Social Emotional Wellness

NEWSLETTER VOLUME 2

HOPE

A feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.

It is vital during these challenging times to remain hopeful and look beyond this moment to see a healthy future. Many of us are struggling with this and while it is natural to have ups and downs, there are some things that you can do to help you and your loved ones focus on hope. A friend of mine is keeping a “Joy Journal” where she writes down positive things each day. Sharing gratitude can be very powerful.

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The Early Years

Each week we will focus on supports for a specific age group. This week our focus is on the early years. Here are a few ideas to help support this group both socially and emotionally.

Learn About Children’s Mental Health | CDC

Mental health in childhood means reaching developmental and emotional milestones, and learning healthy social skills and how to cope when there are problems.

cdc.gov

The #PlayPandemic Guide

Ten Tools To Use

7 Tips for Managing Distance Learning in Preschool

A preschool education director shares what her school is doing to keep kids’ screen time to a minimum while fostering play-based learning at home.

edutopia.org

Coping in Hard Times: Fact Sheet for Parents

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Focus: Mental Health

May is Mental Health Month!

Explore #Tools2Thrive and discover practical tools that everyone can use to improve their #mentalhealth and increase resiliency. Visit www.mhanational.org/may to download the free #mentalhealthmonth toolkit and learn more information about: recognizing and owning your feelings; finding the positive after loss; connecting with others; eliminating toxic influences; creating healthy routines; and supporting others.

Mental Health Month 2020 - Toolkit Download

You can download the various components of the May is Mental Health Month toolkit here.

mhanational.org

May is Mental Health Matters Month 2020 Activation Toolkit

We are excited to share the 2020 May is Mental Health Matters Month toolkit. This year’s theme is “Express Yourself.”

emmresourcecenter.org

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A Trauma-Informed Approach to Teaching Through Coronavirus

Have students connect with someone in their family or community to ask a person they respect how they stayed hopeful in troubled times. Teach about other historical times of crisis, including how these ended and communities rebounded.
Encourage students to get fresh air and to move when possible.
Share some of the many stories of hope and helping that have come out of this current crisis.
Share a positive affirmation or a strength of a student—it can go a long way right now.
Let students know that people find help in different ways, including through spiritual beliefs and practices, and encourage students to discuss things that bring them hope.
Facilitate and encourage students meeting virtually or by phone with a trusted adult who can show them a different perspective, help to identify their talents and strengths, list their options and resources, and encourage and support them.