July 2007

Vol 2, Issue 1

Mental Health Minute

Social Skills Group-  Just for Girls!

 FRPA is pleased to announce that we have addded another Social Skills Group!  This time we are inviting girls ages 6-10 to join us for a 3-session group.  The dates are July 20, July 27, and August 3.  Group will run from 9-10:30 am.

·                     Have trouble making or keeping friends?

·                     Seem isolated and lonely?

·                     Complain of being bullied or teased?

Then give us a call to learn more about how our group can help.  Space is limited so contact us soon to reserve your spot!

In This Issue

Social Skills Group-Just for Girls!

Dads and Stress

Summer Camp Blues

Credit Cards

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High Expectations:

Dads and Stress

Parenting is difficult in today's fast-paced and demanding world, and it can take a toll on one's physical and emotional well-being. With equal sharing of parenting duties increasingly becoming the norm, many men (as well as women) are experiencing the pressure of being both a breadwinner and an active care giver. Father's Day is right around the corner-it is important to recognize the challenges dads face and figure out how dads can deal with the resulting stress.

According to a 2006 APA survey, forty-three percent of men are concerned about stress. Balancing both work and family life can leave many men feeling as if they're drowning in a sea of work, bills, and the responsibilities of being a father. "Men in particular respond to stress by feeling irritable, angry, and having trouble sleeping," says psychologist Ron Palomares, Ph.D. "This stress is, unfortunately, often dealt with in unhealthy ways, such as by smoking, drinking, and overeating."

Moreover, since fathers and mothers serve as role models for children, it is important to set a good example. "Children mold their behavior after that of their parents," says Palomares. "Thus, developing healthy responses to stress will be good for you, and, ultimately, good for your children."

APA offers these few strategies to help fathers manage stress:

· Identify - How do you know when you are stressed? What events or situations trigger stressful feelings? Are they related to your children, family health, financial decisions, work, relationships, or something else?

· Recognize - Determine if you are using unhealthy behaviors to cope with work or life stress. Are you a restless sleeper or do you become easily upset and annoyed over trivial things? Is this a routine behavior, or is it specific to certain events or situations?

· Manage - Unhealthy reactions to stress are like taking the easy way out: consider healthy, stress-reducing activities like exercising or playing sports. Focus on the quality of time spent, not the quantity. Keep in mind that unhealthy behaviors develop over time and can be difficult to change. Put everything in perspective, think before you act or speak, and make time for what's really important.

· Support - Accepting help from supportive friends and family can improve your ability to persevere during stressful times. If you continue to feel overwhelmed by stress, you may want to talk to a psychologist who can help you manage stress and change entrenched, unproductive behaviors.

"No one expects you to be the perfect father. It is essential to maintain balance among what is "Superdad" fantasy and what are realistic and attainable aspects of fatherhood," Palomares asserts. "Stress management is not a race to the finish line-don't take on more than you can handle. Instead, set goals and focus on changing one behavior at a time."

Summer Camp Blues

Each summer, many children will have to deal with feeling homesick if part of their summer involves sleep-over camp, but parents can play a big role in helping their children overcome homesickness, say psychologists.

Parents can help their children understand that feeling homesick is very natural and that physical activity and making new friends will help distract them from the sad and nervous emotions that are part of homesickness. Parents should also encourage their children not to give up in situations where they may feel overwhelmed and lonely instead offering suggestions of ways children can make themselves feel better.

Before children go to overnight camps, they should practice shorter separations to learn which coping methods work for them. Parents can help their children understand which aspects of the separation they can control (like letter writing, participation in activities) and which aspects they cannot control (like duration of the separation, routines of the new environment). The least homesick children are those who change what they can about the separation and adjust to what they can't, and that takes practice.

Research shows that doing something fun to forget about homesickness, thinking positively, changing feelings to be happy and reframing time are the most common ways that boys and girls coped with their homesickness. Girls also seek social support from friends and counselors more often than the boys.

Research also shows that older children are less homesick than younger children, perhaps because older children have generally had more experience away from home, and therefore have had more practice coping.

In summary, possible "cures" for homesickness include:
- Engaging in fun activities, especially physical activities
- Thinking positively
- Making friends
- And, practicing away from home time without parents before camp begins.

Thanks to Christopher Thurber, Ph.D., and John R. Weisz, Ph.D., of the University of California in Los Angeles

Credit Cards Now Accepted!

 FRPA now accepts credit cards for most transactions.  We accept Visa, Mastercard, and Discover.