Here is a summary about the skills that were taught to your child this week. Ask your child about the skills they have learned!
On this page, find fun activities you can do with your child at home! These activities will help boost their learning and let you practice these new skills together!
NAME THE EMOTION
Name the Emotion skill helps us to identify the emotions we are feeling, then choose to react in a positive way.
Everyone experiences emotion, it is normal! When we are feeling stress, it can feel like our brain has been taken over. We can’t think straight, and the emotion can be overwhelming. This can lead us to respond in a way that is not positive.
Next time you feel and emotion, name it first and then decide what to do with it before acting on it.
Every emotion carries an urge to act!
OPPOSITE ACTION
Opposite Action skill encourages us to do the opposite to our emotional urge to react.
When we feel the “Fizz”, we have powerful physical sensations in our bodies that make us feel an urge to act. Emotion can cause us to respond without thinking. Those actions often have negative results and then the feelings will come back another time. We need to do things differently to get a better result.
| Emotion | Old Reaction (Urge) | New Reaction (Opposite) |
|---|---|---|
| Sadness | Withdraw | Do something. Go out. Be with others. |
| Anger | Attack | Gently avoid. Be kind. |
| Fear | Run away | Assess the situation. Approach. |
| Shame | Hide | Be open. |
FACT or OPINION
The Fact or Opinion skill helps us to think differently and change our emotional response.
When we feel stressed, we can have strong opinions and emotions. Our strong emotions reinforce our opinions. Our opinions then increase our emotions, which can lead to a strong reaction. This powerful reaction can cause us to have negative results. Opinions can lead to emotion and emotion can lead to opinions. If we are having a strong emotional response to a situation, it can be helpful to ask ourselves “Is this a FACT or an OPINION?”
What is a Fact?
- Evidence-based (evidence supports the truth).
- Facts can be proven.
- No arguments (can’t really argue it).
- Driven by rational thought (head).
- Would stand up in a court of law.
What is an Opinion?
- Based on personal beliefs or judgement.
- It can be argued or debated.
- Driven by emotion (heart).
- Can express how someone thinks/feels.
- It can change.
If it is a FACT: We can make choices about what we can or cannot do.
If it is an OPINION: We can recognize that our opinion is based on emotion. We can remove the emotion (opinion) and look at the facts. This is what we do know about the situation.
If we ask ourselves “is that fact or opinion” – we can remove most of the emotion (opinions) and go back to the facts. This can help us to be less stressed, more in control, and able to make better decisions.
When you find yourself getting emotional or feeling “THE FIZZ”, remember to ask yourself, am I reacting to a FACT or an OPINION?
Activities to Try at Home
- Emotional Charades: School Mental Health Ontario
- This activity can help your child learn to identify, understand, and express feelings.
- Opposite Action Video: The Decider
- Watch the video from the Decider webpage to learn more about the skill.
- Fact or Opinion Activity:
- Find something around your house to use to do this activity. Pick a chair, a book, or a toy. Think of ways to describe the object. Then talk about if the words used are facts or opinions. Talk to your child about how it's helpful to look at what is a fact or an opinion when they are feeling their emotions or in a hard situation.