Mental Health Focus

Having good friends makes you happy. Friendships can be developed within families, in neighborhoods, and in schools. Sometimes, your friends might need your help if they feel sad, scared, angry, worried, or upset. You can help them by: 

• Listening to how they feel

• Reminding them they are not alone

• Spending time with them

• Talking to them about positive things and good memories

• Trying to cheer them up

• Encouraging them to talk to a trusted adult

There are things you can do to keep yourself and the kids you know safe from bullying. Click below to find out.

• Treating Everyone with Respect

• What to Do If You’re Bullied

• Protect Yourself from Cyberbullying

• Stand Up for Others

• Get Involved

Visit this website to learn more.

Kids experience a vast array of feelings, just as adults do. They can feel bored, anxious, sad, disappointed, embarrassed, and scared—to name a few. It’s important to teach kids coping skills that can help them face their fears, calm themselves down, and cheer themselves up, such as:

• Breathing exercises

• reading & writing

• Having Positive Self-Talk

• exercising

• talking to a trusted adult

• identifying your feelings

• taking a break

Visit this website to learn more.

Sadness is a natural human emotion. Like other emotions, sad feelings come and go. Sometimes sad feelings last only a moment. Other times, sadness lasts longer or feels extra strong, which is sometimes considered depression. If you feel this way, you can:

• Talk to a trusted adult about your feelings (school counselor, teacher, parent, etc.)

• practice the coping skills and tips you have learned

• Remember that you are not alone

• Take time to relax and do fun activities

Anxiety is a feeling of unease, such as Worry, Fear, or stress. If you feel anxious, you can: 

• Talk to a trusted adult about your feelings (school counselor, teacher, parent, etc.)

• Practice breathing exercises

• Squeeze something

• Practice the other coping skills you have learned

Visit this website to learn more.

When things go wrong, resilience is what helps you to cope and get through hard times. Sometimes it makes you even stronger than you were before. Ways to develop resilience include:

• Having a positive attitude

• finding good friends

• helping others in need

• being able to problem-solve

• having supportive adults

• feeling like you belong

Visit this website to learn more.

Kindness might look like being helpful or showing empathy. It may mean doing nice things without expecting nice things in return. You can practice kindness by:

• Being kind to yourself

• Saying thank you

• Showing others you care

• Accepting others for who they are

Visit this website to learn more.

Digital citizenship is our ability to use technology and online sites in safe, responsible, and effective ways. You can do this by:

• Staying on safe websites

• Not talking to strangers online

• Respecting myself and others online

• standing up to cyberbullying

• never sharing personal information online

Visit this website to learn more.

Stress is what you feel when you are worried or uncomfortable about something. Many things can cause stress, such as homework, arguing with a friend, being busy, or family problems. ways you can manage or regulate stress include:

• Getting a good night's sleep

• Eating 3 meals a day

• Exercising

• Going outside

• Doing something fun

• Do breathing exercises

Visit this website to learn more.

It is important to have healthy relationships with the people in your life, including your family members, friends, teachers, coaches, and other adults. Healthy relationships include:

• Having mutual respect

• Respecting Boundaries

• Being honest and kind

• Being aware of yourself and others

• Communicating your feelings

• Not hurting one another

• Recognizing when something is not right

Visit this website to learn more.