Core components of Second Step and what parents/guardians can do to help…

Empathy

Empathy is identifying and understanding others’ feelings in order to be a more caring person.  Help your child to build the following empathy skills: listening, recognizing and acknowledging others’ feelings and using “I feel” messages.
  • Listen to your child’s feelings, even if you disagree with those feelings.
  • Encourage your child to talk about his/her feelings.
  • Use “I feel” messages to let a person know how his or her behavior affects you and encourage your child to do the same.
  • Help your child recognize and understand the feelings of others.

Impulse Control

Managing emotions can be challenging.  Children will benefit by learning to slow down and think through option when faced with difficult situations or problems.  Calming down from strong emotions and controlling first impulses can be hard at first.  That is why practicing at home is so important.
  • Teach your child techniques such as deep breathing, counting, thinking calm thoughts and talking to themselves to calm down.
  • Encouraged children to do something physically active, something quiet by themselves or get support from an adult when they are having strong emotions.

Problem Solving

Calming down is the first step.  Following a specific set of problem-solving steps provides a useful tool for working through social problems.  You can help your child problem solve by asking the problem solving questions below.

1.    What is the problem?
2.    What are some solutions?
3.    For each solution, ask:
  • Is it Safe?
  • How might people feel about it?
  • Is it fair?
  • Will it work?
4.   Choose a solution.

5.   Is it working? If not, what can I do now?

Anger Management

Anger and conflict are normal parts of life.  Anger is not a bad emotion, but what a person does when angry can be a problem.  Your children will learn anger management steps.  Help your child understand the anger management steps.

        1.    How does my body feel?
        2.    Calm down:
            a.    Take deep breaths
            b.    Count Slowly
            c.    Think calming thoughts
            d.    Talk to yourself (tell yourself to calm down)
        3.    Think out loud to solve the problem (use problem-solving steps)
        4.    Think about it later