or video. Kids can do them on their own, with their families, or with their teachers. Just find your grade level and let the learning begin!"

From Ask a Scientist. Learn live via Skype from a scientist studying super cool things across all disciplines. To be on the list about when sessions occur and updates, fill out the Google form here. Find the schedule here.

From National Geographic Kids. The " Explore " section of the National Geographic Kids website is filled with projects, tips, videos, and enhanced learning experiences for kids.

From Kiwi Crate. Kiwi Crate's DIY section has lots of simple projects that teach your kids about science in a hands-on way, with minimal supplies needed.

Seattle Symphonyis sharing free rebroadcasts of their concerts. Check here often as they update their schedule.

Crazy Aunt Lindsayis a tried-and-true favorite for DIY science projects. Check out her site here.

Go Noodle. Free movement and mindfulness exercises to restart and reenergize the kids.

Take a Virtual Museum Tour. Thanks to Parent Magazine for curating this list of 12 museums that you can tour from the comfort of your couch.

Please comment below with other resources! We need all the help we can get!

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Podcast recommendations and a collection of resources to keep kids busy and educated over the Coronavirus break. With the school closures from Coronavirus/Covid 19 now coming in fast and furious (and...

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Identifying Calming Strategies/Breaks for you & your Child

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Identifying Calming Strategies/Breaks for you & your Child

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The current situation with the coronavirus (COVID-19) can be a source of stress and anxiety for you, as well as your children. The most important thing that you can do to help your children through this uncertain time is to remain calm when you're with them, as your own level of anxiety will affect them. If your children sense you're anxious, they'll be anxious as well. Reducing your own stress and anxiety will help your children stay calm.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is a reliable source of information about COVID-19. You can check this site regularly for accurate information about the spread of the virus and ways to help keep it from spreading. The CDC also offers tips for talking to children about COVID-19.

First, ask your children what they know or have heard about the virus, and keep information age-appropriate to their developmental level. Answer their questions honestly and simply, being careful not to overwhelm them with too much information. Use language that younger children can understand. Don't expose young children to visual images on television or social media that may be frightening.

Recognize signs of anxiety and stress in your child

Children and teens often regress when stressed. They go back to doing things they did when they were younger to help themselves feel more comfortable and secure.

Other common signs of anxiety in young children include: restlessness/hyperactivity, temper tantrums, nightmares, clinging behaviors, difficulty separating and distress around new people.

Common signs of anxiety in older school-age children and teens include difficulty concentrating and sleeping, anger, restlessness/hyperactivity, worry and physical complaints, such as stomachaches or headaches.

At about age 9, children realize that death is permanent. Fear of death is often common after this age.

Signs and symptoms of anxiety such as these are usually healthy, temporary coping strategies that help your child to deal with stress. However, if these symptoms persist for several weeks or interfere with your children's functioning, talk to their primary health care provider. They'll know how to help.

Tips for helping your children to deal with anxiety

Young children may have difficulty talking about how they're feeling, so ask them to tell you about how their stuffed animals or dolls are feeling or thinking.

Older school-age children and teens often find it helpful to write down how they feel in a journal.

Ask your children, "What is worrying you most right now?" and take time to listen.

Reassure your children that they did nothing wrong to cause what happened. Toddlers and preschool children often feel guilty when stressful things happen.

Tell children and teens that what they're feeling (anger, anxiety, stress) is normal and that others are feeling the same way.

Decrease anxiety in your child by reassuring them that you'll get through this together. Emphasize that adults are doing everything possible to take care of the stressful situation.

Help your children to release tension by encouraging daily physical exercise and activities.

Continue to provide as much structure to your child's schedule and days as possible.

Recognize that added stress/anxiety usually increases physical symptoms (headaches or abdominal pain) in children/teens who are already anxious.

Help your children to replace negative thoughts with positive ones: If your child seems stuck in worry, ask them what negative thoughts they have and see if you can reframe them in positive ways. "I might get sick" might be replaced with, "I'm going to stay well."

Stay socially active while apart: ask your child to help you think of how many ways they can stay in touch with family and friends without visiting them to boost social wellness. Strategies include writing letters and email, Skype or FaceTime conversations and phone calls. Some video games such as Minecraft encourage social interaction and can be played without giving access to strangers-check to see what server your child uses and who has access.

Use this opportunity as a time to work with your child on their coping skills (relaxation techniques, imagery). Children watch how their parents cope and often take on the same coping strategies. Showing your children that you use positive coping strategies to deal with stress will help them to develop healthy ways of coping.

Be sure to have your child or teen seen by a health care provider or mental health professional for signs or symptoms of persistent anxiety, recurrent pain, persistent behavioral changes or difficulty maintaining routine schedules.

Remember that stressful times can be an opportunity to build future coping and life skills.

If your children are worried about getting sick with COVID-19, you can tell them that most people who have gotten COVID-19 haven't gotten very sick and feel better now. It's important not to spread germs to others, though, so that we can stop this virus.

To reduce the spread of germs:

Stay away from people who are coughing, sneezing or sick.

Cough or sneeze into your elbow or a tissue. Throw the tissue securely in the trash.

Wash your hands thoroughly: use soap and water for at least 20 seconds (the time it takes to sing Happy Birthday twice), making sure to get under your nails and around the sides of your hands and fingers. Be sure to wash hands before eating or touching food and after using the bathroom, blowing your nose and sneezing or coughing.

Stay home if you feel sick.

Try not to put your hands and fingers in your mouth or on your face.

Should my children be checked for coronavirus?

Fortunately, children don't seem to be at higher risk for COVID-19 than adults, who make up most cases.

Call your health care provider if your children have these symptoms:

A fever (100.4 degrees or above)

A cough

Fast breathing

Signs of dehydration

Go to the emergency room or call 911 if your children:

Have breathing problems

Are turning blue

Are confused or very sleepy

Bernadette Melnyk is dean of the College of Nursing and vice president for health promotion at The Ohio State University.

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How to talk to your children about the coronavirus and ease their anxiety

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The current situation with the coronavirus (COVID-19) can be a source of stress and anxiety for you, as well as your children. The most important thing that you can do to help your children through this uncertain time is to remain calm when you're with them, as your own level of anxiety will affect them.

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Pandemics-and-the-Coronavirus - Social Story by Carol Gray

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National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)

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Families across the country are adapting to the evolving changes in daily life caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Most schools, places of public gathering, and nonessential businesses are closed, and parents and other caregivers are faced with helping their families adjust to the new normal. This includes trying to keep children occupied, feeling safe, and attempting to keep up with schoolwork as best as possible. None of this is easy, but it helps to stay focused on what is possible in order to reinforce a sense of control and to reassure children that they are okay, and that the situation will get better.

It is very important to remember that children look to adults for guidance on how to react to stressful events. Acknowledging some level of concern, without panicking, is appropriate and can result in taking the necessary actions that reduce the risk of illness. Teaching children positive preventive measures, talking with them about their fears, and giving them a sense of some control over their risk of infection can help reduce anxiety. This is also a tremendous opportunity for adults to model for children problem-solving, flexibility, and compassion as we all work through adjustting daily schedules, balancing work and other activities, getting creative about how we spend time, processing new information from authorities, and connecting and supporting friends and family members in new ways. The following tips can help.

STAY CALM, LISTEN, AND OFFER REASSURANCE

Be a role model. Children will react to and follow your reactions. They learn from your example.

Be aware of how you talk about COVID-19. Your discussion about COVID-19 can increase or decrease your child's fear. If true, remind your child that your family is healthy, and you are going to do everything within your power to keep loved ones safe and well. Carefully listen or have them draw or write out their thoughts and feelings and respond with truth and reassurance.

Explain social distancing. Children probably don't fully understand why parents/guardians aren't allowing them to be with friends. Tell your child that your family is following the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which include social distancing. Social distancing means staying away from others until the risk of contracting COVID-19 is under control. Showing older children the "flatten the curve" charts will help them grasp the significance of social distancing. Explain that while we don't know how long it will take to "flatten the curve" to reduce the number of those infected, we do know that this is a critical time-we must follow the guidelines of health experts to do our part.

Demonstrate deep breathing. Deep breathing is a valuable tool for calming the nervous system. Do breathing exercises with your children.

Focus on the positive. Celebrate having more time to spend as a family. Make it as fun as possible. Do family projects. Organize belongings, create masterpieces. Sing, laugh, and go outside, if possible, to connect with nature and get needed exercise. Allow older children to connect with their friends virtually.

Establish and maintain a daily routine. Keeping a regular schedule provides a sense of control, predictability, calm, and well-being. It also helps children and other family members respect others' need for quiet or uninterrupted time and when they can connect with friends virtually.

Identify projects that might help others. This could include: writing letters to the neighbors or others who might be stuck at home alone or to healthcare workers; sending positive messages over social media; or reading a favorite children's book on a social media platform for younger children to hear.

Offer lots of love and affection.

MONITOR TELEVISION VIEWING AND SOCIAL MEDIA

Parents/guardians should monitor television, internet, and social media viewing-both for themselves and their children. Watching continual updates on COVID-19 may increase fear and anxiety. Developmentally inappropriate information, or information designed for adults, can also cause anxiety or confusion, particularly in young children.

Dispel rumors and inaccurate information. Explain to your child that many stories about COVID-19 on the internet may include rumors and inaccurate information. Older children, in particular, may be accessing a great deal of information online and from friends that contains inaccuracies. Talk to your child about factual disease information.

Provide alternatives. Engage your child in games or other exciting activities instead.

TAKE TIME TO TALK

Let your children's questions guide you. Answer their questions truthfully, but don't offer unnecessary details or facts. Don't avoid giving them the information that experts indicate as crucial to your children's well-being. Often, children and youth do not talk about their concerns because they are confused or don't want to worry loved ones. Younger children absorb scary information in waves. They ask questions, listen, play, and then repeat the cycle. Children always feel empowered if they can control some aspects of their life. A sense of control reduces fear.

BE HONEST AND ACCURATE

Correct misinformation. Children often imagine situations worse than reality; therefore, offering developmentally appropriate facts can reduce fears.

Explain simple safety steps. Tell your child this disease spreads between people who are in close contact with one another, when an infected person coughs or sneezes, or when one touches infected objects or surfaces.

Stay up-to-date on the facts. Go to https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.htmlfor additional factual information.

KEEP EXPLANATIONS AGE-APPROPRIATE

Early elementary school children. Provide brief, simple information that balances COVID-19 facts with appropriate reassurances that adults are there to help keep them healthy and to take care of them if they do get sick. Give simple examples of the steps people make every day to stop germs and stay healthy, such as washing hands. Use language such as "adults are working hard to keep you safe."

Upper elementary and early middle school children. This age group often is more vocal in asking questions about whether they indeed are safe and what will happen if COVID-19 spreads in their area. They may need assistance separating reality from rumor and fantasy. Discuss the efforts national, state, and community leaders are doing to prevent germs from spreading.

Upper middle and high school students. Issues can be discussed in more depth. Refer them to appropriate sources of COVID-19 facts. Provide honest, accurate, and factual information about the current status of COVID-19. Engage them in decision-making about family plans, scheduling, and helping with chores at home.

For all children, encourage them to verbalize their thoughts and feelings. Be a good listener!

STAY CONNECTED TO SCHOOL

Locate learning resources. Schools' capacity to conduct virtual learning experiences will vary greatly, but most schools are providing lessons and learning activities for children to do. Take advantage of the many companies and online platforms currently offering free learning opportunities.

Identify additional resources. Know if your school or district is providing additional resources, such meals, or technology, such as a laptop or tablet.

Stay in touch. Find out how the school is communicating with families and students. Be sure to read any communications you receive. Check with you children, particularly older ones, as they may be receiving information directly that would be helpful for you to know.

Connect with school staff. Reach out to your child's teacher and other relevant school staff if you have concerns about their coping and keeping up with assignments or activities.

KNOW THE SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19

According to the CDC, symptoms of fever, cough, and/or shortness of breath appear within 14 days after being exposed to the disease.

For some people, the symptoms are similar to having a cold; for others, they are more severe or even life threatening.

MODEL BASIC HYGIENE AND HEALTHY LIFESTYLE PRACTICES

Practice daily good hygiene. Encourage your child to practice these simple steps to prevent spreading the virus.

Wash your hands multiple times a day for 20 seconds. Singing "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" or "Happy Birthday" twice is about 20 seconds.

Compliment your children when they use a Kleenex or sneeze or cough into the bend of their elbow. Teach them the importance of throwing away used tissues immediately after sneezing or coughing.

Sadly, handshakes and hugs need to be limited to immediate family members, at least for now.

Foster a sense of control. Offering guidance on what your child/children can do to prevent infection offers them a greater sense of control, which reduces anxiety.

Build the immune system. Encourage your child to eat a balanced diet, get enough sleep, and exercise regularly; this will help them develop a robust immune system to fight off illness.

BE AWARE OF YOUR CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH

Most children will manage well with the support of parents and other family members, even if showing signs of some anxiety or concerns, such as difficulty sleeping or concentrating. Some children, however, may have risk factors for more intense reactions, including severe anxiety, depression, and suicidal behaviors. Risk factors can include a pre-existing mental health problem, prior traumatic experiences or abuse, family instability, or the loss of a loved one. Parents and caregivers should contact a professional if children exhibit significant changes in behavior or any of the following symptoms for more than 2 weeks.

Preschoolers -thumb sucking, bedwetting, clinging to parents, sleep disturbances, loss of appetite, fear of the dark, regression in behavior, and withdrawal.

Elementary school children -irritability, aggressiveness, clinginess, nightmares, school avoidance, poor concentration, and withdrawal from activities and friends.

Adolescents -sleeping and eating disturbances, agitation, increase in conflicts, physical complaints, delinquent behavior, and poor concentration.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
For more information related to schools and physical and mental health, visit www.nasponline.org and © 2020, National Association of School Psychologists, 4340 East Wes t Highway, Suite 402, Bethesda, MD 20814, 301-657-0270 www.nasn.org.
Adapted from, Talking to Children About COVID-19 (Coronavirus): A Parent Resource, National Association of School Psychologists and National Association of School Nurses, NASP, 2020.

Contributor: School Psychologist Kathy Sievering

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Helping Children Cope With Changes Resulting From COVID-19

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Families across the country are adapting to the evolving changes in daily life caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Most schools, places of public gathering, and nonessential businesses are closed, and parents and other caregivers are faced with helping their families adjust to the new normal.

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Curated for Educators and Families

Support Social-Emotional Well-Being

When children practice social-emotional skills throughout their day, they learn to understand emotions and cope with everyday challenges. Use and share these research-based social-emotional learning (SEL) resources to empower children to thrive at school, at home, and everywhere in between.

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SEL Activities and Resources | Second Step

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Use and share these research-based SEL activities and resources to empower children to thrive at school, at home, and everywhere in between.

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Curated for Educators and Families

Support Social-Emotional Well-Being

When children practice social-emotional skills throughout their day, they learn to understand emotions and cope with everyday challenges. Use and share these research-based social-emotional learning (SEL) resources to empower children to thrive at school, at home, and everywhere in between.

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SEL Activities and Resources | Second Step

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Use and share these research-based SEL activities and resources to empower children to thrive at school, at home, and everywhere in between.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Curated for Educators and Families

Support Social-Emotional Well-Being

When children practice social-emotional skills throughout their day, they learn to understand emotions and cope with everyday challenges. Use and share these research-based social-emotional learning (SEL) resources to empower children to thrive at school, at home, and everywhere in between.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
SEL Activities and Resources | Second Step

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Use and share these research-based SEL activities and resources to empower children to thrive at school, at home, and everywhere in between.