World Mental Health Day
October 10th is World Mental Health Day! The theme this year is “Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real Change”. This theme highlights the stories of individuals who have had firsthand experience with mental health challenges and a personal journey to recovery.
World Mental Health Day is also an opportunity to think about all the ways you care for your own mental health now and new ways you could adopt.
Here are some core routines that promote mental health:
As always, if you have questions, contact
Anatha Atthar, Kinship Navigator: anatha@familyess.org
Consistent Sleep Schedule: Go to bed and wake up at the exact same time every day to support your body’s circadian rhythm and regulate your mood.
Morning Anchor: Start your day with a simple, positive habit—such as drinking a glass of water, stretching lightly, or stepping into natural sunlight before checking your phone.
Daily Movement: Engage in at least 10 to 15 minutes of physical activity, like a brisk walk or yoga, to release feel-good brain chemicals like serotonin and dopamine.
Nourishing Meals and Hydration: Pencil in regular times for balanced meals and water breaks to prevent low blood sugar and dehydration from draining your energy and mood.
Mindfulness Breaks: Pause for two to five minutes during the day to practice deep breathing, box breathing, or a quick gratitude list to lower cortisol levels.
Digital Boundaries: Schedule specific screen-free breaks or a digital detox to lower anxiety, improve sleep quality, and avoid sensory overload.
Evening Wind-Down: Dim the lights, read a physical book, or listen to soft music to signal your nervous system that it is time to rest.
Start Small: Pick just one small habit to add or swap each week rather than overhauling your entire day at once.
Stack Habits: Attach a new habit (like 5 minutes of journaling) to an existing routine (like drinking your morning coffee).
Keep It Flexible: Build a routine that serves as a helpful framework rather than a rigid cage, allowing room for adjustments when unexpected events happen
Share your stories of success with trying new routines that boost your energy and improve your mood with other Kinship Caregivers.
Back-to-School: Creating Felt Safety Through Connection and Routine
As summer winds down, many families begin preparing for a new school year. While buying school supplies and organizing schedules are important, children in kinship care often need something even more essential—a sense of felt safety.
For children who have experienced trauma, loss, or significant life changes, the return to school can bring mixed emotions. New teachers, unfamiliar classmates, changing routines, and increased expectations may trigger anxiety or uncertainty. Behaviors such as irritability, withdrawal, defiance, or emotional outbursts are often signs that a child is feeling overwhelmed rather than intentionally misbehaving.
Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI®) reminds us that behavior is communication. When children feel connected and safe, they are better able to learn, solve problems, and manage their emotions.
Why School Transitions Can Be Challenging
The beginning of the school year brings many changes, including:
• New routines and earlier mornings
• Separation from trusted caregivers
• New teachers and classmates
• Academic and social expectations
• Sensory overload from busy classrooms and noisy hallways
• Uncertainty about what to expect
Children who have experienced adversity may ask themselves, “Am I safe?” long before they are ready to focus on learning. As caregivers, our role is to help answer that question with our words, actions, and consistent presence.
Creating Predictable Routines
Predictability helps children feel secure. Establishing simple, consistent routines before school starts can reduce anxiety and create confidence.
Consider creating routines for:
• Morning wake-up and breakfast
• Packing backpacks the night before
• After-school snack and quiet time
• Homework
• Bedtime
Visual schedules or checklists can also help children know what comes next, reducing stress and increasing independence.
Connection Before Correction
Stressful mornings can quickly become power struggles. TBRI encourages caregivers to prioritize connection before correction.
Instead of leading with commands, begin with relationship.
Try:
• A warm hug or high-five
• A special morning handshake
• A few minutes of conversation during breakfast
• Words of encouragement before leaving for school
When challenges arise, respond with curiosity rather than immediate correction.
Instead of saying:
“You’re making us late!”
Try:
“It looks like today feels really hard. How can I help you get started?”
Connection helps regulate emotions and often leads to greater cooperation.
Partnering with the School
Teachers and school staff are valuable partners in supporting your child. Consider sharing helpful information about your child’s strengths, regulation needs, and strategies that work well at home.
You might discuss:
• Calming strategies your child responds to
• Sensory supports that are helpful
• Transition difficulties
• Preferred ways to communicate with you
Approaching these conversations collaboratively helps build a team focused on your child’s success.
Practical TBRI Strategies You Can Use Today
Small, intentional moments of connection can make a big difference.
Start the day with connection.
Spend just two to five minutes giving your child your full attention before school.
Support regulation first.
A healthy breakfast, hydration, movement, and adequate sleep all contribute to emotional regulation.
Build in decompression time after school.
Many children work hard to manage expectations throughout the school day. Instead of jumping immediately into homework or chores, allow time to reset with a snack, outdoor play, drawing, music, reading, or another calming activity.
Offer empowering choices.
Giving children appropriate choices helps them feel capable and respected.
Examples include:
• “Would you like to wear the blue shirt or the green one?”
• “Would you like to do homework before or after your snack?”
• “Would you like to walk the dog or help set the table first?”
Family Activity: Create Your Back-to-School Connection Plan
As a family, take a few minutes to create a simple plan for the school year.
Our Daily Connecting Ritual
What is one way we will intentionally connect each day?
________________________________________
Our Morning Regulation Strategy
What will help everyone start the day feeling calm and prepared?
________________________________________
Our After-School Decompression Activity
How will we help everyone recharge before moving into homework or evening routines?
________________________________________
Our Empowering Choice
What is one daily choice we can offer to encourage cooperation and build confidence?
________________________________________
Remember…
A successful school year is about more than grades. It is about helping children feel safe, connected, and supported as they grow.
By creating predictable routines, responding with connection during stressful moments, and partnering with schools, caregivers can help children build resilience and confidence—one day, one routine, and one relationship at a time.
“Connection is the bridge that helps children move from surviving to thriving.”
If you have questions, please contact:
Penny Michel, Kinship Navigator:
pennym@familyess.org
