Consider the amount of attention we give articles of clothing - what if we gave that same attention to our relationships?
We all respond to experiences differently and it is important that we respect those differences. We cannot assume that we know what a person's reactions mean, but we can use the great gift of communication to learn more about those we love.
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Care tags are a wonderful way to help children understand their reactions to emotions. They also allow children to identify how others can best support them when they are feeling a specific emotion. When a child feels understood, he is better able to accept his emotions and consider healthy ways to handle them. This understanding can create open communication and feelings of safety and love.
These care tags are great for kids who are learning about emotions, but they are also helpful in other relationships, especially for those dating or married.
Update: Thank you Jodi Smith, LCSW, RPT-S for finally giving me a reference for this activity! I had been taught it years ago during internship, but never knew its originality. Now you all will have a reference as well as a resource for more therapeutic activities to use! Enjoy!
Smith, J. (2008). Care Tags. In Lowenstein, L(Ed.) Favorite Therapeutic Activities for Children and Teens: Practitioners Share Their Most Effective Techniques. Canada: Champion Press.
This is really wonderful.
ReplyDeleteThank you!! I love this!
ReplyDeleteThank you both for your encouraging words!!! Hope you have found more helpful projects and have found inspiration in some of the other posts! I would love to hear your go-to projects or how you have used the care tags!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea ... so simple to use in my chaplaincy work. Thanks Chaplain Gary
ReplyDeleteThanks! I hope you have been able to use this activity and I would love to hear how it went!
DeleteGreat idea! I work to help kids avoid pornography and its slippery slope to addiction. Identifying emotions and dealing with them in healthy ways is critical to avoiding all kinds of addictions. Thank you! I'll be sharing your post with parents!
ReplyDeleteKristen I am not sure if you work with the entire family, but I have used this activity with families of adolescents and then worked into creating family rules based on individual needs.
DeleteMy kid's are autistic and this is great. Thank you so much they have been able to express themselves better.
ReplyDeleteKacie, I am so glad you have found this activity to be helpful! I have found this activity to also work in reverse for autistic kids to better understand emotions and reactions in others.
DeleteHi
ReplyDeleteI do teacher training workshops. I am writing to ask permission to use the photo of the care tags in a Power Point Presentation. I will credit your site and provide your URL.
Please respond to: epostman3@cox.net Please put care tags in the subject line
I look forward to hearing from you.
Hi Diane- This activity is actually my original work, not the Play Lady's. It is published in : Smith, J. (2008). Care Tags. In Lowenstein, L(Ed.)
DeleteFavorite Therapeutic Activities for Children and Teens: Practitioners Share Their Most Effective Techniques. Canada: Champion Press.
Most of this publication is available for free if you go to Liana Lowensteins website lianalowenstein.com and register for her newsletter. You may find many of these techniques useful.
You are more than welcome to use my care tags activity in any upcoming trainings, as long as you site the source.
Thank You! Jodi Smith LCSW, RPT-S
Thank you Jodi for giving a reference for this activity! I had been taught this technique by several mentors but never had a reference and it was so effective with hospitalized children that I wanted to share with others!!!! I will edit the post to include your reference and in hopes that others may be able to find more of the techniques to use!
DeleteAre the instructions on how to use the care tags available?
ReplyDeleteThis is beautiful 😍
ReplyDelete