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🎲 New Empathy game, bereaved students, Elmo, and more

Your ultimate source for captivating Mylemarks resources and the latest updates in kids' mental health and social-emotional wellness!

On May 7th, we celebrate National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day 🌟, a chance to spotlight the crucial role of mental health in our children's lives. It's a day to appreciate all that you do to foster healthy development in the young ones you support 🙌. Thanks for your tireless efforts!

🗺️ The Roadmap

In this newsletter, you’ll find:

  • 🚦 First stop (are schools equipped to help grieving students?)

  • 💡 Resource spotlight (a NEW Mylemarks game all about empathy)

  • 🤔 In the know (Netflix is painful, Elmo hums, and more)

  • 📊 Results are in (Poll results from the last edition)

  • ✍🏽 U(r)-Turn (Let’s hear from you!)

🚦 First Stop

The Struggle for Support in School After Loss

When Alexa Brown-Hill, a junior at Bard High School Early College in Newark, lost her mom, school became a whole different ballgame. In her article, Alexa Brown-Hill candidly shares her struggles with grief during high school after losing both parents. As a freshman, she mourned not only their deaths but also missed key teenage experiences like her sweet 16 and prom. This profound loss impacted her academic performance, and she discusses the typically indifferent or unhelpful reactions from others to her grief.

She advocates for schools to implement targeted support and grief education to better assist students dealing with loss. New Jersey is stepping up, setting a precedent with mandated grief support in schools, aiming to create a more nurturing environment that recognizes the profound impact of bereavement on young learners. Learn more about her advocacy and the proposed educational changes on Chalkbeat.

Also, check out this article on how a new program called Lumaria uses Minecraft to help kids deal with grief.

Based on your experience, how well do schools currently support grieving students?

Leave a comment on what could be done to improve.

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

✨ What are ideas of grief resources you would like to see? Let us know here!

💡 Resource Spotlight

The Care Cube: Empathy in a Box!

The Care Cube is a game crafted to help children learn empathy and compassion through play. This download features a foldable cube and 40 Scenario cards designed to engage children in thoughtful discussions about empathy and perspective-taking. 8 blank Scenario cards are included for customization and personalization.

Here’s how it works:

Players pick a Scenario card and roll the Care Cube to reveal how they should respond to the scenario.

Individual Sessions:

The client uses the result of the Care Cube to indicate how they would respond to the scenario. After reflecting and processing, the client takes another turn.

Group Sessions:

Option 1: When a Scenario card is drawn, all players take turns rolling the cube and sharing their responses to the same scenario one by one, fostering a discussion from multiple perspectives.

Option 2: Each player takes a turn drawing a new Scenario card, rolling the cube, and sharing their response.

If you like this, you may LOVE:

Did You Miss Our Latest Release?

"My Success Story" is a worksheet that gets your clients to dive into a moment they're proud of, sketch it out, and then unpack the journey it took to get there - including, what steps they took and the skills they picked up along the way.

🤔In the Know

📺 How Netflix's Content Impacts Teen Mental Health

Netflix's original content is under scrutiny again, with a new study revealing that its portrayal of teenage pain could be doing more harm than good. Researchers analyzed 50 shows, finding that each hour of content averaged 10 instances of pain, including scenes of self-harm or suicide in 93% of the shows, often glamorized or used for shock value. With media being a powerful influence on young minds, this trend raises concerns about the impact on teen mental health. Read more here.

💖 Sesame Street's Bold Mental Health Push

After Elmo's viral social media check-in struck a chord, Sesame Workshop has ramped up its commitment to children's mental health and recently launched the "Love, Your Mind" campaign. The campaign introduces simple, child-friendly techniques to manage big emotions, like humming, which can provide a calming experience and help regulate feelings. Read more about it on Upworthy, and check out the humming video below!

Next time your young clients feel upset or worried, ask them what song they like to hum to help them feel better!

🌿 The Power of Greenery on Childhood Emotional Health

Research reveals intriguing benefits of green environments on young children’s emotional health. The study observed over 2,100 children and found that those living near more green spaces showed less emotional distress during early childhood, particularly between ages 2 to 5. This protective effect seemed to decrease as children grew older, emphasizing the importance of natural settings during the formative years. For urban planners and parents alike, this suggests a valuable strategy: enhance greenery to potentially improve childhood well-being. Dive into the full details of the study here.

🏡 Latest Bluey Episode Moves Parents

Screenshot from Disney+

The latest "Bluey" episode, "The Sign," touches hearts as it explores family and home. Bandit, contemplating a job in another city, grapples with the emotional decision of moving his family from their beloved home. This narrative strikes a chord with parents, highlighting the deep emotional connections and memories that shape family life. This episode can be a tool for children and families going through similar transitions. Explore the full story and reactions on Yahoo.

✨ Check out our resources focused on helping kids struggling with transitions (Cool with Change, Moving Away, Coping with Change: Family Moving Away, and Coping with Change: My Parent’s Going Away)

What are some other transitions that we should cover? Let us know!

🤖 Digital BFFs: How AI Chatbots are Becoming Teen Favorites

Today’s teens are texting their way to friendship with an unlikely ally: AI chatbots. These digital pals are programmed to chat, joke, and even lend a sympathetic ear when school gets too much. But it's not all emojis and LOLs—experts are watching closely to see how these artificial friendships might affect teen development. Will these AI companions revolutionize teenage bonding, or is it a digital faux pas? Check out the full story here!

📊 Results Are In

Our previous First Stop poll explored Florida's recent law banning social media for children under 14. We asked you all (y’all? 🤠), what are your thoughts on social media regulation for kids? Over 1,000 of you voted 🤯. See the results and a few responses below!

“Children do not have the developmental skills needed to navigate and stay safe on social media as it currently exists. The negative influences far outweigh the benefits, which can be found through other avenues.”

“As a child psychologist, I see firsthand the damage done by unrestricted social media for younger kids. The current mental health epidemic in America corresponds to the increased use of smart phones by children. I fully support restriction of social media as well as decreased usage of technology in the classroom. Both are damaging our children's brains.”

“ My fear is that social media is a vehicle for validation and community for vulnerable teens, such as LGBTQ+ teens, suicidal teens, teens in abusive situations, and teens. I understand that social media has its dangers, and so does a car but teens can get a license. The issue is that parents must be educated in the benefits and risks of social media. American Psychological Assocation has put out a science based report that social media is not inherently good or bad.”

“I'm torn between Support and Oppose. I know social media can have detrimental effects on kids (even leading up to death). I'm just not sure how many restrictions we need to impose to keep children safe.”

✍🏽 U(r)-Turn

We’d love to hear from you! What resources, topics, activities, or products would you like to see from Mylemarks? What else can we do to improve your experience with the mylemarker? Let us know here! Or if you have something nice to say about us, consider leaving a testimonial!