Weather Wise Crew

The name "Weather Wise" is a play on the idea that emotions are like weather:

• Emotions are temporary - no storm lasts forever, and no single feeling lasts forever (even though it sometimes feel like it might!) This perspective gives children hope during difficult times.

• Emotions come in different sizes - acknowledging, for example, sadness can be a "light sprinkle" one day and a "downpour" the next helps children describe their experiences with greater precision using language they are already familiar with.

• Problems come in different sizes - fostering self-efficacy is crucial; a child can prepare for an handle a rain shower by themselves (just like they can handle disappointment when a friend doesn't want to play) but would need help to handle a hurricane (if a family member died). We relate this to kid-sized problems v. adult-sized problems.

• Can I control this? Helping children understand what they can and cannot control. Our example is that you can prepare if you know it will rain (rain boots and jacket) but you can't stop the rain from coming. Sometimes we're surprised by the weather (or a situation) but we can problem solve in the moment! 

CASEL Domains: Self-Awarness, Self-Management, Relationship Skills