Tag: mental health skill building

Trix Are For Kids! But phearnik!® is Not (just for kids)

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Adults and Irrational Fears

Previously, I wrote about phearnik!® and how to use it with kids. In addition, the little plush also helps adults overcome irrational fears and anxiety.

In the US, nearly 20% of adults deal with irrational fears and anxiety. Treatment often involves exposure therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) which helps individuals gradually confront their fears and learn coping mechanisms. These include relaxation techniques, exercise, support from friends or professionals and practicing mindfulness. [Google AI]

Shows a black and white illustration of a young girl looking stressed
Icon by Soni Sokell

The  phearnik!® plush provides a way to practice mindfulness. Also, I didn’t make it for kids. I made it for an adult…me!

Fear Of The Blank Canvas

A picture of a man with a fear of the blank canvas. He is sitting in front of a canvas on an easel scratching his head like he doesn't know what he's going to paint. The picture resembles a Norman Rockwell painting of himself in front of his canvas scratching his head.
Collage illustration from the “Phoebe and phearnik! Fight BIG Fears” picture book

As an artist, I often dealt with a “fear of the blank canvas.” It’s like the “fear of the blank page” or “writers’ block” that some writers experience.

While it’s impossible to know the exact number of writers in the US who experience writer’s block or fear of the blank page, it’s a common experience, even for those considered successful. 

The same is true for artists. It’s impossible to put an exact number on how many artists in the US experience “blank canvas syndrome.” Still, it is recognized as a common experience among artists from newbies to seasoned professionals.

Overcoming Fear of the Blank Canvas

For years, I studied what I could do about my irrational fears and anxiety of the blank canvas. I read books like Art and Fear, Affirmations for Artists, and The Artist’s Way. But none of these helped me break through my debilitating fears until I read Elizabeth Gilbert’s “Big Magic: Creative living beyond fear.” 

Gilbert’s “… Road Trip”

In the book, Gilbert offers a new way for artists to confront their fears. Instead of trying to ignore it or get over it or get rid of it, she suggests we accept and acknowledge fear. In a vignette titled, “The Road Trip,” Gilbert uses the metaphor of taking a road trip as a lesson in acknowledging fear.

A picture of a man driving a car with a girl holding her doll in the backseat with a phearnik! strapped in beside her. The phearnik represents fear sitting in the back seat as explained in "The Road Trip" by Elizabeth Gilbert.

On the trip, you bring fear along, but it must sit in the backseat. And it doesn’t get to control anything. It doesn’t get to drive, and it definitely doesn’t get to control the radio.

This idea of acknowledging fear but not letting it take control was, for me, revolutionary. I immediately embraced this new way to deal with my irrational fears. I liked the idea of  embracing fear. It makes sense because it’s always there. But it needs restraint. It needs to be kept  in its place, restricted, tamped down.

The Birth of phearnik!® 

An illustration from the "Phoebe and phearnik!® Fight BIG Fears"children’s book that helps kids overcome their fears.

I wanted something to represent this fear in “the back seat,” an actual “thing.” This “thing” would remind me to practice the skill of keeping fear “small” or in its place. It is how and why I created phearnik!®  –  my “little fear.” And it works.

phearnik!®  Works

My phearnik!® helped me with, not only my fear of the blank canvas, but as a way to practice mindfulness to overcome fear in other areas of my life. It has helped me do what I have needed to do to bring this concept to others. I believe artists and others who struggle to overcome their irrational fears would benefit from a reminder to keep their fear under control. I believe this could help them live more fearlessly while experiencing new things and adventures.

Get the Free “5 Steps to Help Anxious Kids Build Courage”
Sign up to be the first to find out when the “5 Easy Steps to Overcome Fear and Anxiety” for adults becomes available

How About You?

Are you an adult dealing with irrational fears? Have you struggled with letting your fears get the best of you? Maybe you’re artist or writer that has experienced fear of the blank canvas or page? Or are you someone who would like to make art but you are afraid of what people would say about it?

If this is you, do you think a phearnik!® could help you remember to keep your fear “small” and in its place? Do you think having the little plush around could help you fight your fears? Tell us what you think about it in the Comments.

Want To Know More?

If you would like to know more about phearnik, join the phearnik! Campaign.

Help bring the plush to all who could use its subtle power!

Join the phearnik! Campaign and support Kids’ mental health

If you’re inclined, give this post a “Like!” 

Share this post. You may help someone overcome their fears.

* Sources: Blank Canvas and Writers’ Block

A picture of the phearnik! the Courage Buddy plush, a small mental health plush with a lavender body, a navy blue jumpsuit and a wild head of yarn for hair. It has big black eyes and a squiggly mouth. Funny, cute and a little bit scary. The plush helped me overcome blank canvas syndrome or overcoming writer's block.

How the phearnik!® Toy Helps Kids Manage Fear

Published on by awsstudiosart9 Comments

*In my last post I announced my campaign to make phearnik!® available to kids, scared of everything, manage their fear. In this post, I aim to explain how it works. And, how, for children, their loved ones, and caregivers, life is better with the little plush.

The phearnik!® Journey

phearnik!®, a plush toy, used to prompt a mindfulness skill, helps children manage fear

Even before the pandemic, mental health issues were on the rise for children. Unfortunately, the pandemic increased the number of kids dealing with overwhelming fear and anxiety. This often points to a lack of mental health skills.

“So,” you ask, “how does a toy help kids build a skill to make them less scared of everything?” I’ll tell you!

What is this phearnik!® you are talking about?!

The phearnik!® [pronounced: fear-nick] toy or “plush” is a prompt. phearnik!® means “Little Fear” and prompts kids to remember to keep their fears “small.” Importantly, having a “little fear” when faced with non-life-threatening anxieties helps keep kids safe. A little fear helps us to pay attention. Whereas, too much or letting it “get “big” stops kids from doing what they want or need to do. This could be things like joining in and having fun with other kids.

A Prompt to Reduce Fear and Anxiety

Used in many disciplines including education, therapy, and Applied Behavioral Analysis, a prompt is a tool or aid. It works to achieve a desired behavioral response. Prompts can be verbal, gestural, physical, or visual. Also, pictures, videos, or toys such as dolls and plush are types of visual prompts.

A picture of a bulletin board with reminder notes pinned to it.
Yes, A toy as A Prompt!
The image shows a little girl who used to be scared of everything is holding her phearnik! plush. She is smiling and looks like she likes her quirky looking toy.
A little girl holding her phearnik!®

The small phearnik!® or “Little Fear” prompts children dealing with fear and anxiety to keep their fears small. They do this by calming themselves. First they take a breath, let it out, and take the first small “step” of trying a new experience. These can be things like putting a toe into the “scary” water. As well as, stepping just inside the doorway of the dark bedroom holding their stuffie, of course.

5 easy steps to use phearnik! to teach kids to be less scared of everything!

By providing a clear signal or reminder about what is expected, prompts guide the teaching of concepts or skill. This helps to increase the chances of a desired behavior. 

Some examples of Prompts you might recognize…

Teachers might use verbal prompts to guide students through a challenging math problem. Or they may use visual prompts like pictures to help with learning vocabulary. Therapists use prompts to assist clients with many activities. These include visual prompts to guide them through a sequence of steps in a task. And, in the research-based practice, Applied Behavioral Analysis, prompts help to improve problematic behavior.

Manage Fear and Anxiety with Skills

wait! this isn’t life or death!

Many do not experience overwhelming fear in the face of non-life-threatening situations. They are skilled in  transferring these thoughts.

Fearful thoughts begin in the primal limbic area of the brain. Those with the skill transfer these thoughts to the prefrontal cortex. This is where our modern, logical, and practical responses reside.

It’s as though they are saying, “Wait! My brain thinks this is a life-or-death situation but it’s not. I’m safe to give this a try.”  

Mental health made simple! A free skills checklist
Mindfulness with phearnik!®

phearnik!® prompts the practice of switching fearful thoughts from its initial primal reaction to modern and logical calm responses. This skill strengthens mental health. It is an intrapersonal communication skill, a type of mindfulness.

How to Use the phearnik!® Prompt

The phearnik!® prompt is easy to use
Here’s how:
  • Introduce phearnik!® to the child. Tell them its name, how it’s pronounced [fear-nik] and what the name means – “Little Fear.”
  • In addition, tell them to take the plush with them. It’s small to fit in a backpack or pocket. Wherever they are, when faced with a situation they’re afraid of, phearnik!® is there. Reminding them that a “little fear” is okay. It helps to keep them safe and aware.
  • Let the child know too much or letting their fear get “big” makes them freeze. This means they can’t do things they would like or need to do.
  • phearnik!® wants them to first slowly take a breath in and let it out. It’s okay to do this a few times.
  • Next phearnik!®, not only wants them to think about keeping their fear small but…
This is an image of the phearnik! plush. The plush is a prompt used to build a mindfulness skill to help kids scared of everything gain social and emotional health.
phearnik!®
  • …the plush wants them to think about not letting it get big.
  • phearnik!® reminds them they are safe to take the first step on giving a new experience a try.
  • Tell them phearnik!® is helping them learn an important skill to keep them strong and healthy.
5 Easy Steps to use phearnik! to teach kids to be less scared of everything!

From Fearful to Confident

get healthy with social and emotional skills
This image shows a little girl, who used to be scared of everything, enjoying swimming in the water with her dragon floatie. She used the phearnik! plush to remind her to keep her fear small and not let it get big.
phearnik! reminded Phoebe to practice her mindfulness skill to keep her fear of the water “small.” She had fun swimming with the other kids!

The more the toy is used, the more a child, scared of everything, practices the thinking skill. This skill builds their social and emotional health and becomes less fearful. As with all prompts, the more it’s used the less it’s needed.  The more a child takes the plush with them, the more they will remember to practice the skill. This includes taking a breath, letting it out, and calming themselves toward taking positive action with new experiences. Moreover, this can be done with or without the plush at their side.

Said one grandmother of a phearnik!® owner,

“After a while, all we had to do when she was afraid of doing something that didn’t warrant a lot of fear, like getting in the water, was to tell her to “remember” phearnik!®. And she got it! You could see her thinking about it. And, with a smile, she jumped in the pool with the rest of us!”

Support Kids’ Mental Health

The phearnik!® plush is an easy and fun way to help kids who need it. Building a social and emotional skill, the toy can be life changing.

Make skill building fun! Join the phearnik!® Campaign!

By joining the campaign, you will get:

  • Get more information about phearnik!®  like
  • How the quirky plush came to be
  • Receive campaign updates (like how it will be made available),
  • Get more info mental health skill building and
  • Support the larger mission of boosting children’s mental health!
Join the “phearnik!®” Campaign

Do you have a prompt you use to help you build a skill? Is there anything you don’t understand or are confused about with the phearnik!® plush? Let me know in the Comments or email me: alis@awsstudios.art

If you think someone you know should know about phearnik!®, feel free to share this post.

Next post: The best way to introduce kids to phearnik!® what it is and how it works!

Support Kids’ Mental Health with phearnik!®

Published on by awsstudiosart8 Comments

“My kid is scared of everything”

Parenting fearful kids is exhausting. Furthermore, it’s even more exasperating than just “plain old parenting” which is exhausting enough!  The fears I’m talking about are the non-life-threatening kind and are often about things other children have no issues with.  Importantly, you wonder, why your child is so anxious and scared of everything?

A picture of a little girl in bed in the dark looking very frightened.
From the picture book “Phoebe and phearnik! Fight BIG Fears”

Longing for Curiosity and Courage

Indeed, you would love for your child, lest I say, “To be like other kids.” I’m talking about the ones who don’t seem to be scared of everything. Life would be easier and less stressful. Moreover, it would be great if your fearful child could approach new experiences with curiosity and courage.

Developing Skills

A close up of two kids having fun playing in the surf from an illustration from the picture book.
From the picture book “Phoebe and phearnik! Fight BIG Fears”

Clearly, all kids are different and deal with unfamiliar activities in various ways. This often depends on their skills. We develop physical and mental health over time, frequently without noticing we’re developing skills.  We more easily think about what’s needed for our children’s physical health. The ethereal skills of mental health are harder to pinpoint. In addition, you may ask, what exactly are those skills?

Assessing Skills

To help parents, caregivers, teachers and others assess a child’s mental health, I have put together an introductory skill checklist. The list begins with the basic skills of social and emotional health. Also, the list includes life skills and others for specific emotional needs.

Mental health made simple – A free skills checklist

Importantly, basic mental health begins with communication skills, both interpersonal and intrapersonal. Helping kids to be less ‘scared of everything’ begins with building their  intrapersonal communication skills.

Less Scared of Everything with phearnik!®

Meet phearnik!® –  a toy that helps kids build an essential intrapersonal communication skill!

Who  wouldn’t want a toy that relieves their kid’s fears and be less scared of everything? Well…  phearnik!® is that toy! When faced with non-life-threatening fears, the small quirky plush prompts children to practice mindfulness, an intrapersonal communication skill.

phearnik!® (pronounced: fear-nik) means “Little Fear.” It helps kids to mindfully keep their fears “small” and not let them get “big.” Having a little fear helps keep kids safe. But too much or letting it get “big” stops them from doing what they want or need to do.

“Too little fear and you don’t pay enough attention; too much and you freeze.”

Anthony Doerr, Cloud Cuckoo Land

Support Kids’ Mental Health

This post marks the beginning of my phearnik!® campaign. My goal is to make the cute little plush available to any kid who needs it. I want to bring its subtle powers to  help these kids be less scared of everything.

More about phearnik! here

Over the next few months, I will be talking about phearnik!®:

  • what it is;
  • what it does,
  • how it helps boost mental health and
  • how I am trying to bring it to kids who need it.

Then in October, I plan to launch my 30-day fund-raising campaign to help manufacture, package and ship phearnik!® and its accompanying picture book to kids who need it.

A picture of the phearnik! plush prototype. A small rag doll with a lavender body, a navy-blue jumpsuit, googlie eyes, a crooked mouth and wild hair kids love.
phearnik! prototype

Help Boost Children’s Mental Health –

Join the “phearnik!®” Campaign
  • Get more information about how phearnik!®  works,
    • Find out how the quirky little plush came to be,
      • Get campaign updates (like how phearnik!® will be made available),
          • Get more mental health skill building info and
            • Support the larger mission of boosting children’s mental health skill building!
    Sign up here – Boost Kids Mental Health Skills Today!

    Next blog post – details about how phearnik!® works. Sign up to stay tuned!

    Grand Opening! The New aws Studios Art Shop

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    “Art and health. No. Brainer.”

    Wendy MacNaughton, Illustrator and Creator of the popular kids show “Draw Together”

    aws Studios Art Shop

    While at the 2024 Licensing Expo in Las Vegas last month to pitch my mental health skill-building toy, I also met with artShine, a home decor licensee. It was one of the best meetings I had that week and artShine motivated me to start my licensing journey by selling my art online. I have been sharing my mental health curricula online, but this was the first time I thought about doing the same with my art in my new aws Studios Art Shop.

    Drum roll…

    This week is the Grand Opening of my aws Studios Art Shop on Etsy! Offering prints and original art products, the Studios’ shop is currently showcasing originals of “The Whimsicals.” These simple blank cards delight with fun and kooky characters using illustration drawn with pencil and painted with watercolor. Both kids and adults will relate to “The Whimsicals” simple, yet relatable all-occasion cards.

    Slow but Sure

    My plan is to roll out inventory slowly, mainly as it becomes available. In the days and weeks ahead, I will be adding more of my illustrated cards. This fall, I will launch an exciting line of products specially made for the season. Think “apples.” Hint, hint! I’m excited to show you!

    Check it Out and Let Me Know What You Think

    I hope you check out my new aws Studios Art Shop. While there, treat yourself or your friends to one (or more) of “The Whimsicals.” Everyone deserves a little fun and whimsy. Don’t delay, do it today!

    After taking a look around – at my current little shop – let me know what you think in the Comments below. Thanks for reading!

    Managing Fear with Mindfulness is Not Just Sitting and Meditating

    Published on by awsstudiosart1 Comment

    Managing Fear with Mindfullness

    With a Mental Health Skill Building Toy

    I’m trying to get a toy that helps with managing fear with mindfulness licensed. The toy, or plush – a small stuffed doll – helps kids strengthen mindfulness, a social and emotional skill kids and adults need to be healthy.

    This image shows the head and face of the plush toy I am promoting that helps fearful kids and adults better manage their fear and anxiety.
    Face of my mindfulness plush

    Don’t Let Your Fear Get Big

    The doll/plush, designed for kids to take with them where they might experience fear, is a prompt. It reminds its owner that it’s okay to have a little fear – it helps to keep them safe. As well as that the plush reminds kids to not let their fear get big or out of control. Uncontrolled fear holds kids back from doing what they want or need to do.

    This image shows a Barbie doll sitting in a yoga or meditation position. It shows the type of mindfulness toys that are on the market today.
    Meditating Barbie

    Mindfulness vs meditation

    Recently, I asked a colleague in the toy industry to review the “sell sheet” I created. Sell sheets are a one page explanation of a product to potential licensees. After receiving their feedback, I realized, the reviewer did not understand mindfulness. I don’t think they’re alone.

    I believe it’s safe to say that most people think mindfulness is the same as meditation. They envision it as sitting on the floor and and quietly calming the mind. Furthermore, while mindfulness can take place while meditating, it is not the only way one can experience this skill. I like this definition from Berkeley.edu (paraphrased below):

    Mindfulness is the practice of being aware of your thoughts, feelings, and reactions in the present moment. Moreover, it involves being fully present and engaged with what you are doing. It includes intention, cultivating awareness, and attention – a focus on the present moment, sensations, and thoughts and can be practiced during everyday activities.

    Practiced During Everyday Activities

    Henceforth – the “practiced during everyday activities” – the not sitting and meditating is the idea behind my plush. The doll is small and can be carried in a backpack or a pocket and is there to remind a kid (or even an adult) to keep their fear small and not let it take control of what they (the kid/adult) might like to do, take a breath and give the slightly scary task a try.

    This image shows a little girl with the mindfulness skill building plush in her backpack. It shows how the plush can be taken anywhere where a child might experience fear.

    And It Works

    I should know. Indeed, I made the plush initially for myself to remind me to keep my fears in check. These fears included working with the toy industry. In addition, another way to think of it is to keep them “small.” Also, this includes taking a breath, letting it out, and giving whatever I was initially afraid of a try. And here I am. Subsequently, I am networking with people in the toy industry (who would have ever thought!). In addition, I am learning the ropes. I am putting myself out there – raw and vulnerable – my “mindful reminding” plush by my side.

    Hopefully, this post will help explain and define “mindfulness” a little more. I hope it will help explain my mindfulness plush toy and how it works to boost social and emotional learning.

    What About You?

    Do you practice mindfulness and do you even call it that? Do you practice it on the go or by quietly meditating or both? Have ever used anything to remind you to be mindful of something? If so, what did you use?

    More about mindfulness and the brain here and here.

    Mental, Emotional, and Social Health with Toys? Yes, with MESH!

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    MESH + Toy Industry + aws Studios

    While perusing an issue of “The Toy Book,” a toy industry trade magazine, I came across a mention by Editor in Chief James Zahn in his editorial about “MESH,” a new acronym for “mental, emotional, and social health.” For me, this was a ‘needle in the haystack’ discovery. To find a link from the toy industry to me — a mental health educator, picture book author/illustrator, and toy designer — was a jump for joy moment.

    Where did this MESH acronym come from?

    I needed more info. After a little searching, I found a podcast about “MESH” by The Toy Coach, Azhelle Wade. In this podcast, Azhelle interviews Rachele Harmuth of ThinkFun and co-originator of the MESH acronym. In short, seeing how mental health issues were increasing worldwide in children and teens, Harmuth, with years of experience in the toy industry, wanted to know if there was a way to help families — kids and parents — build their resiliency to mental illness with play and toys.

    Combining Mental Health Education and Social Emotional Learning (SEL)

    Harmuth then partnered with resiliency expert Dr. Deborah Gilboa and the two came up with the MESH term combining both the fields of mental health and social emotional learning. Genius! And it’s about time. For the past few decades, the fields of mental health education and social emotional learning (SEL) operated separately and siloed. Harmuth and Gilboa have combined the two fields — the skills of mental health and the “Pillars” of SEL— into the following eight skills:

    • Problem solving
    • Perseverance
    • Adaptation
    • Conflict resolution
    • Self-regulation
    • Self-advocacy
    • Cognitive skills
    • Communication strategies

    Then they identified four areas where toys and games can build these skills:

    • A focus on problem solving and perseverance
    • Encouraging storytelling
    • Presenting new or increasing challenges over the duration of play and
    • Drawing children and their adults together in play.

    [Find out more here at MESHhelps.org]

    What’s all this got to do with aws Studios?

    I was initially perusing “The Toy Book” because I have been trying to learn more about the toy industry. And I was doing this because I created a toy, specifically a plush (a stuffed fabric toy), designed to help kids build their MESH skills. Currently, I am trying to license the toy to a licensing manufacturer, aka a licensee.

    Mental, Emotional, and Social Health Skill Building Through Toys and Play

    I am thrilled to see a connection between mental health skill building and the toy industry. Like what the industry has done by connecting toys and games to STEAM, the interdisciplinary approach to learning that combines science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics, the MESH movement is doing the same. It’s making connections to current toys and games on the market that build one or more of the mental, emotional, and social health identified skills.

    There’s no better way to build mental, emotional, and social health — MESH — skills than through toys and play!

    How have toys helped your kids build their mesh Skills? Tell us in Comments
    check out my MESH skill building activites here

    Master Your Mountain™ — Empower Student Success and Get Student Engagement with Goal Setting

    Published on by awsstudiosartLeave a comment

    I Want to be a Doctor but I Don’t Think That Will Ever Happen!

    One day, I asked two of my students who were buddies what they wanted to do when they were older. “Doctors — pediatricians,” they excitedly responded. They wanted to help little kids. But immediately after, they said they didn’t think it would happen. If kids don’t see a way, then we need to empower student success with goal setting…

    Master Your Mountain™ For Student Success

    Often young people haven’t had the opportunity to explore their future with guidance and information and opportunities to practice their goal setting and planning skills. That’s why I created Master Your Mountain™. It’s a fun activity that empowers middle school thru high school student success with goal setting.

    Well Maybe I Can…

    Master Your Mountain™ is an easy-to-use lesson plan for teachers, homeschoolers, or parents. The creative and colorful activity walks students through the process of planning for their future. First, students identify their dreams or goals. Then, the things they need to do to get there. In Master Your Mountain™, kids see how goals can be accomplished. By breaking down what seems overwhelming and impossible, they see the value of a step-by-step plan.

    With Master Your Mountain™, you will see the lightbulbs go on and the wheels start turning! When the unattainable fog lifts, clear possibilities shine 1

    A Great Classroom Management Tool

    Master Your Mountain™ settles students into their own world and space. The resource also provides community building with peer to peer and group tasks. The activity can be accomplished in 1-3 classroom periods. All required materials are provided — just three fun worksheets— and scripts for teachers/parents, if needed.

    Additionally, Master Your Mountain™ can be used in any classroom and with any subject.

    This Won’t Work with my Students

    And it won’t if you don’t follow up. But follow-up is easy. Once a month (though the more the better) check-in with your student or have them journal an update.

    Boost your middle school, junior high, and high school students’ confidence and engagement with  Master Your Mountain™!
    Click here to Find out more!

    An Easy-to-Use Communication Resource for Parents of High School Students

    Published on by awsstudiosartLeave a comment
    A picture of the cover of the aws Studios.art resource, The Five Basics of Parenting Adolescents Pamphlet

    An Accessible Parent Communication Resource

    The “Five Basics of Parenting Adolescents Pamphlet” is a handout created from the findings of “Raising Teens: A Synthesis of Research and a Foundation for Action.”  The resource is a two-sided pdf that “boils down” the research into a foldable, user-friendly, easy-to-read, and sharable pamphlet.

    Make Parent Communication Easy

    Importantly, one reason adults are often wary of science and research is due to the complexity of the published results. Hard to read and difficult to understand, research-based texts go over our heads and dissipate into the great beyond.  Unfortunately, this results in ignoring the good stuff or “meat” that’s there – somewhere in the muckety-muck of scientific jargon.

    The “Five Basics of Parenting Adolescents Pamphlet” to the rescue!

    Clearly, when it comes to information about the best ways to parent or care for teenagers, the “Five Basics … Pamphlet” delivers a concise, easy-to-read resource that can be effortlessly and discreetly accessed again and again (because, I don’t know about you, but I sure need to read these things multiple times until it sinks in)!

    Teachers and Parents and Teens, Oh My!

    As a teacher, it’s not always easy to connect with caregivers and parents raising teens. Establishing parent communication with them sometimes requires taking it up a notch:

    • Treat the “Five Basics of Parenting Adolescents Pamphlet” as a gift from you to them at the beginning of the school year. Make copies of the resource, fold them into the pamphlet and put it in a business-size envelope addressed to the parent (and maybe even tie it all up with a ribbon. Heaven knows anyone parenting a teenager deserves a pretty little gift just for them)!
    • Use your on-hand resources and take more of those pamphlets you folded up and put one in each teacher’s school mailbox.
    • Furthermore, you can always:
      • Send a copy of the pamphlet via email to parents.Post it on your teacher website and the school’s website.Give parents the pamphlet at parent-teacher meetings and
      • Share it with your friends and family.

    Download the “Five Basics of Parenting Adolescents Pamphlet” here

    Undoubtedly, if you’re a teacher, start the new school year off on the right foot! Add to your classroom management strategies and build relationships with your students’ parents with the Pamphlet. Start spreading the good word of the importance of parent-adolescent communication and its impact on teenagers’ well-being and development today!

    More aws Studios mental health skill-building resources here and here.

    The “Power of Permission” Slip™ – a Mental Health, Social Emotional Learning Resource Every Teacher Should Have

    Published on by awsstudiosart1 Comment

    Unlock Mental Health and Empowerment

    When handing out the “Power of Permission” Slip™ you may notice a collective sigh of relief. Along with a room full of relaxing shoulders. Giving people permission to practice positive, safe, and healthy self-empowering behaviors is powerful. It reminds recipients of their obligation to their mental health and social emotional learning. Instead of the inhibiting mantra “How dare I?,” the “I owe it to myself” self-care refrain empowers.

    What is the “Power of Permission” Slip™?

    The “Power of Permission” Slip™ is a small, 3” x 8” slip that gives the recipient permission to do something that would improve their mental health. The small and easy-to-give resource generates transformative feelings and change. It’s an easy way to make someone’s day – giving them “permission” to do that thing that keeps them from feeling good.

    Give students the power of permission slip for their mental health and social emotional learning

    Solves Mental Health and Social Emotional Learning Problems and Enhances Learning

    The …Slip solves the problem of people feeling they shouldn’t or can’t do something. But, if done, it would improve their mental health and social emotional learning. The “Power of Permission” Slip™ is a simple prompt, a mild nudge that motivates inaction into action. The resource enhances learning by making the connection of getting or giving permission. This allows the practice of a positive mental health skill. It is also a great behavior management tool.

    But what about…

    Don’t worry that it’s simple. Be glad that it is and it works! There’s not much to understand. Fill in the recipient’s name on the …Slip or have them fill in their name and either suggest something they need permission for or have them come up with their own. The “Power of Permission” Slip™ can be given over and over again. There is no limit to how many times someone has received a …Slip.

    Features include:

    • The simple, all-inclusive permission slip is all done for you, just print out, cut out, hand out, and start making your students’, staff’s, family’s, friend’s, or even YOUR OWN day! Yes, you can give yourself permission! It’s the best kind.
    • The “Power of Permission” Slip™ gives its providers easy access to providing their constituents with joy and builds trust and relationships. What could be better than that?

    The “Power of Permission” Slip™ is FREE!

    To celebrate the remodel of my Teachers Pay Teachers aws Studios Store, I am giving away The “Power of Permission” Slip™ for free!  Once you receive it, make a lot of slips because once you start your students, staff, family, and friends will beg for more!

    My Future Story Documentary, a fun and inspiring goal setting and planning activity

    Published on by awsstudiosartLeave a comment

    A Favorite Goal Setting Activity

    A picture of the My Future Story Documentary goal setting worksheet

    One of my favorite mental health/social-emotional learning activities I developed is “My Future Story Documentary.” It teaches a goal setting and planning skill I wish I had learned when I was in grade school.

    My Future Story

    Back then, my future story was to sing, dance and act on stage. My mother pointed out New York City was probably the best place to pursue these goals but she didn’t think I should go. In her mind, NYC was a scary place and that was enough to stop me from moving forward with my idea.

    In the “My Future Story Documentary” goal setting resource, one crucial step is for the “filmmaker” to identify their “Supporting Film Crew.” These are friends, family members, teachers, coaches, and clergy, etc. who support the maker’s future story, an important part for turning dreams into reality. And, like in my case, they may not always be a friend or a family member.

    An aws Studios.art illustration of a adolescent ballerina - if only they had a goal setting activity like My Future Story.

    Goal Setting and Support

    My mother (whom I love dearly) may not have embraced my dream, but Marion, her best friend, did. Marion, who herself dreamed of performing and later became an award-winning ballroom dancer, noticed my talent. Though, I never shared my dancing and acting dreams with her. The “My Future Story Documentary” activity prompts students to identify supportive adults and share their dream with them.

    It’s tough when immediate family are unable to be supportive. Nevertheless, there are many success stories where dreamers found support elsewhere.

    Get the “My future story documentary” activity here!

    Now as a picture book author/illustrator and mental health curricula supplier (with no regrets!), my supports are everywhere —family, friends, and colleagues — and it’s great!

    What about you? What is your success story and who was your supportive “crew?”  

    Give them a shout out in the “Comments” below!