Reassure children by reminding them that our feelings never stay the same - they change just like the weather. It’s reassuring to know that if we’re feeling sad or anxious this feeling won’t last forever.
I am Safe Mudra - for feeling secure and grounded (for more on this please see my Instagram post dated May 16).
Encourage your child to stay ‘present’ remembering that we can’t change the past and we cannot force the future... Focusing on the positives in your life by starting a gratitude journal is an effective way of doing this. What are you grateful for today? (a hug/a favourite meal/a sunny day/seeing a friend).
Breathe! Try my calming ABC breathing (on IGTV).
Make a worry box - a useful way of taking a worry out of your head. Write (or draw) your worry down and post it in the box. At a later stage you can chat with your child about what worried them and whether or not it was worth worrying about.
Get outdoors! Being in nature reduces the stress hormone cortisol and makes us feel happier as we reconnect with ourselves and nature. Build a den, go on a Scavenger Hunt, climb a tree, cloud-watch.....
Give your kids opportunities to talk with you about how they’re feeling - take a walk together/ share a hot chocolate /get creative together. This prevents children from bottling things up.
Try anything creative together such as colouring, baking, origami, puzzles, stone painting. These activities use both sides of the brain helping us to feel more balanced & calm; they give one a sense of accomplishment and boost our happiness, and the creating part keeps you in the present moment.
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