Everyone experiences stress, and each of of us experiences it in different ways. Here are a few resources and tools to help support you and your family:

1. SUPPORTIVE RELATIONSHIPS:

• Maintain connections with supportive friends and loved ones by phone, videochat, old-fashioned letter writing or age-appropriate social media.

• Turn off media and devices for high-quality time together making art, dancing, cooking or reading at home.

• Remain in touch with mentors, friends, and family by phone or video chat, including schools and community- or faith-based organizations.

2. EXERCISE DAILY:

Engage in physical activity every day. It doesn’t have to be all at one time. Try the following:

• Dance party in your bedroom,

• 35 jumping jacks here and there,

• 20 minute hula hooping contest,

• Power walk around the block twice,

Bottom line – get your and your kids’ bodies moving and heart rates up to burn off stress.

3. HEALTHY SLEEP:

• Get sufficient, high-quality sleep. This may be particularly hard right now, but practice going to sleep and waking up at the same time each day.

• Follow these Sleep Recommendations for good sleep hygiene each day.

4. NUTRITION:

• Keep regular mealtimes, includes healthy snacks for kids.

• General rule of thumb of 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables per day.

5. MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SUPPORT:

Just as you pay attention to taking care of your physical health, engage in mental health care for yourself and/or for your child.

• If your child currently sees a mental health professional, ask about video or phone sessions. There are new laws to support your provider to do phone and video visits.

• As a family, begin to have open conversations about emotional and mental health.

• If you do not have a regular mental health professional, you can check in with your child's school counselor for some resources to help you get started.

• If you or your child is in crisis, you can get help here.

6. MINDFULNESS, MEDITATION, PRAYER:

Practice mindfulness, meditation or prayer on a regular basis. The California Surgeon General, Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, offers a simple guide with things you can do every day to help support your mental, spiritual and physical health.

• UCLA Mindful (app)
  Free mobile app which helps you practice mindfulness. Meditations in English and Spanish.

• Mindshift (app)
  Access resources on this free app to help take charge of anxious feelings.

You can also check out our Social Emotional Resources in the menu above for more tools.

7. ASKING FOR HELP OR A MOMENT

Open up the communication in your home about times when we need help. Whether you have a special code word or just the reminder to yourself. If you need a moment, communicate it and take the moment. If you are having a really hard time, feeling unsafe at home or thinking of harming yourself or someone else, that’s increasingly common right now. Services and numbers you can call for support are here.

Source: https://files.covid19.ca.gov/pdf/wp/california-surgeon-general_stress-busting-playbook--en.pdf