Coping Skills

• Have as a part of the morning routine..while eating etc...
• Use before a big event...field trip, program at school – anything that typically causes distress
• Use this song to come up with past examples of successes and list them – here are the things you took one step at a time and did well...putting face in the water, swinging independently, etc...
• What are some things that stay constant even when we are having challenges that we are dealing with one day at time? (Song mentions sun still comes up and down...use this as a grounding topic and then move forward to more immediate concrete things...we always have breakfast, we always go to school

Bedtime & Wind Down

• Use a calm, gentle voice leading into wind down time.
• Be encouraging with your words, slow your movements so you do not project high energy which may create a sense of anxiousness with the child.
• This is a time to use positive reinforcement through your words and actions. The music will support the calming environment you are trying to create and should be played no louder than a speaking voice. By displaying the behaviors and actions that you wish to see you in your child, they will better understand what you are asking of them.