Helping our kids to cope and calm down doesn’t have to be complicated, we can make it into some creative and fun games. Name the rainbow is one way to utilize our strong sense of sight and increase our awareness of our surroundings which helps to ground ourselves in the present moment. One important note is to practice this with your kids when they are feeling calm a few times. What this does is create muscle memory so when they are feeling overwhelmed or anxious it is easier to bring this tool back to mind. Wonder about ways to revise this? Here are a few other ways: - Repeat name the rainbow 3 times - Find your favorite color around the space - Name everything around that is the cold green - Name 5 of each color I hope this can be a fun game you add into your day with your kids. Have fun! Disclaimer: these tips are not meant to replace therapy. If you are looking for support for yourself or a family member I encourage you to reach out. www.angelajanscounselling.com

Increasing the tools our children have to cope and calm down doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be a fun game. Cookie Breathing is a fun way to teach deep breathing. . Check out more of Liana Lowenstein’s work at http://www.lianalowenstein.com/

Kids can have some really big emotions and their anxieties and fears can take over and make it hard for them to manage. A big hug from people they love can really help to decrease some of the overwhelm. Pair that hug with the encouragement to hug the big feelings into you and bam there can be a sense of relief.

Assisting our kids (and ourselves) to deep breathe can be fun! Rollercoaster breathing or finger breathing is a great way to teach kids tools to bring on the calm. You can introduce this to toddlers (I taught this to my son when he was 3). One important note: teach this when you and they are in a calm state then bring it out when big feelings come out.

Looking to gain some calm, learn new tools or explore meditation and mindfulness? Here are 3 apps I love! Headspace https://www.headspace.com/ Mindshift https://www.anxietycanada.com/resources/mindshift-cbt/ Virtual hope box https://play.google.com › details Virtual Hope Box – Apps on Google Play Disclaimer: these tips are not meant to replace therapy. If you are looking for support for yourself or a family member I encourage you to reach out.

Grounding is a great way to shift the focus from unhelpful thinking especially if you find yourself in a thought tornado. What is a thought tornado? it starts out with one thought and continues to spiral often with "what ifs" about the past and/or future. Grounding can help distract your mind if it seems like the thoughts are taking over your day, making it hard to focus or making it hard to go to sleep. These grounding techniques fall into 3 areas: 1. Mental Grounding 2. Soothing Grounding and 3. Physical Grounding Here is the link to the handout I use ALL the time in counselling from Winona State University: https://www.winona.edu/resilience/Media/Grounding-Worksheet.pdf If you think these tools may be helpful for another person I encourage you to share this video with them so they can get a bite size introduction into grounding tools as well! Here's to a calm mind, being in the present moment, and taking care of our mental wellness! Thanks for watching! Disclaimer: these tips are not meant to replace therapy. If you are looking for support for yourself or a family member I encourage you to reach out.

Self care is important. No matter your age or life situation. Whether you have kiddos or not. It is like hydrating yourself. When we have water in our own glass (because we have done something for ourselves) we have water and energy to give to others. I encourage you to create a wellness prescription for yourself and do something on this list daily!  Disclaimer: these tips are not meant to replace therapy. If you are looking for support for yourself or a family member I encourage you to reach out.

"Because most of what we say and do is not essential. If you can eliminate it, you'll have more time, and more tranquility" - Marcus Aurelius Yes this is easier said than done! First step is to be aware of what we are doing. For example, if I am consistently adding tasks onto my morning routine that increase my feelings of overwhelm but I am unaware of this...the overwhelm just continues. My visual reminder on the mirror is just one way to change a habit I have created that I would like to change. Here are a few ideas of things you can write on your mirror: - love notes (to self or others) - positive quotes - your personal mantra like I am enough (check the link below for some other ideas) - a goal - a reminder - what you are grateful for What else could you write ?? Disclaimer: these tips are not meant to replace therapy. If you are looking for support for yourself or a family member I encourage you to reach out. Personal Mantra examples and how to create your own: https://www.aconsciousrethink.com/13984/personal-mantras/

Teaching our kids coping tools doesn't have to be complicated or intense! Horse breathing is a goofy and fun way to introduce deep breathing to our kids, and to ourselves. Remember to teach this tool when you and your child are calm and to have fun with it! Making this a fun process can assist our kids to shift from overwhelm to more calm. In the beginning we may teach and do the breathing technique with them when they are overwhelmed, but it will shift to them using it when they find themselves getting overwhelmed after practicing. Celebrate throughout the process, we're all learning to calm ourselves-even us parents 😉 Cookie breathing https://youtu.be/SDgrOd_vjrc Finger Breathing https://youtu.be/GRM1rwkYvB0 Disclaimer: these tips are not meant to replace therapy. If you are looking for support for yourself or a family member I encourage you to reach out.