A lava lamp can be mesmerizing to watch. When you watch something like that, it can help you relax and slow yourself down. It could be a great thing to do when you are about to study for a long time, sit and do homework or about to do some reading.
How to Create a Calm Down Spot
“ARGH!” Eddie, your 6 year old, yells in frustration for the third time in 30 minutes.
Maybe he didn't get enough sleep last night. Maybe his allergies are acting up and he's more on edge. Maybe it's the middle of school vacation week and he's irritated with his sister. Or maybe it's all three. Whatever the reason, he needs to calm down. What can you do to help your son? You can create a calm down spot in your own home.
Making a Feelings Thermometer
Coping Skill Spotlight: 5 4 3 2 1 Grounding Technique
Book Review: Bloom
Before I had children, I thought I would be pretty well equipped to deal with any issue that came my way. I was a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and had some experience working with some pretty challenging students.
Then I had my daughter, followed two years later by my son. And I realized just how incredibly challenging parenting is. Parenting is HARD work. It’s stressful and overwhelming. Some days you want to quit, but you can’t. And you don’t always know which way to go. It can feel lonely and you can feel like a failure.
Coping Skill Spotlight: Using a Worry Box
Sometimes, to really help deal with stress, you need to take some focused time to think and talk about your worries. However, it’s helpful to limit the amount of time that you are dwelling on these thoughts. You don’t want to be thinking about it constantly. Using a worry box is a good way to help manage stressful feelings.
Book Review: Bullying Is a Pain in the Brain
Homemade Stress Balls
Did you know that you can make your own stress balls? There are 3 different ways I’ve made stress balls. All of them use balloons, but I used 3 different materials to see how each one would feel: flour, rice and play dough. Each of them feels different and you can have your children try them all to see which one they like the most.
Coping Skill Spotlight: Imagine Your Favorite Place
10 Coping Skills to Help Kids Calm Down
As a school counselor, I often had kids come into my office in a heightened state, and it was my job to be able to help them calm down and get back to work in class. I had lots of items in my room to help achieve that. It’s always easier for kids to talk about what’s bothering them when they’re doing another activity or playing a game. As a mom, I know that there are lots of things that can help my kids reset when they are having a hard time, or getting into arguments or just have on their cranky pants. Here are some of my favorite items to help kids calm down.