Tip 143: August 2020 – Managing Stress

Website Educational Tips for Cognitive Development

Managing Stress: There is no magic formula. Different responsibilities can put pressure on both adults and children, but nothing is permanent. If people are truly unhappy, they have the power to change the situation.

The Negative Thinker: Dr. Norman Vincent Peale says in his book, Power of The Plus Factor that there are two basic types of thinking.


One is negative thinking; the other is positive thinking. He believed in the law of attraction. “Birds of a feather flock together.” He said, “If we send out negative thoughts into the world around us, into our personal world, into our business world, we tend to draw back negative results. Thoughts spoken, or even unspoken, possess strong vibratory power. Negative thinking, negative attitudes, negative mental pictures are bound to result in negative outcomes.”

The Positive Thinker
: Dr. Peale goes on to say, “The Positive Thinker is an optimistic,
faith-motivated person who habitually projects positive images and
attitudes – every day sending creative and positive thoughts into the
world. So if you really want to succeed, or having become successful want
to move further on, it is crucially important to change radically from
destructive negative thinking to creative positive thinking.”

Infants:
Dancing

Children and adults need to exercise everyday. Studies have shown that
people who exercise on a regular basis live longer healthier and happier
(less depression) lives. A good way for infants and adults to exercise
together is by dancing together. This can easily be done by the adult
holding the infant in their arms and dancing to the music.

Toddlers:
Thankfulness

Children and adults should participate in a spontaneous, brief-resting
period, routinely performed in the same way everyday. Learning to relax at
will helps to develop inner awareness. Start by saying, “We are going to
look for our own quiet. Close your eyes, and put away all of the sounds
that you hear. Now think of all the things you are thankful for.” (Examples
– family (mother, father, brother, sister, grandparents), favorite foods,
names of friends) Start with only a couple.

Preschoolers:
Color Meditation

We are going on a color walk. Close your eyes

- Pretend you are standing inside in a black velvet cape. Feel how
warm and soft it feels.

- You go outside to take a walk. As you go out your black cape turns to a
dark purple

velvet kings/queens robe.

- Take off your shoes, and walk on the cool green grass. It’s just
been cut and smells

great, and feels so good between your toes.

- As you walk, the grass starts to turn to silky brown sand. It
warms your whole body.

- You look at the blue water and at the waves as they break gently
onto the sand.

- The setting sun turns bright red to orange, and then pink as it disappears on the horizon.

- The beautiful full white moon is shinning down on you. It is so
quiet and peaceful. Let

all your worries float into the night sky and disappear.

Grant me the ability to change the things that are in my control, and
to let

go of the things I can’t change, and the wisdom to know the difference.