A hope and dream of mine when writing this book When the Going Gets Tough, was to create a correlating space where children could spend their time practicing the reset strategies that are referenced in the book. My daughter’s principal was kind enough to provide a place where I could build this vision. My first space (of hopefully many) is now complete and I am eager for children to be able to use it in this upcoming school year! Below are pictures of the final product, along with additional information regarding what this will be used for!
In my book, When the Going Gets Tough, there are nine different reset strategies that are referenced and practiced by individual characters (see Miya’s example below). The idea will be that a child wanting/needing to practice emotional management, would either read this book for the first time, or simply go back and reference the strategy they would like to practice. The book can be read either by an adult or the child/children, depending on the age and circumstance. Once the child has identified which specific strategy they would like to practice in order to reset their emotions, they would open the correlating drawer and choose from the materials that are included. For example, a child choosing to practice Reset Strategy #5: Exercise and Fresh Air, would first reference those two pages in the book (see below), and then choose materials from drawer #5 related to getting some exercise and possibly fresh air as well. Materials in this drawer may include things such as exercise dice, an exercise mat, yoga cards, chalk, and a nature scavenger hunt!
My vision was to make this space both comfortable and productive, so children can get the most out of their time spent here. I included things such as lamps, a rug, comfortable chairs, pillows, soft music, diverse characters, and strong affirmations for children to read.
I can’t wait for children to fill this space and hopefully be able to spend their time practicing reset strategies in order to manage their emotions. The hope would be for these children to transfer this idea to places beyond this room, utilizing these strategies everywhere! When children are able to learn and practice regulating their emotions, the better off they are going to be in all areas of their life. Children deserve to be happy and I hope this room can contribute to the happiness they are able to feel, day in and day out!
Other options for resource spaces related to the book can be found below:
