Calming: Teaching Your Family Coping Skills

Learn to calm and soothe self when feeling overwhelmed, sad, stressed, angry, worried or frustrated by the following discussion and activity.

Discuss, write or draw out times or situations where one would need to use calming skills.

Examples:

When the computer or video game is not working.

When having to do things you do not want to do, like chores or homework.

Someone takes the last cookie that was suppose to be yours.

Discuss, write or draw what are unhelpful things to do to calm down?

Examples:

Hit, kick or thrown things

Say mean words

Slam doors

Run away

Brainstorm helpful things that can be done to calm down. Write or draw 4-5 ideas they would be willing to try and keep the paper in a place they can see often.

Examples:

Take calming breaths - breathing in for 6 counts, hold breath for 4 counts and breath out for 6 counts. Repeat this pattern 12 times.

Name the emotions being experienced. “I feel…..”

Safe physical movement - running, hopping, jumping jacks, throwing rolled up socks at a place approved of by parents such as a bedroom door.

Talk about what is going on

Get a drink of water (often our physical needs are not

With permission - go for a walk, bike or scooter ride

Read a book