On Our Sleeves
October is Bullying Prevention Month. Click below for resources from OOS to help prevent bullying and to help your child develop strategies when bullying occurs.
Kids start feeling emotions at a very young age. Emotions are helpful in fully enjoying life experiences, helping us connect with others, and serving as an “alarm system” when something is not right.
Emotion regulation - talking to children about emotions and teaching them how to manage and cope with strong emotions - will help them have more control over their behaviors and choices. And that’s good for their mental health.
Learn about ways you can help your children learn to face the emotions they experience every day.
Helping Children Who Feel Like They Don't Fit In
It’s good for a child’s mental health to feel that they fit in at home, at school or with peers. But some children feel like outsiders. They get the sense that they don’t belong, and they may doubt that they ever will. Having that feeling is known as belonging uncertainty.
If you’ve ever felt uncomfortable dining in a restaurant or shopping in a clothing store that was beyond your comfort zone, you’ve experienced belonging uncertainty.
It’s good for a child’s mental health to feel that they fit in at home, at school or with peers.
Preparing students for a new year!
- Belonging Boosts Kid's Mental Health
- Overcoming a tough school year
- Wellness tips for younger students
- Belonging boosts kids mental health!
July is Minority Mental Health Awareness Month and we have some great resources.
- Protecting Kids Against Racism
- Welcoming Immigrants and Refugees – with conversation starters
- Obstacles Latinx Kids Face and How to Help, also available Obstaculos que enfrentan ninos Latinx y como ayudarlos
- Talking to Kids About Racism
- How to Teach Kids About Microaggressions
- Self-Care for Black Families
- Finding a Culturally Informed Therapist
- How AAPI Families Can Check-In with Kids
- Supporting Immigrant Kids’ Mental Health
Anxiety
On Our Sleeves produced a number of new pieces on anxiety this month, including explaining the difference between anxious feelings and anxiety disorders:
- 6 Ways to Help Kids Who Are Feeling Anxious – This includes 3 great downloads that can be very helpful in working with kids who have a lot of worries.
- Anxiety and Children: What’s “Normal”? – We hear this question a lot and there are some worries that are common at different phases of development.
- Common Anxiety Disorders in Children – A lot of terms around anxiety disorders are thrown around, but what are they and what’s the difference between them?
- Easing Your Child’s Separation Anxiety – During the pandemic, separation anxiety spiked in kids of all ages. There are strategies to help a child who is nervous about being away from a parent/caregiver.
Back-to-school anxiety is often a part of the transition to a new school year for children. Our experts provide you tips to help your child feel less nervous about school.
- Back to School Mental Health Checklist
- Back-to-school conversation starters
- Helping children with back-to-school anxiety
- First Day of School Tips
- Classroom conversation starters (perfect for teachers, coaches, mentors, etc.)
Happiness
In a world with so much difficulty and sadness, are there ways to build happiness for our kids? There are! And not only does happiness feel good, but studies show that it’s good for us, improving sleep, lowering blood pressure, and even strengthening our immune system! Look at our 7 ideas to jumpstart happiness in your home, including a fun new download to remind you to put more happiness into your daily routines.
Sleep
Ahhhh, those blissful moments after you’ve put the kids to bed, when you’re just starting to relax. And then you hear… “I can’t sleep” or “I need a drink of water/juice/milk.” How do you help kids get the sleep that they need for their mental health, without costing yours? We have help for common sleep problems and a few downloads that may help young children stay in bed.
Sleep is important for a child’s mental health. And when sleep schedules are disrupted, it can lead to more than just a case of the yawns. It can cause problems such as paying attention, irritability and difficulty handling stress. You can help kids in your life adjust more quickly to schedule changes by doing it gradually over several days. So now is the time to start!
Eating Disorders
You may not realize that children of all genders and body types can develop eating disorders. You may not know that they can be challenging to diagnose in children. Our experts have crafted new resources to help you learn about the most common eating disorders: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder. They’ve included the warning signs you can look for, such as:
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Exercising excessively
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Focusing on body weight or shape
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Expressing shame or guilt about foods they eat
If you see some warning signs, there are things you can do. Our new download helps you talk about this challenging topic.
While You Wait
You decided to seek mental health therapy for your child, but now you may be waiting for weeks or even months before the first appointment. This time can be truly stressful and, as a caregiver, you may feel powerless. However, there are some things you can start doing now to help your child and your family.
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4 Ways to Support a Child While Waiting for Therapy – This resource includes connecting with others (including the child’s school) and setting routines (with a schedule templates for younger or older children to download).
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5 Skills from Therapy to Try at Home – These skills include behavioral activation, thought challenging, relaxation and self-reflection.
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Self-Care for Caregivers of a Child with a Mental Health Diagnosis – If you have a child in your life with a diagnosis (or who is waiting on one), it can take some extra effort to be kind to yourself.
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Who to Talk to While You Wait to Start Mental Health Therapy – Parents and caregivers aren’t always sure who they can or should talk to when their child needs mental health services.
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Types of Mental Health Therapy – Do you find the number and types of therapy to be dizzying or confusing? We have definitions of many of the most common kinds.
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3 Ways to Prepare Your Child for Mental Health Therapy – For the parent who is overwhelmed and unsure where to start, we have 3 things they can do today, including a downloadable behavior tracker, that they can take to their first appointment.