Tools to Help Kids Cope and Self-Regulate

Now, more than ever, adults need to be mindful of anything they can do that will help kids cope and self-regulate.

As adults, we can’t always be with the kids we love to help them navigate this wild ride known as life. As we get consumed by our day-to-day routines, we lose sight of the fact that kids have had to deal with some of the most unimaginable things recently. Overall, in the last two decades, kids and young adults have had to cope with things like terrorist attacks, school shootings, police brutality, racism, rioting, changes in home dynamics, and so much more. And, let’s not forget, a global pandemic that disrupted every single routine in their young lives.

THIS is a lot for anyone to manage. Especially kids.

As much as we’d like to put them in a bubble and protect them from all the hurt and madness, we can’t. But we can arm them with tools that will help them cope and find peace when life feels chaotic.

Within the pages of the new release Kayla: A Modern-Day Princess —Tough As Tulle, young Kayla shares examples of over 70 simple ways that readers can find comfort and calm. Young and feisty Kayla not only treats readers to not an entertaining tale but also models various ways for youngsters to cope and find inner peace.        Through beautiful images and thoughtful text, young Kayla uses activities like sitting on the step and enjoying a cool drink, writing a letter to a loved one, and taking time to sit with her feelings to calm her fears and concerns.

Kayla: A Modern-Day Princess —Tough As Tulle is available in Paperback and eBook.

Calming and Cool Coping Skills taken from the pages of Kayla: A Modern-Day Princess –Tough As Tulle:

1. Spend time dreaming.
2. Document your journey by writing it down in a journal or notebook.
3. Know you are special.
4. Repeat to yourself that you are special.
5. Dress your best in a way that makes you feel good.
6. Keep your favorite things close.
7. Make new friends.
8. Talk to your friends.
9. Listen to your friends.
10. Spend time helping your friends.
11. Spend time alone.
12. Know that you are perfectly made. Whatever seems different is what makes you, you! It’s what makes you special.
13. Know, believe, and repeat that you are beautiful. You are a gift to the world. Say this out loud.
14. Make a list of affirmations just for you and say them out loud every day. This will help you remember them and automatically bring them to mind when you are having a tough time.
15. Make a list of things you love to do all by yourself.
16. Do some of those things regularly.
17. Keep adding to this list.
18. Crack yourself up. Make yourself laugh.
19. Pretend to be whatever it is you want to be. A fashion designer, doctor, teacher, writer, plumber, gardener, whatever it is- go through a day acting like that is what you are now.
20. Use your imagination every day.
21. Read every day.
22. Limit the amount of time you were on screens (a TV, tablet, phone, or computer).
23. Have a plan.
24. Set goals- long and short.
25. Talk to yourself.
26. Believe in miracles.
27. Keep a journal.
28. Think about the lessons you learn and why you want to remember them.
29. Write about your day.
30. Write stories.
31. Write letters.
32. Write to people you miss. Even people who are not here on Earth anymore.
33. Be curious.
34. Ask questions.
35. Figure out solutions to problems.
36. Appreciate beauty.
37. Spend time in nature.
38. Appreciate differences.
39. When you notice something different about someone, tell them you love that about them.
40. Go out of your way to be kind to others.
41. Give people compliments.
42. Tell people what they are doing in school.
43. Stop and smell the flowers.
44. Plant something.
45. Watch it grow.
46. Sit quietly.
47. Be thoughtful.
48. Wait for answers.
49. Play sports.
50. Get moving.
51. Run.
52. Play.
53. Try new things.
54. Join new groups.
55. Do new things with people who do not look like you.
56. Make up your mind to have fun.
57. Believe in yourself.
58. Be yourself, even when it’s scary.
59. Sit in the sun.
60. Drink a big cup of cool water.
61. Think.
62. Think of things to be grateful for.
63. Listen to the voices of reason in your head.
64. Be a ripple of change.
65. Believe what you know in your heart makes sense.
66. Cheer your friends on.
67. Know that you are here for a reason.
68. Know that you will become exactly who you are supposed to be. Know that this person will be beautiful.
69. Love the skin that you are in.
70. Learn to appreciate change.
71. Learn to embrace change.

Often, our children mirror our actions, and if our days are filled with fear and angst, theirs will be too. Helping kids find peace, hope, and calm can be as complex as working with therapists like me, or as simple as putting a book like Kayla: A Modern-Day Princess—Tough As Tulle into their hands. But don’t hesitate to seek help individually or as a family if your child continues to struggle and feel hopeless.

If your children are in school, ask the principal or counselor for help locating a therapist. You can also ask a friend, neighbor, doctor, or pastor in your church. To me, the scariest thing right now is being alone. There is no reason why anyone in the world has to feel alone, and kids are no exception. If you see your child struggling, reach out and find help, have honest conversations with them, and fill their bookshelf with positive and uplifting books.

And do not stop until you do.

Kayla: A Modern-Day Princess Series Book One is HERE!

Kayla: A Modern-Day Princess: is a heartwarming story about family, role models, dreams, and discovering a determination for growth. This five-part diverse picture book series shines the spotlight on a little brown girl who loves musical theatre and never lets anything get in the way of her dreams. It seems that everyone else has an idea for who she should be, but in the end, she discovers that she is the one who gets to decide.

Grab your copy of Kayla: A Modern-Day Princess (Book One) in the Make A Way Media Bookstore or on Amazon in paperback form or for Kindle.

GO HERE to order your copy of Kayla: A Modern-Day Princess: Dishes, Dancing, and Dreams (Book Two in the Kayla: Modern-Day Princess series).  

Available on Amazon and Kindle.

Kayla: A Modern-Day Princess: Tough as Tulle is available! Order your copy HERE.

Kayla: A Modern-Day Princess: These Shoes Are Made For Dancing will be available on August 1, 2021!

Kayla: A Modern-Day Princess: A Little Magic will be available in October of 2021!  

All Kayla: A Modern-Day Princess books are FREE on Kindle Unlimited! Download today!