The CDC states that since the Covid-19 pandemic began, one in every three children has been diagnosed with a mental health disorder such as anxiety or ADHD. It is more important than ever to learn how and to teach techniques to help reduce stress and anxiety. 

Today’s guest is Dr. Michele Borba. Dr. Borba is an internationally renowned educator and award-winning author of 24 books. She is a motivational speaker having spoken in 19 countries on 5 continents and has served as a consultant to hundreds of schools and corporations like Sesame Street, Harvard, The US Air Force Academy, and the Royal Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. Dr. Borba is an NBC contributor who has been on countless shows including Today, Dateline, Dr. Oz, Anderson Cooper, CNN, and more. Her work is featured in Time, Washington Post, Newsweek, Boston Globe, US News and World Report, and many others.

Show Notes:

• [1:30] - Dr. Borba started her career as a special education teacher and has learned how resilient kids truly are.
• [4:03] - We can’t point the finger at one specific cause. We need to focus on what to do about it.
• [5:07] - Dr. Borba describes a study done over the course of 40 years.
• [6:25] - What are the things we need to teach to help manage anxiety or prevent it?
• [8:35] - Connect with teachers. Kids act differently at school than they do at home.
• [9:33] - Teachers see trends in behaviors in their class.
• [10:16] - A major change in society is that getting mental health services is more acceptable.
• [11:23] - Give kids a range of ideas to help your children.
• [13:12] - When you suggest a hobby, it isn’t a sport or activity that you have to add to the agenda. It is something they choose to do.
• [14:37] - Hobbies, pets, music, etc. can be tools that work for some kids.
• [15:29] - Everyone has a different stress sign.
• [16:18] - Dr. Borba shares a breathing technique great for both kids and adults.
• [18:21] - By learning these strategies, kids can build muscle memory.
• [20:21] - Thrivers have the tools to pull from to deal with stress.
• [21:44] - Your voice and family mantra can become your child’s inner voice.
• [23:00] - Volunteering helps build hope and empathy.
• [25:03] - There are many ways to build empathy but be intentional.
• [26:34] - Teach emotional literacy.
• [27:50] - Many social skills are in dormant mode right now.
• [29:03] - Kids can also feed off the stress of their parents.
• [30:18] - Our society tends to focus on performance which can add levels of stress.
• [33:32] - Kids are becoming ruder and civility needs to be retaught.
• [36:10] - Empathy is a super power and is the glue that holds society together.

Thanks for joining us on Easy Prey. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review. 

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