Chaplains Corner

Hello Somie Community! Can you believe we are nearly at the end of term 3!!!!!

Last newsletter I wrote about what happens in the brain when a child is anxious and what it means to “flip your lid”. In the article I read they suggest to help…..

“……..the FEEL method:

• Freeze — pause and take some deep breaths with your child. Deep breathing can help reverse the nervous system response.

• Empathise — anxiety is scary. Your child wants to know that you get it.

• Evaluate — once your child is calm, it’s time to figure out possible solutions.

• Let Go – let go of your guilt; you are an amazing parent giving your child the tools to manage their worry.

 Highlight why worrying is good

Remember, anxiety is tough enough without a child believing that something is wrong with them. Many kids even develop anxiety about having anxiety. Teach your kids that worrying does, in fact, have a purpose.

When our ancestors were hunting and gathering food there was danger in the environment, and being worried helped them avoid attacks from the saber-toothed cat lurking in the bush.

In modern times, we don’t have a need to run from predators, but we are left with an evolutionary imprint that protects us: worry.

Worry is a protection mechanism. Worry rings an alarm in our system and helps us survive danger. Teach your kids that worry is perfectly normal, it can help protect us, and everyone experiences it from time to time. Sometimes our system sets off false alarms, but this type of worry (anxiety) can be put in check with some simple techniques.

I’d like to wish you all a safe and happy school holidays and will look forward to seeing you in term 4! 

Kind regards

Katharine