Breathe, Feel, Share

USING THIS VIDEO 

First, watch the video yourself to decide whether to share it with children (they may find it upsetting if they can personally relate to the story). In it, Wes has been teased about the food he’s brought for lunch.  

In this video, Elijah supports Wes and Abby by guiding them through three steps (breathe, feel, share) that can help all children handle conflicts and build resilience: 

• Breathe: Breathe to calm down. Take three, deep belly breaths! Notice if this changes the way your body feels. 

• Feel: Notice your feelings. Where in your body do you feel them? (Your chest may feel tight or heavy, your heart may beat faster, your skin may feel hot, or your head may feel light.) Give them words (such as sad, frustrated, or angry). Then say how you feel and why. When explaining why someone’s actions were hurtful, you might use words like unkind and not okay. 
• Share: Tell a grown-up what happened. You don’t have to handle this problem alone, and the grown-ups in charge need to know about the problem so they can help make sure it doesn’t happen again. They can also help you with your big feelings.