COVID Summer Recovery - Week 7: What Am I Thinking?
Think-Feel-Do!
Roses are red, ______. What came to mind just now? I’m guessing the thought “violets are blue” just popped up! Thoughts are like that most of the time. We see or feel something and then a thought just pops into our head. And most of the time we don’t even notice them, and we just continue on with our day. But just like it is important to notice emotions, it is just as important to notice our thoughts (mindfulness again!).
Download this week’s handout and activity to learn more about how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors interact!
Why is it helpful to notice our thoughts?
when we learn to notice our thoughts, we can start questioning if they are true and helpful.
when we start questioning if they are true and helpful, we build brain pathways that are adaptive.
on top of that, we start to feel better, which leads to us doing more things we enjoy and things that can build evidence against our unhelpful or untrue thoughts. this is because the way we think, impacts how feel, which impacts what we do, in an ongoing cycle!
once we are aware of our kid’s thinking patterns, it’s easier to help them notice if their thoughts are true and helpful.
short-term this helps kids feel more motivated to do things, and long-term supports healthy self-esteem..
If any of the activities seem difficult for your child to either understand or they seem highly emotional while completing them, please considering reaching out for professional support as this may be an indication they need additional help.
