Interested in learning more about how to teach your child about how to cope with difficult feelings and situations? Find out more below!
We can define coping as the way we take care of big feelings in order to reduce stress, handle uncomfortable feelings and take care of our mind and body. It is important to understand that mental health is as important as physical health. Just as we take measures to proactively take care of our physical health, we must do the same for our mental health. We are constantly doing things to regulate our body and emotions, oftentimes without thinking about it or labeling it as a "coping tool". However, when the things we usually do are not enough, we need to consciously pick a tool from our toolbox.
Spaghetti Arms - Make your body straight and tight like a piece of uncooked spaghetti. Make your hands into tight fists and your arms tight. Take a deep breath as you relax your fingers and arms like a wiggly noodle
Lemon Squeeze - Reach to grab a lemon from the branch above you, squeeze the lemon as hard as you can to squeeze out all the juice to make a tasty glass of lemonade!
Rocks and Socks - Take a long, deep breath in through your nose as you make your hands into fists, like they are solid rocks. Breathe out slowly and relax your hands as if they turned into floppy socks
Give yourself a hug - Fold your arms around your body like you are giving yourself a hug. Make your arm muscles tight and squeeze your upper arms
Deep breathing - Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds. Hold your breath for 7 seconds. Exhale for 8 seconds out your mouth
Ask your child if they can teach you any of these tools or others and practice them together!
Additional Parenting Resources:
Talking to Kids You Love: A Video Collection for Parents from Northwestern University