Sesame Street: Managing Strong Emotions

Sesame Street has been on the forefront on providing content around social emotional learning, covering topics such as exploring emotions, getting along with others and solving problems. They have also created content for children dealing with issues related to the coronavirus. In the video, Belly Breathing with Rosita, Rosita shares her frustration with not being able to play with her friend Elmo. She teaches kids how to calm down by focusing on their breathing.

Also check out the following resources from Sesame Street. If you know of other resources, please let me know!

• Caring for Each Other: videos, online games, printable activities, ebooks and tips on how to talk to your child about COVID-19 and other related topics.
• Sesame Street in Communities: topics include missing friends, managing uncertainty and the and proper hand-washing techniques.
• Sesame Street videos: via Facebook Watch.

Physical Activity...So Important!

Regular, daily physical activity is so important for children and adults! The benefits are numerous, to many to cover here, especially during times of increased stress. Be it indoors or outside. I have been doing my planks each morning and going on walks around Montpelier, where I live, in the evenings. (Side note: the city is so surreal. Very quiet, almost desolate. People avoiding each other, crossing the street, changing directions, etc.)

If you are looking for exercises to do with your child, check out the YouTube channel from the PE teacher at Moretown and Waitsfield, Ally Bataille (linked below). She is planning on posting videos regularly. You can subscribe and her new videos will magically appear in your inbox!

Lastly, keep in mind that physical does not have to look like an exercise routine. Anything that get your body moving is important. I even count vacuuming!

Ally Bataille's Workout Extravaganza! (YouTube)

Exercise and Self-Regulation

Self-regulation is the ability to manage and respond to our emotional experiences. It is the ability to calm down when upset or cheer up when feeling down. When a child experiences a lack of self regulation, they are unable to diffuse their negative emotions. These emotions can take control leading to over-the-top reactions, outbursts or meltdowns. A lack of self-regulation skills cam also make it difficult for a child to cope with stressful life experiences.

One way to improve self regulation is through regular, daily exercise. For ideas, check out the following (click image to view larger):

Other resources (thank you, Ross Greene!):

• Cosmic Kids Yoga: Geared more for younger children (PreK-4).
• Sworkit: A customizable workout program.
• FitnessBlender: Free workouts and yoga for older children and adults.

(Source: He's Extraordinary: Tools for Raising an Extraordinary Person)

Focus on What You Can Control

Focusing on what we can control, I know it is easier said than done. It can go a long way, though, to helping us cope in these unsettling times. It is a great strategy for both children and adults. Click the image above to view a larger version.

COVID-19: Online Resources for Families

Coronavirus - COVID-19

• Talking to Children About COVID-19 (National Association of School Psychologists)
• Coronavirus Kid-Friendly Video (Brain Pop)
• Just For Kids: A Comic Exploring The New Coronavirus (NPR)
• Talking to Kids About the Coronavirus (Child Mind Institute)
• How to Talk to Your Child about COVID-19 (UNICEF)
• Talking with Children about COVID-19 (CDC)
• 10 Tips for Talking about COVID-19 with Your Kids (PBS)

Anxiety

• How to Help a Child Struggling with Anxiety (NPR)

Helping Your Child Manage Anxiety

• Talk to your child about anxiety, what is happening in their body and why it happens. Many children and young people don’t know what they are feeling when they are anxious, and it can be very frightening and overwhelming. 
• Help them to recognize anxious feelings so they can tell when they are becoming anxious and can ask for help.
• Tell your child it will be okay, and the anxiety will pass. It can be helpful to describe the anxiety as a wave to ride or surf that gets smaller after it peaks.
• Get your child to breathe deeply and slowly. (See: Deep Breathing Exercises for Kids)
• Distract them by focusing on something else. Engage them in an activity that they typically enjoy doing. 
• Calming visualization: Help your child imagine a safe place - somewhere that they feel relaxed and happy. It may be a grandparent’s or friend's house or a holiday beside the sea which they can picture when they are feeling anxious. 
• Progressive muscle relaxation: Most kids tense their muscles when feeling anxious. A simple two-step process helps children learn to use their muscles to relieve the physical stress they experience when anxious. 1. Tense a specific muscle group (e.g. arms and hands or neck and shoulders) and hold for five seconds and 2. release the muscle group and notice how you feel. Work head-to-toe to better understand all of the muscles affected by anxiety. 
• Get to the basics: Make sure your child is getting enough sleep, is eating healthy, drinking plenty of water and has consistent opportunities for physical activity and outdoor time.
• Another resource to check out: Calming Anxiety in Children. 

(Source: Psychology Today, Pyscom, Young Minds)

Signs of Anxiety in Children

Some common changes to watch for include:

• Excessive crying or irritation. 
• Returning to behaviors they have outgrown (i.e., bedwetting). 
• Excessive worry or sadness. 
• Unhealthy eating or sleeping habits. 
• Irritability and “acting out” behaviors in teens. 
• Poor school performance or avoiding school. 
• Difficulty with attention and concentration. 
• Avoidance of activities enjoyed in the past. 
• Unexplained headaches or body pain. 

(Source: CDC)

Supporting Your Child Through COVID-19

• Take care of yourself: Take steps to make sure your needs are being met by other adults. Avoid voicing your emotional concerns in front of your children and be sure to monitor your own stress and anxiety levels around your children. If you're feeling anxious, give yourself time to notice and process those feelings so that you can be fully present.
• Use age-appropriate language: For example, “a new germ that we don’t know very much about”, “we are doing everything we can to keep from getting sick.” When your children ask questions, answer them to the best of your ability, using words and concepts that are appropriate for their developmental stages. Likewise, be sure to create space for questions your children might have.
• Share family plans: Talk about what you are doing to stay healthy such as washing hands, cancelling vacations, avoiding places with lots of people and staying home if you aren’t feeling well. You can also reassure them that very few children have been sick and if they have been, their symptoms have been mild. Children are comforted by feeling a sense of control and by having predictability in their lives.
• Maintain routines: Stick to regular activities and routines for things like meals, naps, baths and bedtime. This increases predictability for kids. Spend time doing activities that promote calm in your family like reading together or getting outside for a walk. Children will be comforted by spending special time with you.
• Provide reassurance: Reassure children that the adults are managing the situation and that you give them permission to be children.
• Limit media exposure: This may include monitoring and appropriately limiting your own exposure to anxiety provoking information.

(Source: Psychology Today,  The Conversation)