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2019

Photo of a loving mother and child holding hands while talking and sitting on sofa
Anxiety, Back To School, Mental Health, Natural Strength Parenting™

How To Talk To Your Kids About Mental Health; Tips For Speaking With Your Child In Elementary School

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How To Talk To Your Kids About Mental Health 1 in 5 children lives with a serious, diagnosable mental illness. 1 in 5. Think about your child’s friends, their class, their school. That’s a lot of kids. It’s never been more important to be able to speak openly and honestly about mental health with your children. Fortunately, today’s parents are more open to discussing these important issues that previous generations. So, you’re open to discussing mental health with your child, but how do you do it? Where do you start? As with most essential topics, start at the beginning. Talk with your children about their feelings, focus on their strengths, and most importantly listen to what they have to say. Here are some tips from our parenting experts to get the conversation started with your child in elementary school. We also shared how to talk to your preschooler and we’ll help you keep the conversation going with tips on speaking to your child into junior high and high school. Elementary School By the time your child is in elementary school, their personalities are well established, they’ve probably made some strong friendships and they are full of emotions. Often, these emotions will come as unexpected outbursts that may catch you off guard! That’s OK. They are learning to express their feelings, and you can be there to guide them. Linking their feelings and how they express them to their strengths is key at this age to identify and build their unique strengths and build resiliency. What to say to your kids when they are in elementary school. Make a feelings thermometerhttps://copingskillsforkids.com/blog/2016/4/27/making-a-feelings-thermometer Kids at this age can understand things when they are presented to them visually. Giving them a way to express and understand how they are feeling visually can help them start to manage those emotions. Have your child interview others about their feelings and how they cope. Hopefully, while your child was younger, you helped them identify key adults (including yourself!) that they can talk to about their feelings. An interview with one of these trusted persons can help your child see that everyone deals with changing emotions and can give them insight into how others cope. Ask your child, “Is it okay to feel; sad, embarrassed, guilty, shame, happy, joy, lonely, anger?” Normalize their feelings. No matter what they are. Forget the notion that boys don’t cry and eliminate the concept of shame from your daughter’s vocabulary. All emotions are valid, and your child is going to feel ALL of the feels. Sometimes in the same day! Make sure they understand it is OK to not be OK all the time. And remind them that you are there for them. What does it feel like when you get nervous? Those butterflies in their stomach aren’t going to go anywhere anytime soon. As they get older, they may encounter more things that cause them to be nervous. New teachers, new school, new friends, new team, homework. Managing their nervousness and making sure it doesn’t explode into full-blown panic is a skill that they can continue to develop their entire lives. Who are three people are in can trust with your thoughts/ feelings? As they get older, your children may feel more comfortable discussing things with their friends. That’s fine, but make sure those relationships stay healthy and make sure to keep yourself in the loop. Narrowing down a circle of trusted people ensures them that they always have someone to talk to you. Talking with your children early, often, and continuously about their mental well-being is so essential. Share these tips with fellow parents and let us know which strategies worked best for your family. Check out our complete guide to talking to your child about mental health at any age. Learn more about discussing mental health with your preschooler. Learn more about discussing mental health with your child in elementary school. Learn more about discussing mental health with your teens and high schoolers. Looking to go further? Check out Natural Strength Parenting To Go! These text-based courses from our parenting experts help you get the most out of Natural Strength Parenting™ with easy to implement parenting strategies. Get started today!

Photo of a little girl reading with father on the couch
Anxiety, Back To School, Mental Health, Natural Strength Parenting™, Parenting Tips, Parents

How To Talk To Your Kids About Mental Health; Tips For Talking To Your Preschooler

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How To Talk To Your Kids About Mental Health 1 in 5 children lives with a serious, diagnosable mental illness. 1 in 5. Think about your child’s friends, their class, their school. That’s a lot of kids. It’s never been more important to be able to speak openly and honestly about mental health with your children. Fortunately, today’s parents are more open to discussing these important issues that previous generations. So, you’re open to discussing mental health with your child, but how do you do it? Where do you start? As with most essential topics, start at the beginning. Talk with your children about their feelings, focus on their strengths, and most importantly listen to what they have to say. Here are some tips from our parenting experts to get the conversation started with your preschooler. We’ll also share how to keep the conversation going with tips on speaking to your child in elementary school and into junior high and high school. Preschool It’s never too early to begin talking to your child about mental health. For your younger children, keep it simple and speak in terms and contexts that they will be able to understand. Preschool-age children are likely not just going to tell you how they feel, but they may express their feelings in a variety of ways. Look for their clues and engage them when you see them expressing different emotions. Use these clues as an opportunity for you to help them understand their feelings as they are first experiencing them and help them navigate their reactions to those emotions. What to ask. And what to say to your preschooler. What causes you to have butterflies in your stomach? This feeling of anxiety or nervousness is an easy one for children to recognize as it manifests itself physically. Help them identify what causes these feelings and help them cope with it by facing their feelings head-on. Where do your feelings come from? Helping your children understand where their feelings come from, how and why they react to certain experiences and stimuli, can help them begin to work out what to do with those emotions. Who can you talk to if your feelings get to be too much? Let your children know that you are there for them always. But also teach them to establish trust with other key adults in their lives. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, teachers, mentors, close friends, and doctors and therapists should be recognized as trusted people that they can turn to discuss their feelings. What are some ways you can calm down/relax/feel better/control your feelings? However, you phrase it, making sure that your children understand basic coping techniques at an early age is important. It may be quiet time in their room, a certain song or playlist, drawing or coloring, or even snuggling with mom or dad. Once your children know they have a way to deal with their feelings, they are starting to build resilience. Use media and daily experiences to normalize conversations about reacting to specific emotions. After watching a movie, TV show, or YouTube video together discuss how the characters interacted with each other and dealt with their feelings. Talking with your children early, often, and continuously about their mental well-being is so essential. Share these tips with fellow parents and let us know which strategies worked best for your family. Check out our complete guide to talking to your child about mental health at any age. Learn more about discussing mental health with your preschooler. Learn more about discussing mental health with your child in elementary school. Learn more about discussing mental health with your teens and high schoolers. Looking to go further? Check out Natural Strength Parenting To Go! These text-based courses from our parenting experts help you get the most out of Natural Strength Parenting™ with easy-to-implement parenting strategies. Get started today!

Photo of three children sitting and reading a book
middle child, Natural Strength Parenting™, Parenting Tips, Parents, Raising Positive Children

Stuck In The Middle; Parenting Tips for Raising Your Middle Child

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“I’m losing my mind just a little So why don’t you just meet me in the middle?” Maren Morris, “The Middle” We’re not sure if Maren Morris is a middle child or not, but for middle children everywhere just hearing the word “middle” can cause you to shudder. You probably heard the hit song “The Middle” more often than a middle child heard themselves called by their proper names during the course of their entire childhood. Being called by their sibling’s name. Being the “forgotten” child. Becoming the de facto “negotiator” in the family. Hand me down jeans and tag-along hobbies. The stereotypes of “middle child syndrome” are as well-known and accurate, and often inaccurate, as any other stereotype. “Marcia, Marcia, Marcia” Jan Brady, The Brady Bunch Nowhere else in pop-culture has the middle child stereotype been more grossly overstated and exaggerated than in Jan Brady, the classic middle child from the 70’s hit sitcom The Brady Bunch. Not only was Jan stuck in-between her younger sister Cindy and older sister Marcia, but she was also placed in a fantastical and unique fictional family dynamic; dead father, blended family featuring another trio of siblings, unrealistic expectations to live up to the popularity and success of her older sister…the famous expression of her exacerbation “Marcia, Marcia, Marcia” is seared into our collective consciousness. That feeling of not being able to live up to her sister and feeling trapped and forgotten in the middle certainly doesn’t have to be the destiny of any middle child. Let’s break some of these stereotypes by focusing on your middle child’s strengths. “Live right now, just be yourself. It doesn’t matter if it’s good enough, for someone else. It just takes some time, little girl your in the middle of the ride, everything, everything will be just fine. Everything, everything will be all right.” Jimmy Eat World, “The Middle” Another hit song called “The Middle”, this one by Jimmy Eat World, encourages everyone to be themselves and to be their best. Whether we’re talking about your first child, middle child, or sixth child, all of your children have their own unique strengths. One way to make sure all of your children feel special is to take the VIA Survey of Character strengths (link) and share everyone’s top strengths. This will show all of your children, that they are unique, special and have different strengths that set them apart. Three sibling dynamics are tough. Try to avoid two-person centric tasks and activities. Those types of situations are likely to make one child feel left out. It can be hard to have three peers together because typically two feel more unity than the one. It’s a ‘numbers game’ and three is one of the most difficult to manage. It’s the same with friendships. Remember the last time your kid had more than one friend over for a sleepover? How quickly did that end in tears? Active listening is important with all of your children, being present and in the moment when you are having a conversation lets them know you are truly engaged and listening to them, but it can be critically important to your middle child, especially if they are already vulnerable to feeling left out or forgotten. Put your phone down, get comfortable, be engaged and listen to what your child is saying. “Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right, Here I am, stuck in the middle with you.”Stealers Wheel, “Stuck in the Middle With You” The middle child often feels “on their own” because a big family is a busy family. Their older sibling probably already has activities that they are actively involved in and the younger sibling may require more work and attention. This can cause a feeling of isolation for the middle child. They feel “stuck” between their older sister’s constant soccer practices and their younger brother’s constant tantrums. This may cause them to desire more attention and even act out to obtain it. Remember their strengths and point them out. “Thank you for using your strength of self-regulation sitting quietly and doing your homework during your sister’s game. I know it was a long game, she appreciates your support!” or “Thank you for using your humor to help calm your brother down. I know he can be a handful sometimes, but he loves when you make him laugh.” Pointing out their strengths and including them in situations reminds them that they are an important part of the family. Set aside time for your children to play together. Find something they all like or have them take turns choosing a board game, or other fun activity to do together. On a rainy day, encourage them to practice some mindfulness by doing some yoga or even just a quick breathing exercise. Your smartphone or smartwatch may have something to guide them through this. (Added benefit you get some peace and quiet, if only for a few minutes) And, if they choose a game that involves more than three players, jump in and play with them! “I think I’m a little bit caught in the middle Gotta keep going or they’ll call me a quitter” Paramore, “Caught in the Middle”  It is important that your middle child does not feel unnecessary pressure to live up to inflated expectations. One child may excel at sports, while another succeeds in the classroom. Help them find what they are good at and encourage them to be their best. They may even reject what their older siblings are into. And that’s fine. Encourage them to try different things, and they will find what suits them. Parenting a middle child may be more difficult or even easier than parenting your first or your last, but in reality, the same principles apply. Love them. Focus on their strengths. And be intentional, fully present, and completely engaged with them.

Zoomed in photo of an adult and a child holding hands
Jim Mason, Parents, Schools

The Time To Act For Children Is Now

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For generations, fire drills and tornado drills were a common activity for schoolchildren, a brief reprieve from the daily routine, and an opportunity to remind them what to do in case a natural or unexpected disaster hit their school. For a new generation of children, another type of drill – the active shooter drill – has become just as commonplace. Recent mass shootings in California, Texas and right here in Dayton have shocked those communities and the entire country. The impact of the violence on the affected families, friends, communities and the rest of us will linger far longer than the current news cycle. This is not OK. We know the mental and physical toll toxic stress has on the human brain. The trauma endured by children when they experience or see violence on a regular basis actually re-wires their brains in a way that affects their ability to succeed in school and develop healthy emotional relationships. At Beech Acres Parenting Center we are gravely concerned about the long term effects of this trauma as these children become adults. That’s why we stand #DaytonStrong with our neighbors in Dayton, Ohio as they grieve and heal from their recent tragedy. We also support Susan Dreyfus’ statement and the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities’ call to action to end gun violence in the United States of America. Common sense gun regulations are a start to reversing the negative course of our society and restoring a sense of safety and security to our children’s lives. Eliminating continued exposure to traumatic experiences can help reduce the incidents of stress-related diseases including mental illness, depression, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and suicide. The time to act for our children is now.  We encourage you to get involved by calling or emailing you senators to tell them to ask for a vote on H.R. 8, The Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019 and H.R. 1112, The Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2019. Both require stronger background checks, a measure which most Americans support. You can also ask them to revisit the banning of assault weapons. Thank you for your continued support of our mission, Inspiring and equipping today’s parents, families and communities to raise capable, caring, contributing children.   

White June Summer Activities graphic with colorful icons and strengths listed on it
Back To School, character strengths, Strengths

Focus On Your Child’s Strengths Before They Head Back To School!

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Summer vacation is almost over! We’ve got you covered with some easy, fun summer activities that you can do each week. The best part is these activities allow you to recognize and build on your child’s strengths. If you haven’t already taken the VIA Survey of Character Strengths, you can get started here. You can download and print activity sheets for June and July and work on recognizing your child’s strengths all summer long. The strengths for August are forgiveness, leadership, prudence, perseverance, perspective, sense of meaning, friendship, and honesty! ICYMI here are the tips for July!

White Back to School Quick Tips BAPC graphic with a backpack on it
Back To School, Beech Acres, character strengths, Natural Strength Parenting™, Parenting Tips, Parents, Schools

Back To School Quick Tips!

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Back to School Quick Tips Try a few of these tips at home to help your family successfully transition back to your school year routine. Let us know which ones worked for you! State An Intention Start by setting an intention with your child for the new school year. Ask, “what can you do to make this year your best yet?” Get curious with them and ask “What do you need from me to succeed?” Then make sure to build in accountability. “What steps will you take to succeed?” “How will you know if the intention you set is working? How will your experience at school be better?” Build On Thier Strengths Acknowledge your child’s fear and anxiety, and offer the idea that these feelings subside as you become familiar with what was once ‘new’. Every person has 24 character strengths inside them. You can discover your family’s strengths for free by taking the VIA Character Strengths Survey located on our website. Take A Mindful Moment Actively listen to their concerns and let them know you are listening. “I hear that you are worried about your first day of school, but you smiled when you talked about seeing your friends again.” Take Time For Yourself Set an intention for yourself to be prepared and ready to help your kids succeed! Lean into your own strengths of Love, Fairness, Judgment, Leadership, and Perseverance. Take a moment for yourself. Sit outside and take a moment to Appreciate the Beauty of these final summer days.

Photo of a mother holding books and looking annoyed at her unwilling child
Back To School

From the Pool to Back to School; Tips to Get Your Family Ready to Go Back to School

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Back to School, Back to Routine After spending the summer lounging by the pool, you’re starting to dread getting back in that drop-off line at school. That’s right; it’s time to start thinking about back to school. Here are some ideas to make the back to school transition a little less bumpy. Use Mindfulness To Calm Those Back to School Jitters Your kids probably realized that school is about to begin when that trip to get some ice cream turned into an all-day shopping trip for new school shoes. Back to school shopping can trigger anxiety in kids who are already not looking forward to heading back to the classroom. You may also notice them behaving differently as the start of school draws nearer. They may be more agitated than usual when you ask them to stop playing Fornite and finish their summer reading assignments. While you may be getting agitated yourself, use this as an opportunity to help your child grow into a resourceful and confident student. Take your child’s feelings seriously. Normalize uncertainty and anxiety, so they do not feel alone.  You do not want them to struggle with whatever it is they are feeling and thinking their feelings are not valid. Experiment with different mindful activities to help them relax. Have them put down their smartphone and try a body scan with them. This activity can help them identify where they are noticing anxious feelings in their bodies. Have them get off the couch and head outside, after all; breathing exercises can easily be done anywhere and anytime. The fresh air will do them good. Make sure they put their electronics away at least an hour before bedtime. Instead, try practicing some simple yoga moves before going to bed to help them feel less anxious. Be Playfully Curious During Your Morning Routine If your morning routine during the summer has included sleeping in until noon and Pop-Tarts for breakfast, getting back into your school routine can be a bit unsettling for the whole family. Talk with your kids in advance about what school mornings will look like. Get curious with them about what reminders they will need to remember to brush their teeth, remember their homework, and wear matching socks. Be creative with them! Create fun posters, notes for their lunchbox, or handmade calendars. A little preparation and some teamwork can ensure that not every morning involves a last minute run through the Starbucks drive-thru for breakfast. Morning can be a great time for everyone to set one intention for the day and will provide a great way to check in later in the evening. Strength Spotting Can Help With Homework Let’s face it; your kids are likely more interested in Snapchatting with their friends after school than doing their homework. Knowing your child’s temperament and what they need to focus on can help you influence your child’s success. For example, do they need quiet? Do they work better with others around? Do you need to hide the remote so they can focus? How do they need you to be present? How long can they sit before they get distracted by their phone? Do they need shorter breaks more often, or can they sit still and get it done in one stretch? A great way to offer encouragement is to strength-spot them. “Your creativity helps you with your writing. I am proud to see you are using it to do such a great job on your research paper”. If your kids are quick to grab for Doritos or juice boxes after school, make sure to have some healthy snacks on hand to keep their energy level up. Be Intentional During Your Evening Routine A consistent evening routine is just as important as your morning routines. Be intentional in winding down so your children can ease into the transition of going to sleep. Try to complete preparations for the next day (picking out clothes, getting their backpack ready, preparing and packing their lunch) as early as possible. It’s important to make time for the things that help them to relax. Rather than binging on Netflix, try a mindful activity like the body scan, deep breathing or even a warm calming soak in the tub. Evenings are a great time to read together to encourage curiosity and a love of learning. Parents that are fully present for this part of their child’s day can more easily wind down from their day as well. Sometimes snuggling is all children need to go from their day to a good night’s sleep.      

Equip-a-kid Logo with a blue backpack full of school supplies beside it
Uncategorized

Equip-A-Kid

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Can you believe it is already time to start thinking about back to school? While we take time to appreciate the beauty of summer we’re also hard at work preparing for the upcoming school year. We serve 1000’s of students, their parents, and families in several school districts and individual schools in the Greater Cincinnati area through innovative, comprehensive programs like Beyond the Classroom and The Character Effect™ aimed at serving the whole child. Many of the parents we serve are focused on strengthening their families this summer and may not have the time or resources to adequately prepare their kids for the new school year. By participating in Equip-A-Kid you take that worry away. We’re collecting backpacks and school supplies for families again this year. Your gift will inspire hope and gratitude in the family that receives your generous donation. Equipping a kid is easy: Make a donation online. Download the form, choose a supply list (Elementary or Middle/High School) and take it with you to the store. Make sure to drop off your backpack or cash gift by August 9th at our main campus at 6881 Beechmont Ave. If you shop at Kroger or Amazon, don’t forget to indicate Beech Acres Parenting Center as the beneficiary of your Kroger Community Rewards or Amazon Smile account! If you are too busy to go shopping you can still help! Send a cash gift that will be used for supplies for an individual student or for our school-based services. You can donate online. Questions? Email Donial Curry or call 513-233-4826. THANK YOU! Thank you for strengthening our community, one family at a time!

White June Summer Activities graphic with colorful icons and strengths listed on it
Strengths

Build Your Child’s Strengths With These Summer Activities for July!

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Summer vacation is here! Are your kids already bored? We’ve got you covered with some easy, fun summer activities that you can do each week. The best part is these activities allow you to recognize and build on your child’s strengths. If you haven’t already taken the VIA Survey of Character Strengths, you can get started here. You can download and print activity sheets for July and August and work on recognizing your child’s strengths all summer long. The strengths for July are humility, mindfulness, curiosity, humor, gratitude, teamwork, self-control, and creativity! ICYMI here are the tips for June!

Photo of the anderson township families 225 years anniversary with a man standing beside it holding open a document
Uncategorized

Beech Acres Parenting Center Recognized By Anderson Township For 170 Years of Service

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On June 21, 2019, during a meeting of the Anderson Township Board of Trustees, Beech Acres Parenting Center was formally recognized for 170 years of service to parents, families, and children in the greater Cincinnati area. The board issued a proclamation declaring Tuesday, June 25, 2019, as Beech Acres Parenting Center Day in Anderson Township which was graciously accepted by President & CEO Jim Mason. 

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