The last year has been hard for all of us, including children! Adjusting to school changes, losing their social lives, adapting to parental work schedules, losing social context for developmental milestones, among other things, have complicated childrens‘ lives. Many caregivers have found themselves overwhelmed in the roles of school manager, (with a hearty thank-you for the teachers guiding us!) counselor, on-call social outlet, and personal trainer, all while simultaneously trying to meet their regular responsibilities.
As caregivers, we want to help our children continue growing their social intelligence, and connecting with peers is an essential ingredient. Late childhood connections provide the foundation for navigating more complex relationships of adolescence and adulthood. During Covid, these social connections are challenging. Forming healthy relationships with peers during a high stress time can provide feelings of belongingness and well-being, and can reduce chronic stress and even anxiety.
You can help your child with some simple ideas, we shared here. We also have some tips for dealing with anxiety in your family. If you’re looking for some extra support, we’re offering a six-week relational group for fifth and sixth graders. Offering evidenced based coping tools nested in expressive arts (swing by to pick up your child’s weekly brown bag project, or ask us to deliver) and relational work, these fun meetings will be on Tuesday evenings from 4:30-5:15, on March 23, 30, and April 6, 13, 20, and 27th. Cost for the group ranges from $10-$30 and includes craft supplies. Scholarships and sliding scale available!
To set up a free informational chat, click the “check schedule” button, choose Amy Makice, then Group Intake Interview. We’ll handle the rest!