It’s a day for families, filled with free activities, including lunch, a children’s concert, art programs, haircuts, cooking demonstrations and an appearance by Isaac Petersen, the son of Monroe’s Reptile Man.
There also will be workshops to give students and parents tips on how to cope with the challenges of childhood, including trauma and grief, suicide awareness and prevention, depression and anxiety, bullying and the issues faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transitioning youth.
All these activities are part of the fourth annual Youth and Family Wellness Fair on May 4 at Everett’s Evergreen Middle School. Some 1,000 people attended the event last year.
“The goal of the fair is to have a family day,” said Liza Patchen-Short, children’s mental health liaison for Snohomish County. “Everything is taken care of. You show up, have fun with your kids, and it’s a way to get support, be nurtured and learn and grow.”
The day begins with a children’s concert by Eric Ode, of Sumner, a former elementary school teacher who performs both locally and nationally.
The morning sessions are geared toward younger kids and their parents or caregivers.
Nancy Lay, from ChildStrive in Everett will discuss early learning issues.
Rodolfo Trivisonno, an Everett psychiatrist, will talk about the effects of childhood experiences of grief and trauma.
The afternoon workshops are designed more for middle and high school students, with sessions on drugs, alcohol and addiction issues, peer support and coping with anxiety and depression.
Bullying, especially online bullying, is devastating for kids, Patchen-Short said. “Kids are saying things to kids they may not say in person.”
Research shows kids are feeling isolated and depressed because they don’t have deep, connected relationships in person, she said.
Another topic expected to be discussed is how to talk to your teen.
“A lot of teens don’t know how to voice what they’re feeling,” said Lynsey Gagnon, who directs Volunteers of America’s service center in Sultan. Sometimes it may not be a matter of questioning a teen about their feelings but “just letting them know ‘I’m here for you,’” she said.
Sultan High School sophomores Kristin Larson and Cheryn Hagen, members of the Sky Valley Youth Coalition, plan to participate in a panel discussing teen communication and coping with emotions.
One of the keys is to good intergenerational communication is bringing respect and understanding to both sides, Larson said.
“A lot of times, it’s just adults having more power, and so they think they’re right all the time and everybody else is always wrong,” she said.
Larson said she tries to help friends who may be dealing with issues, such as anxiety and depression, by simply being there for them to talk to.
Asked what helped her the most when she was feeling down, Larson said it was identifying people she could talk to, such as friends, a counselor, her friends’ parents and peers in the youth coalition.
Hagen said her advice in helping improve communication is to think about what you’re going to say before you say it. “If you’re angry or frustrated, you end up saying things you’ll regret in the future,” she said.
Her advice to parents concerned that their child is experiencing emotions such as depression or anxiety: Pay attention to how they’re acting.
“A lot of kids don’t speak out,” she said. “It just gets worse, and they don’t get help.”
Sharon Salyer: 425-339-3486 or salyer@heraldnet.com.
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