How not to be blue on Blue Monday
The third Monday of every January has named ‘Blue Monday’; the theory behind this is that this time of year is when it is cold, the fun of Christmas has been and gone, and it seems a long time until the school holidays and sunshine.
Children and adults alike are affected by Blue Monday. But here at CAL, we encourage the children to hop-skip-and jump into the new year with excitement and vigour. However, we cannot ignore the fact that some may be feeling blue, and children especially may find the anti-climax of Christmas and all its magic depressing.
Turning a negative into a positive is tricky, but being appreciative for the time you had over Christmas- 2 weeks off school, time with family, extra time in bed, presents, belly full of food and the general feeling of excitement is a positive and wonderful memory. Train the brain not to dwell on the negative, but to relive the moment and be thankful for the time you had and know that there are many more Christmases to come.
What’s happening in 2025? There’s so much to plan. So much to do. Focus on New Year’s Resolutions – if they have already been broken, get back on the wagon and try again. How old are you going to be this year? What year will you be in in September? What are your plans for the year? Think about sunshiny days, full of flowers, football and playing outside. Focus on the future and the fun 2025 is going to be.
Getting children to express their feelings can be difficult. This is where the dogs we work with really help. Our dogs provide a calming environment, suitable for chatting about worries and concerns, as well as providing the opportunity to celebrate achievements.
Recently, when working with Waffle and a child, we were using the CAL emotions dice. This is a wonderful tool where Waffle, the child and me are all engaged in an activity whereby Waffle (yes Waffle – she’s very talented) rolls a big, squidgy dice which has pictures of dogs with different expressions on each side. The expressions all differ – sad, excited, worried, angry etc. When the dice has been rolled, the child identifies the expressions (this can be surprisingly difficult for some children, especially those with ASD), we then mimic the facial expression ourselves (which can be funny) and then talk about the emotion; what it is, where we feel it in our body, how it makes us act etc. Often, we use this alongside the Zones of Regulation which many children use in school. We discuss when we last felt this emotion, what happened, how we overcame the emotion if it was negative etc. This is all done in a calm environment, usually sitting on the floor on bean bags whilst cuddling or stroking Waffle.
Waffle and I also work outside of the school building (weather dependent) doing ‘Waffle Agility’ with the children. It’s basic, but it simple things such as getting Waffle to jump off a low step or walk through a tunnel. This activity is great when a child is feeling down and despondent. Getting them moving, outside, playing with a responsive dog lifts their mood, thus making them more engaged in the school day. Also, the feeling of achievement the child gets when Waffle responds to a command is motivating for those who feel they are down on themselves and constantly compare themselves to others. Children are sent back to class in a positive and motivated mood, ready to learn.
Here are CAL, we support many children with mental health issues who will be feeling blue on Blue Monday, or may have felt blue for some time. We listen to the child – no emotion is dismissed or ridiculed. They can cuddle or play with one of our supportive dogs, bringing joy to everyone they come in contact with. We can engage in positive activities to help identify and process negative feelings and turn them around.
The overall effect Waffle has on the children she sees is palpable. Everyone knows which day Waffle comes into school – children’s faces light up when they see her walking down the corridor – everyone wants to engage – even staff say how much they a love specific day because it’s ‘Waffle Day.’ Having a dog in school lifts everyone’s spirits.
If you would like more information on how CAL can help the children in your school, please contact us at info@canineassistedlearning.com
Here’s to a happy, waggy tailed 2025!
Adeline and Waffle
CAL Practitioner