Hello Mentors!
Please click on the links below for some valuable information regarding Teens and Holiday stress! . We can all feel stress and anxiety when it comes to holidays but when you are a teenager, at times it can be overwhelming. Money (or lack of), family dynamics and expectations can leave anyone feeling a bit out of sorts! Coping is hard when you've had years of experience but your mentee is new to this and having some tools in your basket to guide them can be very helpful this time of year!!
Please click and watch or read the links below and then leave me a comment with your name and something you learned or will try in the upcoming holiday season or even add your own suggestion or example of what you have done!
http://drgailgross.com/videos/
Please click on the links below for some valuable information regarding Teens and Holiday stress! . We can all feel stress and anxiety when it comes to holidays but when you are a teenager, at times it can be overwhelming. Money (or lack of), family dynamics and expectations can leave anyone feeling a bit out of sorts! Coping is hard when you've had years of experience but your mentee is new to this and having some tools in your basket to guide them can be very helpful this time of year!!
Please click and watch or read the links below and then leave me a comment with your name and something you learned or will try in the upcoming holiday season or even add your own suggestion or example of what you have done!
http://drgailgross.com/videos/
These are excellent resources regarding teens and even pre-teens who may be dealing with stuffing their emotions during the holidays. Because so many of the youth we mentor come from single parent homes where the income level is generally lower, and extended family support may be missing, it is important to really focus on why we celebrate this time of year. Trying to take the materialism out of Christmas can definitely be a challenge when we are bombarded with it for a full two months. Kids dealing with broken families may either find Christmas a time of joy and temporary escape from their difficult situations, or it may magnify the challenges they are going through. Either way, it think the video and articles posted reiterate the importance of taking the focus off of ourselves and investing in the lives of others. The benefits of "doing a good turn" can reap internal (and eternal) rewards with a positive satisfaction in knowing that you can make a difference in someone's life. It seems that volunteering for worthy causes is uplifting for kids of all ages and helps them to see outside of themselves and it tends to minimize the perceived stress level they may be experiencing.
ReplyDeleteIt was interesting to learn that even young children can experience holiday stress, often reflecting how their parents are feeling. Acknowledging when a child is feeling the holiday blues and talking through their emotions, instead of just trying to cheer them up, is an important lesson these articles emphasized, as well as focusing on the true meaning of Christmas and spending time helping others.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting to know that for some children, the holidays can be a sad time. they take their cues from their parents. Sticking to a normal schedule helps to combat that blueness. That is different than what I thought because I always assumed a break in the schedule is exciting.
ReplyDeleteThis helps explain why my mentee always loves Operation Shoebox through Samaritan's Purse! I love the random act of kindness idea - she and I will try that next time we are out and about during the holidays.
ReplyDeleteI think we often overlook that this can be a stressful and anxious time for children. We get caught up in the holiday marketing themes that this is a child's favorite time of year. The suggestions offered in the video were not only useful, but made me reflect on the reason for the season. We tend to focus on the material aspects of the season. Switching our focus to serving and loving others should be our priority. I love the idea of doing service projects with my Kids n Kinship friends. This would be a great focus throughout the year.
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