Getting kids back to school: Inside out

In our article Meet Your Inner Family, we introduced the new Harvard Health book: Organize your Emotions, Optimize Your Life, which can be described as an adult version of the Pixar movie Inside Out. We propose that the human psyche has nine life forces speaking as our inner “voices.” This framework can help optimize many situations and challenges in life, from the routine (like back to school) to the more complex. Here’s what a child’s nine inner family members might say about going back to school, and how parents might coach them into more harmony and thriving: Autonomy:   Boy, have I had fun. I feel free in the summer. Doing whatever I feel like. Even Mom and Dad are more relaxed. This is all going to end when I go back to school. Yuck! Mom/Dad:  It’s hard for your Autonomy to give up the freedom of the summer. I feel your pain. What are some ways for you to have autonomy when you are back at school? Adventurer: Summer is such an amazing time for adventures. School is so boring… Mom/Dad:  I’m going to miss summer adventures too. How about asking your Adventurer to come up with an idea for a new family adventure once a week/month? I would love to hear your ideas! Creative:   Summer is SOOOOO fun. We get to play games and be creative. Why don’t teachers make school more fun. I would wake up on time and not complain about getting ready. Mom/Dad:  I hear you – creative activities don’t get enough attention at school. Let’s ask your Creative abou...
Source: New Harvard Health Information - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Behavioral Health Mental Health Parenting Source Type: news