Ms. Pospichal
School Counselor
michelle.pospichal@filer.k12.id.us
Virtual office hours 10 AM to Noon and Noon to 2 PM
Some great questions to reflect on each day...individually and as a family
Resources for Parents
Anxiety Busters & Coping Skills
- Help your child find ways to manage stress. This resource contains 3 key Distress Tolerance Skills
- Stop, Breath, & Think: Mediation & Mindfulness
- A free app with opportunities for your child to check in and rate their physical and mental state, identify their emotions, and find tailored activities including mindfulness activities, soothing animated videos, and more. There are even specific exercises geared for kids, parents, and for those with ADHD.
Resources for Students
Anxiety Busters & Coping Skills
3 Simple Tips to Navigate the Current Situation
Below I have included a helpful video clip by Bessel Van Der Kolk who is a trauma expert.
His advice to kiddos and adults during this time is quite simple...
1. Incorporate movement/exercise into daily routines
2. Establish a structured schedule that helps you have a sense of agency and predictability
3. Give each person in the home a safe place and space for themselves as needed
Watch "Dr. Bessel van der Kolk offers tips on how to help children and adults cope with Covid-19" on YouTube
Other Resources
Behavioral Health Distress Line
The Department of Health and Welfare has created an IDAHO COVID-19 Hotline. They offer free, anonymous, and confidential support for anyone experiencing distress, isolation, anxiety, mental health challenges, or substance abuse during this difficult time in our country/world.
IDAHO COVID-19 HOTLINE:
888 - 330 - 3010
Click link for a flyer with additional information.
Map of Feeding Sites
There is a GeoMap of sites being approved for feeding sites for kiddos 1-18 (they do not need to be enrolled in school). They will continue to add other sites as they are approved.
Go to Feeding Site Locator on the CNP page: https://www.sde.idaho.gov/cnp/index.html
List of Free Online Educational Resources for your Children
Click here
Putting things in Perspective
Most of us have had our daily routines jumbled up. That means increased stress and unknowns for many of us. But it can also mean a time to try new things and cross some of those goals off our bucket lists. Here's a great exercise to get you started.
Complete the following sentence, "It's a great time to..." with as many different answers as you can come up with...and then get going! I listed a few examples below...
It's a great time to read a new book
It's a great time to cook more
It's a great time to start walking daily
It's a great time to start learning Spanish
You & Your Kids Can't Stand Each Other...Now What?!?
Click this link to read a great article by Rosalind Wiseman on dealing with household conflict while quarantined at home.
A few key takeaways:
- Conflict is always inevitable. In this situation it’s even more likely.
- Conflicts are usually about two things: the actual thing people disagree about and how we are talking to each other about the problem.
- It’s up to us to try our best to be easy on people, hard on ideas.
- No matter what happens, we still have to interact with each other. We aren’t going anywhere, so it’s in everyone’s best interest to get to a better place. That means really listening; being prepared to be changed by what you hear. Beware the temptation to wait for someone to stop talking so we can tell them why they’re wrong and we’re right.
- Everyone is going to have to change at least one thing about what they’re doing to make the problem better and get us closer to where we want to be.
Before talking to the person you’re frustrated with go to a quiet place and write your responses to the following questions:
- What are the three things you want to accomplish in this meeting?
- Are your three goals realistic?
- What is one thing you want to hold yourself accountable during this meeting?
During the conversation, it is important to ask “curious” questions instead of a “why would you ever think X' questions. Try using these sentence stems:
Can you tell me more about…
Help me understand why…