Wave Breathing

1. Close your eyes and picture ocean waves. Each wave rolls up onto the beach, then slides back out to sea.Example: Imagine you are sitting on warm sand, watching gentle waves roll in and out. You can almost hear the sound of the water.
2. Breathe in slowly through your nose for four counts. Imagine the sound of a wave pulling back into the ocean.Example: Count quietly in your head: one... two... three... four, while filling your belly with air like a balloon.
3. Purse your lips like you are blowing through a straw and breathe out slowly for four counts. Imagine the whoosh of a wave landing on the shore.Example: Pretend you are blowing a bubble through a straw very slowly so it does not pop. Let all the air out while you count to four.
4. Keep going for one full minute. Each time you breathe out, imagine your extra energy flowing out with the wave.Example: Picture your wiggly energy as colorful sparkles leaving your body with each breath and floating away on the wave.

Building a Daily Routine

• What is a routine? A routine means doing the same things in the same order every day, like brushing your teeth before bed every single night. Routines help your brain remember important things without having to think so hard.Example: Every morning you wake up, get dressed, eat breakfast, brush your teeth, and grab your backpack. When you do it the same way each day, your brain goes on autopilot.
• Make it visible. Work with a grown-up to write your routine on a poster or whiteboard and hang it somewhere you will see it, like the fridge or your bedroom door.Example: Draw a colorful chart with pictures next to each step, like a toothbrush icon for 'brush teeth,' and tape it to the bathroom mirror.
• Mix in the fun stuff. A good routine includes time for snacks, playing, and rest, not just chores and homework. Putting fun activities between harder tasks keeps you from getting too tired or bored.Example: After fifteen minutes of homework, take a ten-minute break to play outside or have a snack. Then come back for the next round of work.
• Plan the tricky parts. If mornings are hard, lay out your clothes the night before. If homework feels tough, pick a quiet spot where you always do it. Small plans make big tasks easier.Example: Put your shoes by the front door and your backpack on the hook every night. In the morning, you can grab them and go without searching.
• Be patient with yourself. Learning a new routine takes time. It is okay to need reminders from a grown-up. The more you practice, the easier it gets.Example: If you forget a step, that is okay. Just go back and do it. Even grown-ups need reminders sometimes.

Step-by-Step Problem Solving

1. Name the problem clearly. Say exactly what is going wrong. For example: 'I keep forgetting to bring my homework to school.'Example: 'I always lose my pencils during the school day and then I cannot finish my work in class.'
2. Think of two or three possible solutions. Brainstorm different ideas. Maybe you could use a special homework folder, or ask a parent to check your backpack each morning.Example: For the lost-pencil problem: (1) keep a pencil pouch zipped in my backpack, (2) ask my teacher for a pencil cup on my desk, or (3) clip a pencil to my notebook.
3. Pick one solution and try it. Choose the idea that seems most doable and give it a real try for at least a few days.Example: You decide to try the pencil pouch. Every night you put two sharpened pencils inside it, zip it up, and drop it in your backpack.
4. Check how it went. Did the solution work? If yes, keep using it. If not, go back to your list and try a different idea. Problem solving often takes more than one attempt.Example: After a week, you still have your pencils at the end of the day. The pencil pouch worked! If it had not, you would try idea number two next.