The bond between a parent and child can be strengthened when you communicate on an emotional level with them daily. There are five questions for kids will help with your relationship and will help them manage feelings as they develop and grow.  
THese critical 5 questions1. How are you feeling emotionally today?2. What would you like to do with me today?3. What happened today that made you smile or laugh?4. What are you thankful or grateful for today?5. Is there anything you want to tell us that might be hard to say?
This article was written by Hillary Gruener on September 2021 on the blog "Word from the Bird"    Please check it out if you want more information.  Please remember that this is an opinion and just some thoughts for you as you help and guide your family in stressful times.  

wordfromthebird.blog/the-blog/questions-to-ask-your-child-parenting/

Staying Well: An emotional health workshop for teens


Four in 10 teenagers report feeling “persistently sad or hopeless,” according to a recent CDC survey. Our workshop series for teens can help young people struggling with these kinds of feelings. The online workshops are geared toward helping teens understand the causes and
consequences of emotions. Participants will learn how to turn off self-judgement, manage relationships better and regulate their ups and downs—with the goal of finding more meaning and purpose in life.  This free group runs on Saturdays from 2p-3p. Register here!


Helping Teens Cope with a New Reality

Kids between age 13 and 17 often struggle with changes going on inside them and all around them. If you’re in this age bracket, you probably experienced even more uncomfortable changes when the COVID-19 pandemic arrived. This online workshop can help you and your friends learn to cope with losses and changes in your “new reality.” This free group runs from 1p-2p on Saturdays. Click here to register! 


Creative Coping: An art-based workshop for kids and parents

It takes time for children to develop emotional intelligence—the ability to perceive, understand and manage emotions. Parents can play a key role in this development. These four online workshops pave the way by involving family members in creative art projects centered around identity, self-awareness and emotional expression. This group runs on Wednesdays from 6p-7p. Click here to register!  


Coping with Grief and Loss

Learning to live with grief and loss is a painful process—and while it may differ from one individual to another, it helps to understand the normal feelings we all experience. In this 4-week online workshop series, clinical mental health counselor Zeinab Moussa discusses the emotions experienced by those who are grieving and offers healthy ways to cope. Each weekly workshop will focus on one aspect of the grieving process. Participants will engage in drawing, writing, mental exercises and relaxation techniques to help them work through their grief. This group has two offerings: Mondays from 6p-7p or Wednesdays from 12p-1p.  Click here to register for Monday evenings or click here to register for Wednesday afternoons. 

More and more students have access to technology.  All of the social media sites have been providing parent controls (also don't forget the phone or tablet also has parental controls you can access)

In November 2021, there were a series of congressional hearings, social media companies (Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat and Instgram) were interviewed and questioned about their practice / policies about protecting kids.  The expectation was that these companies are expected to have family protection methods

The companies are now aware of how their platforms can be impressionable and exposes younger users to harmful content and potentially harmful people  The end result is that the platforms lacked sufficient parental controls and safeguards to protect teens.

Here are two supports to help with setting up parental controls for Snapchat and TikTok.  



SNAPCHAT:  This app is recommended for ages 13 and up.  However, if you decide your student is ready, snap chat notes that parents can (link to video on how) access the new controls either from the app’s Profile Settings or by searching for “family center” or related terms from the app’s Search feature.

techcrunch.com/2022/08/08/snapchat-officially-introduces-parental-controls-through-a-new-family-center-feature/
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TIK TOK: Check out this article from How to Use:

How to Activate Family Pairing on TikTok

This is a quoted section from the article: Using Family Pairing, you can connect your own TikTok account with your child’s. This will prevent her from changing any settings on her own. After you enable Family Pairing, you can regulate screen time, content, and communications on your child’s account.
To enable Family Pairing, open TikTok on your phone and tap “Me” in the bottom-right corner. Tap the three-dot icon in the top-right corner of the app to open the “Privacy and Safety” menu.
In this menu, tap Digital Wellbeing > Family Pairing. TikTok will ask whether a parent or teen uses this account; tap “Parent.”

• You’ll see details about the tools at your disposal. Tap “Continue” to bring up a unique QR code.
• Next, open TikTok on your child’s phone and tap Me > Three-Dot Icon > Digital Wellbeing > Family Pairing > Teen.
• Your child’s phone will prompt you to scan the QR code displayed on your phone. You might have to give TikTok permission to use the phone’s camera before you can scan the QR code.
• After you scan the QR code, tap “Link Accounts” on your child’s phone. Confirm your choice, and the accounts will link. On your phone, you can now tap your child’s account to access and modify its security settings.
• You can also activate all three parental control features individually on an account without Family Pairing (see below). However, Family Pairing is the only way you can prevent your kids from easily changing these settings.

www.howtogeek.com/658361/how-to-use-tiktoks-parental-controls/

https://www.michigan.gov/coronavirus/resources/mental-health-resources​


WORKSHOPS
 
Staying Well through the Holidays: An emotional health workshop for teens – Saturday Dec 3, 10 and 17
 
Teenagers already struggling with heavy emotions may not be looking forward to the holidays. But this Saturday workshop series from the Stay Well program shows teens how to cope with holiday stress in healthy ways. If you know a teen who could benefit, pass along this registration link: https://bit.ly/3SCal3D.
 
Coping with Grief and Loss through the holidays – Mondays (Dec 5 and 12) and Wednesdays (Dec 7 and 14)
 
The holiday season can deepen feelings of grief and loss. In this Stay Well workshop series, clinical mental health counselor Zeinab Moussa discusses emotions experienced by those who are grieving, and engages participants in drawing, writing, mental exercises, and relaxation techniques to help them cope.
Register for Mondays at 6 p.m.: https://bit.ly/3U03MsK
Register for Wednesdays at noon: https://bit.ly/3NaD91O
 
Creative Coping – Wednesdays Dec 7, 14, 21
 
Children aren’t born with the ability to understand and manage emotions. They learn those skills as they grow…and our Creative Coping family workshop series can help them get started. In this 4-program series, kids and parents make fun art projects together while exploring identity, self-awareness, and emotional expression. Learn more and register at https://bit.ly/3sE4S1D.
 
 
ONLINE DISCUSSION GROUPS
 
Support for those with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)  - Tuesdays at 6 p.m.
Do the shorter, darker days of winter bring you down? When the seasons change, an estimated 3 million people in the U.S. experience low moods, low energy, and feelings of hopelessness. If you’re one of them, join this Stay Well discussion group to gain emotional support from other Michiganders who feel the same way. Register at https://bit.ly/3TTp6QN
 
Support for managing holiday stress   - Thursdays at 7 p.m.
‘Tis the “season to be jolly.”  But for some, the holidays bring “un-jolly” feelings of anxiety, loneliness and dread, layered upon the uncertainty of another potential COVID winter. Join this Stay Well discussion group to gain emotional support for managing holiday stress.  Register at https://bit.ly/3sM0z4b

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50% of parents worry their child is struggling but don't know what to do.
32% of parents feel their child is unhappy.
10-20% of teens are experiencing mental health conditions.  

Both ParentGuidance.org and Hope Squad offer a series of courses, articles/videos/ activities and supports to help you, help them.  

For your teen: share this site with them,  or better, watch with them.  These are hard topics and these videos will help start these difficult conversations about mental health.  

Mood Chart for Kids (Printable PDF): Grab your Fun Feelings Trackers!October 12, 2022

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Mood Charts for Kids: In this post, you will learn to use a mood tracker for kids. You will also be able to download a few mood trackers for kids (including a Zones of Regulation inspired mood chart)
A mood chart is one of my favorite ways to work with kids on the identification and regulation of emotions.
It’s a tool that all caretakers should use in one form or another that helps kids have strong emotional foundations. 
What is a Mood Chart?A mood chart (also known as an emotion chart) is a powerful tool that helps keep track of emotions at regular intervals. 
Some examples of a mood chart can be as simple as a journal, a printable emotions chart that hangs on the fridge or in their bedroom, or an online app.
A mood chart helps families or teachers identify, track and be mindful of any big emotions. Whether it is a temper tantrum, excitement or feeling overwhelmed, this tool can help children express their big feelings. 
Benefits of Using a Mood Chart with KidsSome of the top reasons to add an emotions chart to your daily routine include:

1. helping build the skills to control their own emotional regulation (when they are aware of how they feel, it is easier to control any large emotions)
2. helping identify triggering events (noticing that taking the bus to school is a traumatic experience every day will help you work on making it less threatening or consider other modes of transportation)
3. learning basic emotion words
4. learning to identify basic emotions and how they feel in their body
5. developing healthy coping skills (when your kids realize that feeling tired leads to tantrums, then they can recognize when they are tired so they avoid anything that may start a tantrum)
6. helping your child feel that they can express various emotions in different ways (when your child can express their joy, they can learn how to show it in different ways that are appropriate for the situation – for example, if they are joyful during a piano recital, screaming with glee at the top of their lungs is not appropriate)
7. increasing emotional intelligence in younger children (when kids know how they feel, they will be better able to interpret other children’s feelings)
8. developing social skills (knowing how to interpret emotions in themselves as well as others will help them identify which social experiences are the most positive ones for them)
9. creating a positive self-image (the ability to look inward and discover how you are doing will help develop the confidence to walk into different situations.)

As you can read, the reasons for using a mood chart with your child can vary since there are so many benefits.
Mood tracking can help them to identify and positively express feelings. Even with younger kids, the results are surprisingly helpful.
The mood charts mentioned below are a great way to help children with their own emotions.
Of course, you will be able to identify other benefits with your own children once you begin incorporating a mood chart into your day-to-day activities. 
Ready to use your mood chart? Keep reading to learn all about it…

DOWNLOAD OUR MOOD CHARTS FOR KIDS AT THE END OF THE POSTHow to Use your Mood Tracker with KidsUsing your mood chart is one of the easiest activities to help you check in with your kids daily.
Depending on the type of feelings chart you and your family choose to try out, there are plenty of opportunities to use one during the day. 
For young children, using a simple chart with different colors to identify different emotions that they can point to is an easy way to start. 

• If their vocabulary isn’t sophisticated enough, trying something simpler like feelings playdough mats may be easier.
• Reading books is a great introduction to the vocabulary that a proper mood chart would require. 
• Display a feelings chart for a quick feelings lesson before breakfast.
• An emotion wheel is a great tool to help young kids point out which emotions they are feeling.

With older kids, there can be a variety of emotions at any given time, so using a more detailed emotions chart would work best. A few tools that you could use may be:

• hanging an emotions vocabulary poster in their room or bathroom
• playing with these emotions flashcards that are perfect for helping kids learn how to describe common emotions
• going around the dinner table and having everyone share what emotions they encountered that day and why –  keep it written in a family diary that can be used every night. 

General Tips When Using Emotions Tools with KidsThere are several ways to ensure success when you start implementing a mood chart. 

1. Consistency is key! Make it a habit every single day to mention it at least once. The more you can work emotions into your discussions, the easier it will be in the long run.
2. Be honest and share your own feelings. It is unfair to expect this of our own children if we cannot be honest with them. 
3. Create a safe space for the expression of feelings in your everyday routine.
   Allowing a kid to admit that they are frustrated, excited, or overwhelmed will help develop emotional maturity in the end. 
4. If your child struggles with anger, focusing on just that emotion may be the best place to start. Here is the link to a printable feelings chart: an Anger Thermometer can be the perfect goal sheet for managing anger.

I know you can’t wait to get started, but let me share with you some of our wins with my favorite printable mood chart (download for free, at the end of the post!)
Real-Life Examples Using a Mood TrackerThis mood tracker has become one of my favorite emotional activities. I have been using the mood trackers you will find in your download with our son at home.
He is the one who reminds me he wants to complete them!
The first chart is a tracker version with six emotions and children’s illustrations displaying different faces or feelings.
There is a second emotions tracker inspired by the four Zones of Regulation. Many schools follow this social-emotional learning curriculum, so I thought it would be helpful to add it. Our son works with the Zones at school, but he prefers the feelings tracker.
I’ll share with you a couple of situations we encountered because they illustrate why I’ve fallen in love with this tool.
A fun way to start conversations about their dayWhen I ask my son how the day has gone for him, his usual answer would be, “I don’t want to talk about it!”.
And that’s the end of my inquiry. He is just not interested in sharing it.
But, since we started using the mood tracker, things have changed dramatically.
Now, he wants to share what his day has been like, whether he had to deal with difficult emotions and his different moods. He shares his different feelings because he wants me to understand his choice of colors for the mood tracker.
“Today the morning has been good, and I felt happy. But then I got really mad because I couldn’t use my tablet because it ran out of battery. The evening has been great because we did a video call with May, and then I had my pasta for dinner.”
A Tool to Help Kids Reflect on Their EmotionsOur mood trackers have also been great tools for reflecting on his intense emotions.
If you look at the picture below, Tuesday evening looks extremely messy.

Using Our Mood Tracker at HomeThat’s because the evening was full of mixed feelings, and we were able to visualize my child’s moods with the mood chart.
The evening started mega happy (another video call to our favorite person). But then, while he was on the call, he started getting annoyed. He couldn’t find the right words to express himself. The more anxious he got, the more difficulty expressing himself. Then, at some point in time, the anxious feelings became angry feelings.
But then, something magic happened.
Our son was able to express the need to finish the call because he was not feeling okay anymore. We did a few breathing exercises, and he started displaying fewer anxiety symptoms.
We congratulated him for his amazing self-regulation:
“You’ve done an amazing job using your words to express what you were feeling and what you needed. And we are so proud of you because you managed your big emotions and found a way to calm down.”
Although I helped with the breathing activities, he had already managed to take some control over his emotions.
We went back to our mood track to reflect on the different kinds of emotions that we had gone through.
We added a bit of yellow (happy), mixed blue and red for anxious and angry, and added green (calm) at the end.
I just can’t even start to tell you how super proud we were. Emotional regulation is very difficult for our neurodivergent boy so this was a huge win.
Taking StockI have created two different options for our mood charts:

• Morning / Midday / Evening
  The day is long. If your child focuses only on the negatives, it will bias the image that they see reflected on their chart.
  So, I created three “stops” to reflect on how our emotions have played throughout the day.

• Day of the Week
  On the following day, we would look at the previous day and assess our overall feelings about the day.
  That allowed us to discuss that reflect on how specific events may not have tainted how the day was. This would have been difficult without the detailed tracker of the previous day (morning/ midday/evening.)

I’ve kept that format for both the emotions tracker and the Zones of Regulation-inspired mood tracker.

/veryspecialtales.com/mood-chart-kids-printable-tracker/

A new event taking place in Taylor is offering a host of activities for special needs families, along with a lot of “extras.”
The first-ever Special Needs Fun Fair, sponsored by VIP Camp Connect and Vonnies World, takes place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 16 at the Taylor Sportsplex, 13333 Telegraph Road.


The fun and informative event will have several vendors with resources that are geared directly to all types of special needs.
Some of the activities include a bounce house, slide, balloon making, face painting and a glow room.
For those unfamiliar with the concept of a glow room, it’s a sensory-type room that will be dark, with light-up glow items inside.
You’ll also find a bake sale, raffle baskets and some other items that will be available for purchase to help fund the event.
Admission is free, but organizers said donations are greatly appreciated.

LINK TO ARTICLE IN NEWS HERALD
www.thenewsherald.com/2022/10/06/special-needs-fun-fair-in-taylor-offers-resources-family-fun/?fbclid=IwAR0jJ6la3lEne5YQhoe7htm5kNjhPsS38taKb7yWERUD0rXigIfpCRoQQTQ

​https://www.pbisrewards.com/blog/how-to-implement-pbis-at-home/

How to Implement PBIS at Home.  This is a guest post by Justine Hoch, a certified teacher mentor and PBIS admin in Pasco County, Florida.
Our new reality in this pandemic has changed the roles of parents and teachers. With the shift to virtual learning, parents are now working as support facilitators. Many of them are feeling overwhelmed by the curriculum and the challenges that come with teaching their children from home.
PBIS is a behavior management system adopted by many schools, and the premise is simple – teach expected behaviors and focus on the good behaviors that you see. I have put together this guide for parents on how to use PBIS at home to help manage behavior.
PBIS at Home Guide1. ExpectationsCreate a list of 3 -5 POSITIVELY worded expectations for the whole house. Keep it simple!

• Be respectful
• Be understanding
• Be helpful

2. ExamplesCreate a few examples of what each of those expectations looks like for the house. Ask your kids to contribute!
Respectful

• I can be respectful by… staying quiet when the adults are working.
• I can be respectful by… waiting for my turn to use the computer/device.

Understanding

• I can be understanding by… recognizing our new reality and the challenges it presents.

Helpful

• I can be helpful by… cleaning up the messes I make or cleaning up a mess I see.

A PBIS at Home TipMake a mural together as a family that shows these expectations and what they look like in different situations. Then hang it up somewhere for all to see!

3. Celebrate ItWhen your child does one of these things, CELEBRATE IT! Tell them what you liked and appreciated about their behavior. Then give them a physical token to keep track of their positive behaviors – stickers, coins… whatever you have.
4. Set GoalsCome up with a “big picture” goal. If you earn 15 “points” or tokens, you can get 15 extra minutes of electronic time. Maybe they can buy their way out of a chore! You can check out this list of remote learning incentives from PBIS Rewards for ideas.
5. PatienceBE PATIENT! This type of system does not solve everything, but it definitely helps to define expectations and to focus on the positive outcomes. A small shift in what you observe can lead to a much larger change in the way you think and relate to your family members!
By implementing and practicing the steps in this guide, you will be well on your way to a positive environment for your PBIS at home experience.
DOWNLOAD THIS PBIS AT HOME GUIDE

From Common Sense Media

​We all know it's harder for students to succeed at school without reliable internet at home. Students need it to complete their homework and access resources critical to their development. Unfortunately, many families can't afford internet service. But there's good news—a new government benefit, the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), provides eligible households with a discount on internet services and devices. 

Help spread the word with families in your classroom and community:

• Share www.GetMyInternet.org with families at your school. (Anyone who's eligible for free and reduced-price lunch qualifies.)
• Need a low-tech option? Print this ACP flier and distribute it in your community. It's available in English and Spanish.

As one of the nation's leading organizations helping teachers, students, and families thrive in the digital age, Common Sense Education is committed to supporting the ACP so that every child and family has access to vital internet services at home.
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Thank you for all that you do, and here's to a great school year!

The team at Common Sense Education

Back-to-school nerves?

Here’s how to make the transition easier
CBC/Radio-Canada  8/27/2022

Anxiety and nerves are normal, says expert.

Last week, we asked you to share your tips on how to squash back-to-school nerves. Thanks to your awesome advice, we’ve created a guide to help ease the transition.

CBC Kids News also spoke to an expert to find out about why back-to-school anxiety exists and how you can jump into a new routine a little easier this year.
It’s totally normal, says expertDr. Ashley Miller is a child and adolescent psychiatrist at the B.C. Children’s Hospital in Vancouver, British Columbia.
She says that transitions are hard for everyone, whether you’re a kid or an adult.

© Provided by CBC Kids News

Dr. Ashley Miller said it’s totally normal to feel nervous about stepping back into the school hallway. (Image credit: Colin Perkel/The Canadian Press)That’s because routines are healthy for us, and changing into a new one can throw us off.

“It’s really important to know that it’s very normal to have a whole range of feelings about going back to school — from excitement, to anxiety and sadness, to even anger,” said Miller in an interview with CBC Kids News.

For some kids, those feelings can even be physical.

If you’ve ever had stomachaches, headaches or butterflies in your stomach when thinking about returning to school in September,  Miller said, that’s “all normal, too.”

Making the transition easier
Miller said one of the best ways to ease into a new routine is by focusing on what you’re looking forward to, rather than what makes you feel nervous.
“It could be one friend you’re excited to see or even the idea of walking to school every day.” 


Picking out your back-to-school outfit the night before is one small thing you can do to make your first day easier. (Image credit: Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press)She said getting used to your new environment before school starts is a good idea.

"Walking or biking by the school can help,” said Miller. “Or you could try to hang out with a kid who’s going to be in your grade.”

Getting enough sleep, exercising, and talking to adults and friends that you trust are other effective ways to cope with anxiety and negative feelings.
Miller suggested kids should try to get their bedtimes back on track a week ahead of school.

“If bedtime [is now] super late, or there is no bedtime, try to move it an hour earlier every night leading up to your first day of school,” said Miller.
Last pro tip? Miller suggests picking out your first back-to-school outfit the night before.

Want more ways to help anxiety? Check out this video

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