Hastings and Prince Edward Counties / August 29, 2022 – HPEPH is pleased to share an exciting new video resource that has been prepared in collaboration with KFL&A Public Health, to help students heading to kindergarten, and their families, navigate the transition to school.
The mental health and well-being of a child begins in the early years, and children’s kindergarten transition experiences are essential to their school success and their physical and emotional growth and development. Parents play an important role in helping their children prepare for school and can also help their child learn how to identify and manage stress.
HPEPH and KFL&A have created a video entitled “Let’s Go to Kindergarten! Helping Your Child Manage Stress!”, to:
- help parents/caregivers understand causes and signs of child stress,
- share information about ways to identify and lower stress in children’s lives, and
- encourage parents/caregivers to help children identify how they are feeling, and how to respond.
The video uses the concept of a “stress stoplight” from Strong Minds, Strong Kids (Psychology Canada) to help identify how kids can identify, respond to, and move on from stress. While it is intended for students transitioning to kindergarten, the concepts discussed in the video can apply to all children and youth.
“Children who can recognize, acknowledge and express their feelings appropriately cope better with stress”, says Sheryl Farrar, Healthy Communities Manager at HPEPH. “By using a fun and age appropriate tool such as the Stress Stoplight, the “Helping Your Child Manage Stress” video provides an overview of the stress children may experience, signs and symptoms, and strategies parents/caregivers can use to help children respond to their stress.
Families supporting a child starting kindergarten this year are also encouraged to review HPEPH’s Let’s go to Kindergarten! Booklet. Families can also download and print the stress stoplight, and brochure to help kids handle stress from the Strong Minds, Strong Kids website.
For additional resources and information, please visit hpepublichealth.ca/school-age-children-youth/
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Media Contacts:
Emily Tubbs, Communications Specialist
etubbs@hpeph.ca
Maureen Hyland, Communications Specialist
mhyland@hpeph.ca
About Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health (HPEPH) is a public health agency that serves the counties of Hastings and Prince Edward from four local offices. HPEPH is situated and provides services on the traditional territory of the Anishinaabe, Huron-Wendat and Haudenosaunee people. We monitor the health of our local population, deliver programs and services within our communities, and help develop healthy public policies. We provide information and support in many areas to help improve the health and well-being of our residents. Together with our communities, we help people become as healthy as they can be. For more information, please visit hpePublicHealth.ca. You can also find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram.
We invite community partners and residents to share this Media Release with their respective networks.
