Parent Perspective Series
Does Anyone Need a Mood Reset?!
by Nicole Collins
The start of the year can bring about some serious feelings. Most of us are missing the sunny days spent outdoors and are trying our hardest to settle back into a routine. As we do this settling and start spending more time around the homeschool table, it can be a rough transition for all of us. When grumpiness hits or we just aren’t quite our positive and happy selves, (kids and parents included!) here are a few ideas to change our moods around while still allowing our kids to feel their emotions along the way.
- Move your bodies! Try a dance party, a Youtube workout or yoga video or go for a walk around the block. Do something that boosts the production of your brain’s feel good neurotransmitters, which are endorphins.
- Be silly! Instead of increasing the harshness of your instructions when a child is off task or refusing to work, try doing something silly to get and keep their attention. Perhaps you will put on a silly hat and use it whenever you are doing a subject your child has the most trouble with. You could try giving directions in a funny accent. Or, a tickle fight is always a win if your kids enjoy that. Whatever you do, just make them giggle and you might see a real change in their attitude.
- Breath! Find some breathing techniques that help your child find some calm or follow a Youtube breathing video for kids. Here is a quick 4 minute video you may find useful.
- Make space for your child to vent. Give your kids permission to share how they are feeling and why they are feeling it. You don’t have to solve all their problems or make dramatic changes to what you are expecting. Just being a listening ear will speak volumes to your child. You can also be proactive in this area by doing regular emotional check ins. Check out this resource from Seesaw called Mind Yeti.
- Play music while working. Turn on some music you all really enjoy while you are working quietly. If playing music during work time isn’t conducive to what you are doing, allow your child to listen to some music while coloring or drawing for even just 10 minutes. This may be just the relaxing activity they need.
