ANXIETY: FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL JITTERS
In this episode, we learn what it feels like when we are anxious or nervous. Cecelia tells us how she feels on her first day of school and guides us in a calming exercise called “square breathing.”
Have you ever felt scared or anxious for the first day of school or on a playdate with a new friend? Our friend Cecelia has, too! Listen as Cecelia talks about what makes her feel nervous and join her in an activity called square “breathing” to feel calm and at ease.
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EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
Tiempo Tranquilo Podcast Script, Episode 3
Anxiety: First Day of School Jitters*the host, Cecelia, is the only speaker in this episode
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From K-E-R-A Kids in Dallas, Texas, this is Tiempo Tranquilo a podcast where we talk about the big feelings inside of us and share a new idea for managing our emotions.I’m Cecelia, the host of the show.
Today, we’ll be talking about feeling anxious.
Being anxious is feeling worry, unease or nervousness.
Think about something that makes you anxious. It could be something that makes you nervous or afraid about the future and bad things happening.
You know what makes me anxious? Trying new food!
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Making new friends!
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Oh … and the dark.
<<”shhh” followed by the sound of a door creaking>>
Dios mio! What is that? I hope not El Cucuy.<>
Whew!
You know what makes me really anxious? The first day of school!
My first day usually goes something like this. Let’s imagine:<>
My papí tells me:
Mija, it’s time for school. Are you ready?
<>Ugh! I don’t want to go to school. And I didn’t get any sleep! I was up all night tossing and turning.
Now my heart is beating really fast and my hands start to shake a bit.
And I wonder: What if I can’t find my new classes? What if my teacher isn’t nice? What if I don’t like the food at lunch?
There’s so much to worry about!
Have you felt like this when you’re anxious or scared of something new? Like your imagination is making your anxiousness really big?
I always feel like this when the first day of a new school year comes around. So many what if’s…
When you do feel anxious like this, it’s important to talk to someone.
You could talk to your mamí or papí or abuelos. Or your teachers or friends. Any of the people in your life who love and care for you.Who would you talk to?
You could also ask yourself questions.
Like: what am I feeling? Where am I feeling it? What is my body trying to tell me? How many breaths do I need to take to calm down?
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Speaking of breaths, let me share what I’ve been doing when I’m feeling anxious. It’s called square breathing. Can you picture the four sides of a square?
Ok, keep that in mind as you find a comfortable place to sit. Maybe it’s your bed or chair or sometimes it’s your floor.As you picture the square, imagine tracing the four sides while breathing in. Take a deep breath in for four seconds.
One…two…three…four… Breathe out for four seconds.
Four…three…two…one…
We’ve now traced one square together.
I do this at least two more times to really bring myself into the moment, but you can do it as many times as you need!Let’s go again.
Breathe in for four seconds.
One…two…three…four…
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Breathe out for four seconds.
Four…three…two…one… Let’s trace one more square. Breathe in for four seconds.
One…two…three…four… Breathe out for four seconds.Four…three…two…one…
When I finish my square breathing my body and mind always feel better.
The next time you are feeling anxious, worried, or even a little scared, try talking to someone or do square breathing.
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I hope you enjoyed square breathing together. I definitely did! Remember: we are in this together and it’s normal to feel anxious!
And maybe, next time you’re feeling that way, you can share what you learned today with others around you to make them feel better.Ok, talk to you next time! Nos vemos pronto!
<>CREDITS:
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Tiempo Tranquilo is a production of KERA in Dallas, TX. It’s hosted by me, Cecelia Adame. Micaela Rodriguez and KERA’s director of Education, Lisa Bracken, developed, produced, and edited this show. Sylvia Komatsu is the Chief Content Officer and Nico Leone is our CEO. Veronica Valles is a peace educator and our mindfulness advisor.
The rest of our team includes: Shardae White, Allan Wang, Shenique Rasheed and Erica Campos. Special thanks to our Parent Advisory Council Community Voices for their feedback. Tiempo Tranquilo is produced with support from PRX and is made possible in part by a Ready to Learn grant from the U.S. Department of Education.END OF EPISODE
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