Social support is vital to kids’ development and to reduce the negative impacts of stress. We all need to stay connected to our communities.

• Encourage connections with supportive adults like mentors, teachers, counselors, and coaches.
• Help kids and family find meaningful ways to be part of the community, like volunteering. 
• Turn off media and devices for high-quality family time together. Try making art, cooking, or playing games.
• Help kids get involved in collaborative activities with peers like art, theatre, music, and sports. 

It just takes one caring, trusted adult to build resiliency and create a positive childhood experience. Mentoring programs provide an opportunity for children to develop trusting, supportive relationships with an area mentor. These programs encourage fun activities and regular interaction to support healthy relationships.  Click the links below to learn about local mentoring programs.

Blue Earth Area Mentors 

STARS for Kids Mentoring 

Kinship Mentoring of Martin County 

Mindfulness can help “rewire” the brain in ways that actively buffer the stress response and help us all regulate our bodies more easily.

• Plan twenty minutes twice a day for your child — or your whole family — to practice meditation, breathing techniques, or other mindful activities. Apps like Headspace and Calm are easy, accessible ways to get started and both have specialty programs for kids of all ages. Many other meditations can be found online, as well.
• Take moments throughout the day with your kids to notice and talk about how you’re both feeling, physically and emotionally.
• Practice graditude. Talk about, write out, or draw five or more things you and your child are grateful for each day.

Solid sleep provides an important foundation for our health at every age.

• Establish a regular bedtime routine, including going to bed and waking up at the same time each day.
• Read a book to or with kids before bed.
• Create a calm place for sleep that is cool, quiet and free of distractions, if possible. Turn off electronics at least a half hour before bed and limit caffeinated food and drinks, like soda and chocolate.

Resources:

(English) Super-Sleep-Health-Families-Handout-Print_51.pdf (healthpoweredkids.org)

(Spanish) 41-Spa_Super-Sleep-Health-Families-Handout-Print_51.pdf (healthpoweredkids.org)

Getting our bodies moving helps us burn off stress hormones.

• Try to help kids get an hour or so of movement each day — and it doesn’t have to be all at once.
• Movement can be anything kids enjoy. Dance parties, jumping jacks, hula hoop contests, TikTok dances, power walks around the block, bedtime yoga, double dutch jumping rope – the list of fun ways to move goes goes on and on.
• Check out Brain Dance! It’s a great warm-up for the day, or when transitioning between tasks. The movements help the brain and body work together while encouraging healthy brain and body development.
• Try yoga together! Try out a YouTube session together with YogaEd! Or check out these poses designed especially for parents, caregivers, or teachers to help kids or teens relieve symptoms of stress and anxiety, created by YogaEd. 

Resources:

• Fun & Simple Exercise Activities for Kids | Health Powered Kids
• Exercise & the Brain
• Fun activities
• Cheat Sheet for Caregivers: Fun Ways to Get Kids Moving

Being well nourished can help kids combat stress. Here are some tips:

• Plan a regular time for meals and snacks. It’s helpful for kids to know what to expect.
• Try to include lots of fruits, vegetables, and nuts or seeds every day. These plant-based foods are rich in nutrients and fiber, and nuts and seeds give kids an added boost of protein.

Many of us are facing tough times and may feel stressed about coming up with our family’s next meal. Rising food costs and transportation challenges create barriers to accessing food. Here are a few resources that can support food access:

Minnesota Food Shelves 

Ruby's Pantry Program 

Call our office at 507-238-4757 for additional resources such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Women, Infant and Children Program (WIC), or other resources in our communities. 

Health & Wellness Resources for Parents & Families

Create Your Own Healthful Snack

Create Your Own Healthful Snacks

If you’re able to spend time outside, do it. It’s great for everyone’s physical and mental health and well-being.

• Being in nature has cognitive and emotional benefits. Studies have shown it increases working memory, focus, and happiness and improves positive social interactions.
• For those with limited access, finding ways to connect to nature can be part of the adventure itself. Consider exploring new places online as a family. Listen to nature sounds while creating drawings or telling stories set in nature.

Resources:

• Get Out and Enjoy Nature
• Enjoy Nature Healthy Families Handout

If our child faces a tough situation, we can ask how they feel about it – helping them understand, name, and communicate their emotions. A great tool for this is a Feelings Wheel (kids version) or Wheel of Emotions (teen/adult version).

SHARE THE FACTS

After listening to your child’s take on a stressful situation, calmly correct any misinformation and share age-appropriate, honest facts and feelings. Help them focus on things we can control to stay healthy, express our feelings, and help others.

MODEL SELF-CARE

When you need a break, communicate it and take the break, whenever possible. If you’re having a really hard time, that’s normal — parenting can be really hard, even in the best of times. Modeling good, honest communication around our feelings helps give kids an example to follow.

STAY CONNECTED

Social supports are essential to our kids’ development and the well-being of our whole family. Find ways to keep your kids connected to their friends, family, teachers, coaches, mentors, etc. — their support team. And make sure to stay connected with your support team, too!

FAMILY JOURNALING

Journaling is a time-honored practice of recording our thoughts, feelings, and ideas in a private space. Having a family practice can help us get in touch with our feelings individually and share them in community.

Resources:

• Gratefuls and Grumbles: Helping Kids Develop an Attitude of Gratitude
• (English) Live a Healthy Life
• (Spanish) Live a Healthy Life

POTENTIAL SIGNS OF STRESS

EARLY CHILDHOOD (Ages 0-5)

• Fear of being alone
• Bad dreams
• Speech difficulties
• Loss of bladder/bowel control, constipation, bed-wetting
• Change in appetite
• Increased temper tantrums, whining, or clinging behaviors

CHIDLHOOD (AGES 6-12)

• Irritability, whining, aggressive behavior
• Clinging, nightmares
• Sleep/appetite disturbance
• Physical symptoms (headaches, stomachaches)
• Withdrawal from peers
• Loss of interest
• Competition for parents’ attention
• Forgetfulness about chores and new information learned in school

TEENS (AGES 13+)

• Physical symptoms (headaches, rashes, etc.)
• Sleep/appetite disturbance
• Agitation or decrease in energy, apathy
• Ignoring health promotion behaviors
• Isolating from peers and loved ones
• Concerns about stigma and injustices
• Avoiding/skipping school

 Resources:

• Mindfulness & Stress Relief for Teens & Students
• Stress Relief
• What We Can Do to Stress Less