Emotional Wellness

“Anything that’s human is mentionable, and anything that is mentionable can be more manageable. When we can talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting, and less scary. The people we trust with that important talk can help us know that we are not alone.”

-Fred Rogers

1. Use those breathing exercises! The trick about deep breathing is to slow your heart rate down. We can do that by making our out breath longer than our in breath.

2. Don't forget the importance of mindfulness:

3. Yoga can help, too. Here is a short yoga sequence for children:

4. Name It to Tame It! Recognize how you’re feeling about what is going on and consider jotting it down. Just naming that you are feeling some unpleasant emotions can help reduce our stress or anxiety:

5. Keep moving: https://www.gonoodle.com/for-families/

6. .Practice gratitude

  • Every day, talk about, write down, or draw 3 things that you feel grateful for. Post them up or keep them somewhere you can see them.

7. Journaling is another great tool that will allow children to express big feelings. This website has a list of writing prompts that kids can either write or draw about. (And remember any piece of paper can be used for journaling.)

8. Stay informed

General psychological resources for families and educators:

https://www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/families-and-educators

And finally, the "Ultimate Guide to Mental Health and Education Resources for Kids and Teens":

https://onlinecounselingprograms.com/resources/ultimate-guide-to-mental-health-and-education-resources/#Child-Anxiety