We carry so much every day, between health concerns, economic insecurities, and radical shifts in the way we interact with each other in our daily lives. The thought of trying to process any more events may feel overwhelming. As with any conversation you have with your mentee, we encourage you to follow their lead. The best practice in situations like these is to hold space for children to talk about both what they know, and their feelings around it all.
Because our mentees may talk about current events home and in school, they may be top of mind for many and something they readily bring up to you. For others, they may choose to use their time with you as an opportunity to not talk about things like this that may feel heavy. We encourage you to view any discussion you might have with your mentee as opportunities to use them as teachable moments on how to cope with anxiety and stress. With this in mind, we want to share some resources for you to use as you see fit:
- Talking to Your Kids About Chaos
- When Bad Things Are Happening
- Coping With Stress
- Self-Care In Uncertain Times
We want to remind you that Seedling is here to help facilitate conversations about any issues affecting our community, in age-appropriate and developmentally-appropriate manners. If you feel overwhelmed or unsure of how to support your mentee, please reach out to your Mentor Director.