Jason A. Muckley

Coloring in Colored Pencils #Art #Journey #Parenting

Coloring in Colored Pencils_2019-09-15-ftr
Fun at the Pond / Artwork by Jason A. Muckley © 2019

What do you do as a parent when your kids stop coloring?

After a long day, the kids were tired, I was tired, and I just needed something for us all to do that was restful and calming.

“Why don’t we all color?” I suggested.

What do you think of mine?

What happens when they get a little older, they have friends issues or boy problems or are struggling with their own insecurities and their anxiety is off the charts?

I am pretty sure that I didn’t want to color in middle school or high school.

It may have helped though.

Going through divorce for the kids, especially our oldest, has been really hard at times. We have them in play therapy to help them process and communicate their feelings. I am excited about helping them to regulate their feelings on their own. I hope to give them some tools to calm down when they get upset or overwhelmed. That they would turn to breathing or reading or another soothing activity instead of lashing out at a sibling in anger.

I would say I am very creative person with my free time. I enjoy writing (obviously) and creating artwork and other types of artistic outlets to reduce stress. It was a major help for me during tough years in my marriage, stressful times at work, and even after new babies brought new challenges.

I hope to pass on to my kids some of those healthy habits of self-regulating in trying times and continue to grow personally with these strategies as I recognize triggers and deal with life’s ups and downs.

What ways do you de-stress or regulate your emotions? Share below in the comments.

– Jason

17 comments

  3. Praying to the Most High and reading my Bible, listening to music, sitting in my room with a candle going and dim lighting, and reading or watching my favourite show(s)/movies! Also, yes to colouring!! I’ve been LOVING that lately as a way to decompress!

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  4. Adult colouring is totally a thing, so encourage your kids to keep it up for the benefit of their wellbeing. 🙂 I wish my parents had taught be about how to look after my mental wellbeing as well as my physical wellbeing. Maybe we should be passing this on to the next generation?

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  6. Dancing. Dancing relieves stress by helping me get moving. I love upbeat music, such as Latin music-Enrique Iglesia’s “Subeme la Radio” (Turn up the radio) is especially upbeat. Gente de Zona is wonderful. Get moving is my strategy when I get stressed. Walking in nature is another effective stress reducer. I’ve learned to declutter my life, as well. If it doesn’t help me move forward, I donate it, throw it out or stopping talking (to people who upset me).

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