After almost a year of virtual learning, children are starting their return to in-person school. There are many ways children may respond to this transition, and it can help connect with them to understand how they are feeling leading up to their first day back and as they continue to move into this new stage of “normal.” Children are astute at picking up their caregiver’s emotions, so chances are if you are excited or anxious, they may be feeling similarly. Some children will be more forthright with sharing their worries, and others may need you to initiate the conversation. Here are some ideas for starting and navigating the conversation.
Welcome to Our Blog!
This blog is written by the clinicians at Jonah Green and Associates, a mental health practice based in Kensington, MD that provides quality services for children, teens, families, and adults. It is intended as a resource for families who are seeking to expand their knowledge about mental health and mental health services, and also as a resource for families who are seeking quality mental health services, especially in the mid-Atlantic region. Please feel free to post questions and comments on any of the entries as well as on any topics or articles from our companion web site www.childandfamilymentalhealth.com.
Support for ADHD
I recently completed a training by clinical neuropsychologist, Dr. David Nowell, which talked about ways to help kids and adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). In the training, Dr. Nowell gave several strategies for home and school. I wanted to share this information with you in case you wanted to try it at home with your child (or for yourself!).
How to Identify Test Anxiety and Help Your Child Cope
Your child is sitting down to take an exam. His teacher or professor walks by, drops the test on his desk, and he immediately starts to panic. His palms are sweaty, and he cannot seem to remember any of the content he studied. His heart is beating quickly, and he’s starting to feel light-headed. He cannot seem to figure out why this always happens when he sits down to take a test. Does this sound like a familiar scenario for your child? If the answer is yes, the cause might be test anxiety.
From Crying to Trying: Tools for Managing Perfectionism
It’s 11 pm and the homework battle soldiers on. You’re standing in the door frame, trying to convince your 13 year old daughter that it’s time for bed. She has spent the last 6 hours preparing for her science test and the best thing she can do now is rest, but she won’t close the books. Your sweet, stressed, bleary eyed girl is positive that if she sleeps all will be lost and her quarter grades will be unrecoverable. Sound familiar?
Guest Post–A Mind-Body Toolkit to Help Kids With Their Intense Feelings
Please enjoy this guest post by Jennifer Kogan, a local social worker and therapist. Great ideas for helping kids manage their intense feelings as the pressures of school begin in earnest!
It can be challenging to support your child sometimes if they are wired to be a little on the anxious or intense side. These periods of overwhelm often strike without warning. Sleepovers, tests, teams, all these can trigger anxiety or upset which can lead to worry, sleep problems, and general stress.
As parents, it can be hard to hold these emotions because it just feels like too much sometimes. Or, it could be that our own anxiety gets activated which can make it doubly hard to contain a set of charged feelings. But there are ways to tackle this very common problem. Below is a mind – body toolkit to support kids with their intense feelings: