Parent "Tool Box"
Therapeutic Tools: The following are tools to help students regain emotional control when they are angry. These skills are taught in social work sessions, and students would benefit from reinforcement in the home environment.
· TAKE FIVE: Taking five deep breaths to calm down one’s body and breathing
· CHANGE CHANNEL: Replacing a negative thought/feeling with a positive one (either by changing thoughts or by doing an activity)
*Thinking: I can do this!; I like school and I have friends there!
*Draw a picture; Do a puzzle; Help a friend
*Think of favorite things (favorite food, places to go, favorite person)
· FOCUS ON THE POSITIVE: Thinking positive things about a scenario or about myself (similar to changing channels)
· USE MY WORDS TO TALK ABOUT FEELINGS: “I’m feeling angry right now”
· TAKE A CHILL OUT OR A CHILL IN: Child asks to voluntarily take space from the group when he/she is having a negative feeling and/or needs to calm down
*A chill OUT means the child leaves the room and re-enters when he/she feels better
*A chill IN means the child stays in the room (and goes to a special spot) until he/she feels better
*The expectation will be that the child finishes the task at hand, so as not to be an excuse not to do the work
· ASK FOR HELP WHEN YOU NEED IT: Using words to ask for help from an adult or a friend
· WALK AWAY/IGNORE: Walking away from the problem (ignoring a “teaser”, ignoring something annoying)
· USE POSITIVE SELF-TALK: Telling yourself positive things or cheering yourself on in a difficult situation (“I can do it!” or “I’ll be ok!”)
*Similar to Changing Channels and Focus on the positive
· STOP AND THINK: Stopping oneself and thinking of consequences before acting
*For younger kids, this might be “Wait my turn” or “Raise my hand”
· TAKE FIVE: Taking five deep breaths to calm down one’s body and breathing
· CHANGE CHANNEL: Replacing a negative thought/feeling with a positive one (either by changing thoughts or by doing an activity)
*Thinking: I can do this!; I like school and I have friends there!
*Draw a picture; Do a puzzle; Help a friend
*Think of favorite things (favorite food, places to go, favorite person)
· FOCUS ON THE POSITIVE: Thinking positive things about a scenario or about myself (similar to changing channels)
· USE MY WORDS TO TALK ABOUT FEELINGS: “I’m feeling angry right now”
· TAKE A CHILL OUT OR A CHILL IN: Child asks to voluntarily take space from the group when he/she is having a negative feeling and/or needs to calm down
*A chill OUT means the child leaves the room and re-enters when he/she feels better
*A chill IN means the child stays in the room (and goes to a special spot) until he/she feels better
*The expectation will be that the child finishes the task at hand, so as not to be an excuse not to do the work
· ASK FOR HELP WHEN YOU NEED IT: Using words to ask for help from an adult or a friend
· WALK AWAY/IGNORE: Walking away from the problem (ignoring a “teaser”, ignoring something annoying)
· USE POSITIVE SELF-TALK: Telling yourself positive things or cheering yourself on in a difficult situation (“I can do it!” or “I’ll be ok!”)
*Similar to Changing Channels and Focus on the positive
· STOP AND THINK: Stopping oneself and thinking of consequences before acting
*For younger kids, this might be “Wait my turn” or “Raise my hand”