We all need to focus on positive outlets and coping skills, not only for our children/students but also for ourselves. I don't know about everyone else, but I can absolutely say that I have been seeing an increase in challenging behavior at my house (not just from my daughter, but from my husband and I as well).

It's important to think about our own behavior, as our behavior can influence the behavior of those around us (often without meaning to). So, how do we (adults and children) self-regulate and address our own stress and anxiety moving forward during this INCREDIBLY stressful time in our world's history?

We use our coping skills and positive outlets!

We are dealing with additional anxiety/uncertainty, and that can have an impact on our behavior if we aren't utilizing our coping skills or positive outlets effectively.

Look at what you can do to support your own mental health and outlook in this time and talk to your children about what they can do as well. When you are upset, what do you normally do? Some of the coping skills and positive outlets that we would normally engage in are not available at the moment (e.g. going to the gym, mall, out to eat with friends, etc.), so it's up to us to get creative. We may need to tweak some things or find new outlets/skills to get us through the next few months.

Sit back, take a deep breath and know that you can do this.

Welcome to our newest behavior resource - Behavior Discussions! We wanted to discuss a topic that was relevant to our parents, while also highlighting some of our amazing MPS staff. This week, our topic is working from home...with our kiddos. We have all been thrust into an entirely new work/home/school situation and there are obviously going to be some kinks to work out. We have gathered some of our staff who are working from home with their children to discuss what we've all put in place in our own homes. Hopefully, this video will be helpful to you.

• Plan bathroom breaks for young children prior to important meetings/tasks.

• Ration technology time or favorite movies strategically.

  • E.g. Frozen 2 is ONLY for when I have an important meeting.

• Prepare children for novel or important situations when you might be unavailable.

• Use visual supports to signal when you are 'available' and 'unavailable'.

Remember, it can be difficult to set clear work/home boundaries while working from home. You may catch yourself doing extra work now, when you would have previously just added it to your 'to do' list for tomorrow. Find a way to set those boundaries with yourself and say, "I will handle that tomorrow."

Big THANK YOU to Mrs. McFarland and Mr. Jones for joining our discussion this week and giving us some great strategies!