FAMILIES AND ART AND BIG CRAZY EMOTIONS!

how do we start?

1. Kids and parents go over the site together.

2. Look at the possible Art Projects.

3.Some projects are for expressing emotions.

Some projects are for figuring out our strengths and things we are grateful for.

Others help us tell our stories. These are all ways

to COPE when things are tough.

4. All the projects require imagination and creativity!

5. Art does NOT need to be "good"!

Nobody needs to be a "good artist"!

Coloring does not need to be inside the lines!

Resist the urge to instruct "how to draw"

or color!

5. Some family members may not want to share or

talk about their art. That's ok! (they will benefit anyway)

Let's take a minute to talk about what we are doing here!

WE ALL have HUGE EMOTIONS!

They're normal but they can also make us miserable!

ART can help us express how we feel, talk to each other, and COPE!

This site is designed for

feelings arising from

the Corona Virus.

It is NOT intended to deal with serious mental issues such as clinical depression, anxiety or

chronic emotional dis-regulation, opposition or abuse.

Please scroll down for referrals to appropriate services

WHY ART HELPS!

SLOW DOWN! Art forces us to slow down a bit when we're upset. (it takes a couple of minutes or longer to make a drawing)
CONTAIN! Drawing a feeling gives us a subtle message of "containment" for the feeling. (“Containment” is good! It’s the opposite of overwhelm, or chaotic feelings)
HELPS TO FIND THE WORDS! Art is a great bridge to “talking” about how you feel.
LESS “ACTING OUT” We can draw instead of using negative behavior to "show" how we feel. (ie: Jealousy: Better to draw a picture of putting your sister in a garbage can… instead of DOING it! )

HOW SHOULD we TALK ABOUT

EMOTIONS & ART?

1. Art that show feelings should always be treated with respect.

2. Ask your child or parent to describe the art and the feeling.

(Only the person who makes a drawing gets to say what it's about!)

3. There is no right or wrong! (It's ok to color outside the lines!)

4 Emotions are processed when they are recognized and named.

Show that you understand the feelings by:

*Paying attention. - give your full attention and just listen!

*Repeating back what they have told you. -

Paraphrasing makes people feel understood.

* Validating the feelings. - Validation is not the same as agreement.

You can validate that someone is angry without agreeing that they are "right".This might sound like:

"I see that you ARE SO MAD! It's hard when you don't get to eat all the cookies."

* Empathize. - Empathy is also not the same as agreement. It might sound like, "I see how hard it is when Mommy says 'no".

* Make a plan - If your child's complaint has merit, make a plan to address it once they are calm.

5. You don't need to "fix" a feeling that is being expressed. However we

do want to contain fear. Art activities for worry and fear about the pandemic also address SAFETY. Discuss that many people have similar feelings right now about COVID-19. You can also let your family know that you are being careful and that there are many people around the world working very

hard to make things better..