Cool Calm Kids

living at the bottom of my garden

Percy, Summer & Sophie 💖

Be Kind to yourself. I'm currently training to teach children Creative Mindfulness, and kindness and compassion are a big part of the course. We often teach children to be kind to others, but I think reminding them that being kind to ourselves is just as important, is sometimes forgotten. Thankyou for
the reminder.

Here's a lovely relaxing activity for littles (and not so littles) to do. So easy, you just collect some bits and pieces that nature will provide, and arrange them in the way you want. Maybe have a theme: people, insects, animals, underwater creatures etc.

No need to stick them down if you don't want to, this is art that can appear and dissapear on the same day.

What do you do when you've made a big mistake? This is the subject of this lovely book. The sweet little blue haired girl has made a mistake, and is severely troubled by it, in her mind it grows and grows until it feels as big as a whale and the little girl feels overwhelmed, as she is swept away over stormy seas until at last, looking up into the night sky she sees that even the stars are not perfect. Realising this, her worry about her mistake is reduced in size until it at last it becomes much smaller and less frightening. A great book to use to start conversations about mistakes, they are normal, we all make mistakes, it's ok.

What do you think?

Great advice

Ways to de-escalate, when children are feeling anxious and overwhelmed. 👿

It's World Ocean Day today. Here's my son Ben, on course to be a marine biologist.

Such an adventurous career is the last thing I expected.

You never know what they're going to do with their lives when they are little.

Be prepared for some surprises as you watch their wings unfold

Self- care and relaxation tend to be words that adults use, but it's never too early to teach your children what they mean.

Children suffer from stress and overwhelm just the same as adults do, and recognising when you feel like this, and knowing what you need to do about it is just so important for wellbeing.

A child's idea of relaxation might look a little different to an adults, ask your children what their understanding of 'relaxation' is, and introduce the idea of a daily self- care activity.

Don't forget too that role modelling self- care and relaxation is one of the most useful things you can do, children learn by watching what you do.

How often do your children see you relaxing?

Laughter is the best medicine

I was watching some film a while ago of me and my boys when they were young (they're all grown and flown now) We were just going for a dog walk, but there was so much fun and laughter going on, it made me smile, and brought back such happy memories.

Parenting can be hard work and exhausting sometimes, but children seem to have a natural ability to be funny, I know I spent a lot of time laughing back in those days. Makes me realise how little time I spend laughing now, which is a bit of a shame 😥

And of course it's scientifically proven that laughter is good for you, it releases those feel good endorphins, and can reduce stress and even lower blood pressure.

Do your children make you laugh?

Does your child understand what makes a good friend?
Play the 'Yes No Maybe' game to prompt some discussion.
Answer yes, no, or maybe to the following statements:

A good friend:

Likes all your other friends
Always agrees with you
Is fun to be with
Likes all the same things you do
Is kind to you
Teases you
Is mean to you
Looks after you if you are sad.

Many children have friendship issues, and in some ways this can be helpful, in that it's a learning experience. I remember my best friend at primary school often being mean to me, until I eventually realised that this was not how real friends should act.

I'm not sure how I broke away from her, but by the end of primary school she was definitely no longer someone I considered to be a friend.

Do you have any similar memories?

Let's talk about feelings

It's so important to help children understand and talk about emotions, and never too early to start. 'Fantastic Feelings' can be used as fun a 'way in' to feelings talk with your child (available on Amazon)

Follow this page for info and ideas on supporting children's emotional wellbeing.