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Model emotional expression and coping. Caregivers are a child’s first teacher and are uniquely positioned to teach and coach them through challenging times. The caregiver can work toward increasing the child’s emotional vocabulary by using emotional labels for their own experiences and offering labels to the child when they are unsure of what they are feeling. The caregiver can also normalize the idea that we all have to work at maintaining wellness by discussing their own needs, such as for rest, and inviting the child into coping activities with them, like going for a walk, listening to music, or journaling. This will also decrease the stigma associated with discussing emotions and seeking support.
Maintain routines that work. Routines that are working for the child and family should be maintained because they support a child’s sense of mastery and safety. However, if the routines that are in place are causing undue stress, they can be re-imagined to better support the families’ current needs.
Avoid overscheduling. It is challenging for adults to manage the stress and exhaustion that comes along with being overbooked, and the same is true for children. Caregivers can support youth who are overwhelmed by building in time for rest and setting firmer boundaries around their time by saying “no.”
Encourage activity. It can be tempting to allow children to overindulge in electronics like television and games, especially during winter months. However, remaining physically active is not only great for a child’s physical health, it is also a great tool for managing stress and releasing tension in the body.
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