• Parenting My Child with Suspected or Diagnosed Depression (Spring 2023)

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    IS MY CHILD DEPRESSED?  HOW CAN I HELP??

    As adults, we can forget the stressors of adolescence, and our young people are struggling now more than ever with depression, suicide, and other mental health concerns.  Below are some resources to help us educate ourselves on what depression may look like for teens, as well as some ways to support them through their difficult times.

    NEED IMMEDIATE HELP? CALL OR TEXT 988!

    More crisis resources can be found here!

     

    Sexting Education & Prevention (Spring 2023)

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    “SEXTING” IS SERIOUS!

    With electronics being so accessible to youth today, sexting is a huge concern in today’s society.  “Sexting” is using digital technology to send, receive, and/or share sexual messages, photos, or videos.  This can be done through text messages, social media postings, and more.  There can be very serious legal, mental, emotional, and overall negative future consequences for sexting, especially for our young people.  It’s important for everyone to educate themselves on the facts of sexting!   

     

    Dealing with Stress! (Spring 2023)

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    STRESS?!?!

     

    Stress is definitely worth talking about and understanding!  Like anxiety, not all stress is a bad thing…but long term stress can have significant impact on mental and physical health.  It is so important to work on skills toward resilience while knowing we can recognize stress in our lives and how to manage it in a healthy way.  Please check out the below resources to help families through the challenges around stress! 

     

    Supporting My Child with Anxiety (Spring 2023)

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    SUPPORTING MY CHILD WITH ANXIETY

    There is a normal and healthy amount of anxiety we should all experience in life, but when anxiety becomes overwhelming for our children, it can make us feel helpless in supporting them.  Please check out the below resources to help families through the challenges surrounding anxiety in our children! 

    • WorryWiseKids.org – numerous resources to identify and support anxiety, understand causes and treatments, as well as great parent “Do’s and Don’ts” to work with your child best
    • Child Mind Institute: Anxiety – includes quick guide to anxiety in children, why childhood anxiety often goes undetected and its consequences, as well as videos and information on different types of anxiety
    • Hope + Wellness – 24 Resources for Children and Teens with Anxiety and Their Families

     

    Social Emotional Learning in the Home (Spring 2023)

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    WHAT IS SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING (SEL)?

    According to CASEL, the experts on Social Emotional Learning, “SEL is the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions.”

    WHY IS SEL IMPORTANT?

    When we strengthen the areas of Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Social Awareness, Relationships Skills, & Responsible Decision-Making for our young people, research repeatedly demonstrates it has a positive impact on a wide range of outcomes, including academic performance, healthy relationships, mental wellness, and more.  The more we encourage this development in our school, community, and homes, the stronger our young people will become!

     LEARN MORE

     

    Vaping Education & Prevention (Winter 2023)

     

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    Did you know that 1 vape pod equals 20 cigarettes?  While cigarettes may seem to be less of a concern today, vaping has proven to be an addictive product with the same dangers.  There is even greater concern for young people who are vaping because their developing brains (that keep developing until their mid-20’s!) make them more prone to addiction.  Please see the below resources that include information on vaping dangers, prevention, and quitting.

    INFORMATION

    • Diman Direction Parent/Guardian Forum: Vaping 101 (2/15/23)

    to help you gather more information on vaping

    VIDEOS

     

    HOW TO QUIT

     

    Community Resources (Winter 2023)

     

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    The Greater Fall River area offers many supports for families in our community, and we want to make sure you have quick access at your fingertips!  Please see the information below for important resources.

     

    Balancing Screen Time (Winter 2023)

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    As parents/guardians, we recognize that our children live in a different world than we were raised in with regard to screen time, especially social media.  It can be stressful to find a balance of healthy communication in society today.  Please review the documents below with different ideas and perspectives on how to balance screen time with children of all ages (and ourselves!)

     

    Keeping Kids Safe and Secure Online (U.S. Attorney General)