In the lead up to World Mental Health Day (10th October) we have pulled together a summary of our resources to help military families. As the seasons change, we wanted you to know that we can help you look after your family’s wellbeing.
Louise, Founder of our charity said: “This time of the year can be particularly hard for our military families. Children may have started at another new school and you may be settling in somewhere new. It can also be even harder, if you’re at the start of a deployment and know your partner will be away for Christmas. In this article we have pulled together some of the ways which we can help.”
Our resources
Affirmation cards – Affirmations are short phrases or words that we can repeat to ourselves. These can be used for the whole family. They can help lift your mood or put you in a more positive frame of mind. We’ve put together a downloadable pack of beautifully illustrated cards that you can use throughout the day. If deployment is proving tough you could tuck one into your child’s school or lunch bag.
Little Troopers Therapy videos – Our parent video series is freely available to all military families. In each of the three videos, therapists from The Owl Centre cover information, practical advice and activity ideas. Some of the content is also part of the bespoke Little Troopers Therapy programme. Each video has downloadable activities that families are encouraged to print-out and complete together at home. The three topics covered are: having a parent away; moving home and school; and nurturing resilience as a military child.
X-ray of feelings – If your children are struggling emotionally and you are not sure how to help them? Have a look at our X-Ray of feelings collection. Five beautiful illustrated pictures uncover some of the thoughts and feelings your children might be experiencing when facing some military life situations. Many families have found them a great visual aid to help their children talk.
Crafty Little Troopers – Sometimes you may just need five minutes peace or something to fill time on a rainy day. We have three mindfulness colouring sheets, along with 50 other activity sheets on our Crafty Little Troopers website. Our activity sheets are super easy to follow, all you need to do is print them off and get started.
Support at school
Louise, added; “One of our biggest aims is to make sure children are supported at school as well as at home. If your child’s school has a group of little troopers, please make sure they know about our Wellbeing Packs. We have resources for Primary and Senior schools.”
Take care
Louise, adds “We hope that some of our resources help you support your family. It’s natural to want to help your children, however don’t forget to give yourself some TLC too. Whether it’s a glass of wine or a cup of tea – try to put some time aside for you, Take care.”
You can find all of our resources for families in our At Home section.
