Kids who feel overwhelmed

Kids Who Feel Overwhelmed

It’s not just adults who feel overwhelmed today. Kids it seems have more pressures and challenges than ever. Not to mention that we all live in a pessimistic, if something bad can happen then it probably will world. What can we as adults do to help kids ( and ourselves while we are at it) overcome feelings of being overwhelmed? Here are a few tips:

• Create freedom moments: Set aside certain times each day to focus intentionally on positive stories, quotes, events etc. We are all wired to focus on the negative and it takes deliberate effort to grow our positivity muscle but it can be done. Eventually these won’t just be moments, but guiding principles.
• Focus on one thing at a time: In her book, Bird by Bird, Anne Lamott describes the dilemma of her brother who waited until the last moment to write a report for school on birds. Overwhelmed and frantic he asks his Dad for help. His Dad reassures him that he can do it if he takes it “bird by bird”. Help kids regain focus and perspective by creating a new perspective that involves taking challenges one small step at a time.
• Review your why: Help kids keep in mind the why behind the effort. What is the purpose? What is their goal? How will todays’ work or effort move them closer to the goal? How will it make them a better person? How will it serve others? Sometimes we need to step back and remember the path we are on and the intended destination.

We all feel overwhelmed sometimes. It is good to recognize the feelings involved, share them with others and create a plan going forward. Kids who learn to do this will become resilient adults who can handle stressful and tough times.

Mindset Matters

Wyatt the Wonder Dog Learns about Mindset

Wyatt the Wonder Dog didn’t make it on the All Star baseball team and he feels like a loser.  All his friends will be playing baseball this summer, while he and his pesky sister, Callie, visit grandparents at the beach.  How Wyatt learns to handle disappointment and failure will be an important lesson for the future.  Will he give up trying new things?  Will he have the confidence to try again?  Are there some things that take more practice and persistence to learn than others?

This book is funny! Its dogs doing things that only people do! I learned to try new things. ~ ~Samuel Traub, Age 6