Back to School: 8 Ways to Help Your Child Refocus when Overwhelmed
It’s that time of year again — school is just around the corner. The buses will be out, backpacks and sneakers will pile up by the door, homework will be left for the last minute, and all of our children will head back into the work of navigating another year in the trenches.
Growing up is hard. Life can be overwhelming.
As parents, family members, teachers, support staff, and so many others we all try to do our part to support each child’s well-being. From home to school and back again there are times our children and students just plain do not know what to do or how to handle a situation, and are overcome by emotion.
We have all been there (let me be first to admit I have had a lot of learning to do in the realm of managing overwhelmed emotions well!). Yes, life is overwhelming at times.
Here are some strategies that help:
1. Take a break. This may mean moving to a space where noise is minimized and light is not as bright, going for a brisk walk, or focusing on drawing or pulling some putty.
2. Drink some water. This helps hydrate, cool down, refocus, and just plain makes things feel better sometimes.
3. No cell phone (or other screen) use. This is pretty self-explanatory, and offers students the opportunity to work through their feelings to the calm down state rather than ignore and bottle them up for a later time.
4. The screen exception. There are some phenomenal apps for calming and focus available. If this speaks to your child or student’s needs, by all means use it!
5. Music. Choose something that speaks to supporting refocusing. Spa-like music can be a great start for an online search to find something in a pinch. Guided meditations can also be greatly beneficial to helping the refocus and calm down process.
6. Breathe. Whether it is mindful breathing noting breathing in your nose and out your mouth, stomach breathing while having the student feel their stomach rise and fall, or Figure 8 breathing in which students trace an ‘8’ or infinity sign slowly then inhaling on one loop while exhaling on the other loop in repeat.
7. Have a snack. Being hungry while overwhelmed can quickly turn into ‘hanger’. It’s not pretty, helpful, or going anywhere positive. Keep some healthy snacks on hand such as pretzels or oyster crackers. (Be mindful of any food allergies when choosing snacks!)
8. Talk it out. Lend your student a caring ear and really hear what they have to say. Are they going through the motions and feeling unheard? Is something bothering them that they can pinpoint? Do they need you to step in and help in a situation? Some students won’t ask for help even when they are in a situation too deep to get out of on their own. Listen and offer a supportive ear to what they have to say.
Once refocused, help your student make a plan of action for what they feel they are able to do if this same feeling or situation arises again. This will help them learn to be aware of how they are feeling while implementing their critical thinking skills. It is a process, albeit an important one.
What works best for your student(s)?
Well wishes and positive energy to you and yours for a happy, healthy and safe school year!