Page 5 - BRIDGE the Gap Newsletter - Issue 1 - November 2020

By Virginia Debermudez, M.Psy - IMG
Like math and reading, emotional skills are taught. Kids need to learn the names for their feelings and how to express them in appropriate ways— talking through them, perhaps, or taking deep breaths. But some kids never learned those lessons, or they need a refresher course. If your older child or teenager is having emotional problems, take heart. It’s never too late to start the journey toward emotional wellness.
For starters, emotional wellness doesn’t mean being
happy all the time. It’s the ability to recognize and cope with emotions, good or bad. It’s a lifelong journey as new challenges are thrown our way. “We’re never done. That’s the cool thing about human beings—we’re constantly learning and evolving,” says licensed therapist Erin Harlow-Parker, APRN.Because even adults are works in progress, anyone can change course. Even children who have experienced hardship can heal and thrive.
child speaks, put down your phone. Make eye contact. Repeat back exactly what they said, without judgment, before adding any commentary.Watch out for your child’s physical health. Is your child eating well and getting enough sleep? Is your family limiting screens in the evening to improve sleep quality? Physical health has a huge impact on our emotional wellness and vice versa.Most importantly, talk openly about your own emotions. Share how you are feeling (“I’m really frustrated right now.”) and how you cope with it (“I’m going to listen to some music to help me calm down.”). Your child needs to know that emotions are not a sign of weakness and that it’s normal to share your feelings with people you trust.
One of the simplest ways to support your child’s emotional wellness is to be a good listener. Kids today are under huge amounts of stress, so it’s not safe to assume you know what your
HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
If a child is unwell, it can affect attendance and learning in school, and a parent’s illness can impact ability to earn or perform at work. Physical health and mental health, a component of the two-generation approach, have a major impact on a family’s ability to thrive
Childhood trauma, for instance, has lasting health and social consequences. Similarly, economic supports, such as housing, and social capital, such as connections to one’s neighborhood and community, are important social determinants of health. The dynamics of federal and state health care access policies through Medicaid are critical factors in identifying barriers and opportunities for increasing the health and well-being of children and their parents.
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BRIDGE THE GAP | ISSUE 1
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