Innovations in End-of-Life Care
an international journal of leaders in end-of-life care
FAMILY TIME
This activity is introduced in the second week of the curriculum. Group leaders introduce parents to the "Negative Family Cycle" showing how bad feelings, fewer positive comments, poor listening and negative comments feed a cycle of kids' withdrawal, feelings of helplessness, low self-esteem and negative behavior, as well as fueling parents' feelings of depression, anxiety, and of being overwhelmed and incompetent. In contrast to this dismal cycle, group leaders also demonstrate an inverse cycle in which positive interactions, feelings and behaviors feed one another. The Family Time activity is a weekly assignment to jump start the positive cycle.
University. Published here with permission.
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It's fun |
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Once a Week- Every Week |
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An activity everyone can enjoy |
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ACTIVITIES NOT PASSIVITIES |
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Rules: |
| 1. No problem solving | |
| 2. No complaining | |
| 3. No fighting or teasing | |
| 4. Inexpensive or free |
1 Excerpted from: Ayers TS, Wolchik SA, Weiss L, Sandler IN, with Jones S, Cole E, Barrow S. Family Bereavement Program Group Leader Intervention Manual for Parent Program. Tempe, AZ: Arizona State University Prevention Research Center, 1996.
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