Stress can be both positive – preparing for school graduation, or negative – dealing with the death of a loved one. Stress is a condition that is often characterized by symptoms of physical or emotional tension such as irritability, loss of appetite, sleep difficulties or crying. It is a reaction to a situation where a person feels threatened or anxious. For children, simply the loss of the regular routine of the school year can be stressful, even if the days are filled with fun activities such as camps or vacations. Similar coping tips apply to families whether they are helping a child work through positive stress or something more traumatic.

May is Mental Health Month, which according to Mental Health America “began in 1949 to raise awareness of mental health conditions and mental wellness for all.”
It’s natural for children to worry, especially when scary or stressful events happen in their lives. Talking with children about these stressful events when they happen, and monitoring what children watch or hear about the events, can help put frightening information into a more balanced context. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers parents these suggestions to help children through their questions:

耀 Reach out and talk. Create opportunities to have your children talk, but do not force them. Tell your children you are there to listen to their thoughts and feelings. It is important for children to feel like they can share their feelings and to know that their fears and worries are understandable.

耀 Express yourself. Your children may be feeling different emotions at different times. Sadness. Anger. Fear. Confusion. These feelings are normal reactions to stressful events. Encourage your children to appropriately express how he or she feels. Acknowledge that you may have these feelings too, and model good coping for your children.

耀 Watch and listen. Be alert for any change in behavior. Are children sleeping more or less? Are they withdrawing from friends or family? Are they behaving in any way out of the ordinary? Any changes in behavior, even small changes, may be a red flag that the child is having trouble coming to terms with the event.

耀 Reassure. Stressful events can challenge a child’s sense of physical and emotional safety and security. Take opportunities to reassure your child about his or her safety and well-being and discuss ways that you, the school, and the community are taking steps to keep them safe.

耀 Share information with other parents. Get to know your children’s friends and their parents. Make an on-going effort to check in and talk to other parents about any issues or stress. You don’t have to deal with problems alone-it is often helpful for parents, schools, and health professionals to work together in providing support to and in ensuring the well-being of children in stressful times.

耀 Stay Connected. After a stressful event, it is easy to pull away from those close to you. Make sure that you are setting aside time to spend time with those who are important to you. Consider planning fun activities with your child to facilitate staying connected.

耀 Keep it going. Ask your children how they feel about the event in a week, then in a month and so on. Each child has his or her own way of coping under stressful situations. The best thing you can do as a parent is to listen to your children and allow them to express their concerns and fears.

This article was adapted from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Division of Violence Prevention

The Newton Parents Advisory Council for Special Education (NewtonPAC) is thrilled to announce our Third Annual NewtonPAC Special Educator Awards!

The awards ceremony will be held on Tuesday, June 5th at 7pm at Newton North, Lasker Theatre, 457 Walnut St and will be followed by a casual reception.

Once again, we will be honoring a few of the many members of NPS staff who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to have truly made a difference in the lives of our children. Do you have someone you’d like to recognize? Send your nominations PACawards2012@gmail.com by May 15th.

Please read the following important information regarding nominations! All nominations must be received by May 15th.

Nominations MUST include:

1) Your name (will not be made public – nominator’s names are known only to award recipients).
2) Nominee’s home school and e-mail address. If s/he is a district-wide employee, please designate as such and note which school your child attends.
3) A SHORT paragraph on why you believe s/he should be recognized (please help by keeping it short!) .

Please note that the awards are for the CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR ONLY. All nominees will be recognized.

Nominees can be any member of NPS staff. They do NOT have to be special education dedicated if they made a difference to a child receiving special education services. There is no official limit to the number of staff members nominated per family, but please use your discretion. The awards are meant to recognize truly outstanding efforts.

Send your nominations directly to Eileen at PACawards2012@gmail.com by May 15th.

If you are interested in helping with refreshments, set-up or clean-up for the awards ceremony, please write to PACawards2012@gmail.com to volunteer.

If you have any questions, please contact Eileen Sandberg, Awards Ceremony Coordinator, at PACawards2012@gmail.com