ROCKIN’ IT

R CKIN’ IT

Paint some pebbles for your favourite pathways

By Melanie Mosher

What if hiking with your family could be more than a source of exercise, a chance to commune with nature, and a time to explore the county? What if it could be a source of creativity, a time to express imagination, and a chance to practise random acts of kindness?

Summer is almost here, the days are getting longer, and temperatures are rising. It’s the perfect time to inhale deeply and revel in fresh air. It’s time to get back to walking outdoors and fortunately, Halifax and the surrounding area is blessed with abundant trails.

Imagine this scene which occurred last Spring:

The gravel crunches under footsteps. The wind rustles through the branches and the speckled shadows dance along the trail as bits of sunlight filter through the canopy of trees. Up ahead an excited voice calls back to her family, “Look! There’s another one.” A young girl, about eight, wiggles with glee, pointing at something at the base of an old spruce. Her brother, about ten, races to her side. Mom, pushing a stroller and holding the leash for the family dog finally makes her way to the kids. They smile and hesitate. Then with a burst of new energy the girl rushes ahead in pursuit of the next gem.

Further back, I witness the event and wipe a tear from my cheek for I know I created the treasures they seek.

For me, it began last year, while under lockdown during the first wave of the pandemic. Being sent home from my job and the uncertainly of Covid-19 left me filled with anxiety. My usual coping mechanisms of writing and reading failed me. I couldn’t concentrate enough for either. Then I recalled a story of inspirational painted rocks being left along trails for others to find. Random-acts-of-kindness that might be enough to make a mother and her three children grin. “I can do that,” I said to myself. “I can paint rocks!

I had available stones on my property, so I decided to paint a few. My artistic abilities are limited, but I like colour and there were simple ideas on the internet to guide me.

The next day I filled my pockets and set off for my walk along the section of The Great Trail (formerly The Trans Canada Trail)

adjacent my yard. I hid the rocks along the path as I went. My heart grew like the Grinch on Christmas day as I placed each stone, immediately feeling better. The anticipation of someone finding the treasure gave me the mood boost I needed. Returning home, I couldn't wait to paint more rocks.

The following day some of the rocks were gone, some were moved to new locations. Within a few weeks, there were others. I learned to recognize the styles of other painters, some with incredible artistic talent. Some, like me, just taking the chance for self-expression and spreading joy. Tickled with this new game, I continued even after returning to work.

Recently, I discovered the Facebook page called Halifax Rocks where people who are doing this very thing all over the region are sharing pictures of their creations and discoveries. It has over 14,000 members!

Why not start rockin’ with your family? Get outdoors, get moving, and spread the love.

PHOTO: MELANIE MOSHER

PHOTO: MELANIE MOSHER

Rockin’ Guidelines

Have fun.

• Use your imagination, anything goes. Monsters, bugs, inspirational words, flowers, and abstract mixes of brush strokes and colour. • There are no age restrictions. A fabulous idea for all members of the family.

Express your creativity.

• Choose rocks from responsible resources. Don’t take rocks from private property. • Be thoughtful when it comes to collecting rocks. Don’t hoard them. The idea is to share, so perhaps pick one up, admire it, and find a new spot to set it down. • Keep in mind you’re painting rocks for those who find them, as well as, yourself. While this is an opportunity to teach empathy and reap the benefits of random-acts-of-kindness, a young artist may be disappointed to find their masterpiece gone on a return trip to the trail. If they’ve painted a rock they can’t bear to part with consider placing it in their own yard or on a window sill. • Take pictures and share publicly on social media if you chose, or do it anonymously, and inwardly cherish the warmth of a good deed. • Encourage extended family to participate and invite friends, too. • Most of all, get outside, enjoy the company and the fresh air. n

Kids adapt to a COVID world

Teaching kids to stay pandemic-safe without turning them into germophobes is a delicate balance for parents

By Ameeta Vohra

When the pandemic hit, the everyday lives of our children changed immediately and drastically. Schools closed and classrooms became virtual.

Sports teams, clubs, and countless other activities vanished. Public health restrictions ended visits with friends and sleepovers.

Some parents wonder how the changes and rules are affecting children. Are they becoming germophobes and hypochondriacs?

Dr. Laura Rosen, a psychologist and clinical practice leader at the IWK Health Centre, says the team at the Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) clinic was expecting more demand for their services.

“At the onset of the pandemic, we saw a drastic decrease in overall demand for treatment,” she says. “That decrease in demand continued throughout the spring and most of the summer. Then, what happened was in the fall, we started to see a bit of an increase back to regular levels of what we would normally expect for our demand that time of year. Through the fall and winter, we’d seen a significant increase again in our demand over and above what we would normally see during those times of the year. It’s really across the board; there doesn't seem to be any one thing or any few things that we're seeing more of.”

Additionally, Rosen says that the clinic has seen an increase in contamination-based cases and other types of OCD.

“It’s not that we think it’s the pandemic that's created a new cohort of these new germophobes, but we’re seeing an increase in all types of OCD across the board as we moved into increased

“Whether or not they are aware of it, they’re watching and modelling their [parents’] behaviour all the time”

demand across the board for mental health and addictions treatment,” she says.

Rosen believes many factors contributed to the increasing number of cases during fall and winter.

“It was very much a novelty for a while, and we were also entering that first phase of the pandemic as the weather was getting better, it was getting nicer outside, and people were able to spend more time outside,” she says. “When the fall and winter came, we were still in this pandemic state that I think a lot of people at the beginning never thought our restrictions would last as long as they have ... I know we're very lucky in Nova Scotia with what we are able to do, but it’s still different from what we've been used to during other times.”

Parents have a big impact on how children feel and act, especially in exceptional circumstances like a pandemic.

“Whether or not they are aware of it, they’re watching and modelling their [parents’] behaviour all the time,” Rosen says. “When kids are coming in from battling anxiety or OCD or the like, often there is a bit of family history. One of the things that we can talk to parents about is trying not to show some symptoms that they may be struggling with to their kids as much as possible, just knowing that your kids are watching and they are going to model your behaviour.”

Rosen urges parents to watch kids of uncharacteristic behaviour.

“A lot of what we see are kids starting to ask a lot of questions about ‘are my hands clean?’” she says. “‘Did I just touch something? Do I need to go wash my hands?’ We’re taking more precautions these days about keeping our hands clean and sanitized, more so than we would have before.”

Complying with public health directives is ideal, but Rosen says parents should watch that kids aren’t going to unnecessary and unhealthy extremes.

Several resources are available. One option is to contact the IWK Health Centre to schedule an appointment to speak with a mental health professional.

“When we work with children and families in treatment, part of what the treatment for anxiety and OCD is reducing some of that reassurance and the accommodation that parents are often asked to do when their kids are reaching out because they’re worried about something,” Rosen says. “The idea behind the treatment is for kids to handle that distress that comes with the uncertainty of what the world is like. Everything is uncertain. It’s being able to feel more comfortable with that uncertainty.” n

• LEARN MORE

Rosen recommends books like What To Do When Your

Brain Gets Stuck and What To Do When You Worry So

Much. Both books are by Dawn Huebner, a parent

coach who has written 10 self-help books for kids. dawnhuebnerphd.com

• Talking Back to OCD by John March and Christine

Benton is another acclaimed self-help book, offering a practical eight-step program to help kids manage

OCD. Find it on Amazon.

• Anxiety Canada is a national charity aiming to share practical, evidence-based self-help resources. Find information and the free MindShift app on its website. anxietycanada.com.

A place to learn and grow

Camp Believe is a summer haven for kids affected by a parent's mental illness

By Jill Chappell

Each spring as students anticipate the arrival of long summer days in the sun, dozens of Nova Scotian children are anxiously awaiting their return to a place where they can be themselves and feel included.

“I don’t feel different than anyone else there. And I have no stress or worries when I’m at camp,” says one happy camper.

They're talking about Camp Believe, a weeklong overnight camp for children aged 10 to 18 who are impacted by a parent or guardian’s mental illness. An initiative of the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia, in partnership with Brigadoon Village, the camp is in the Annapolis Valley on Lake Aylesford. The fiveday getaway allows children to connect with others from similar family experiences while reaping the mental health benefits of nature and the summer camp experience.

“Camp is this magical bubble away from what makes the real world hard,” says Brigadoon Village summer director Tiffany MacInnes. “It presents meaningful opportunities for campers to work on things that are difficult and allows them to see what they’re actually capable of back home.”

Camp Believe provides inclusive programming, customized to meet the needs and interests of each camper. Activities include visual and performing arts, wilderness and environmental education, indoor and outdoor cooking, swimming and boating, and leadership challenges with a focus on mental health.

“Mental illness doesn’t occur in isolation; it affects the entire family,” says Starr Cunningham, president and CEO of the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia. “Parents and guardians who live with mental disorders can experience a lot of stress and guilt about how their illness impacts their children. On the flip side, children have a lot of questions and concerns related to their neurodiverse family lifestyle. Camp Believe is place where families can get the support they need to thrive in everyday life.”

During their week away from home, campers discuss their parent/guardian’s mental illness, learn about mental health, and develop coping skills. Once campers take part in these discussions and skilldevelopment sessions, they gain a better understanding of who they are, separate from their parents' diagnoses.

“She was able to talk openly with other campers about her mental illness and her home life without needing to explain everything,” says one parent. “The other campers understand and are dealing with the same things.”

The impact of Camp Believe is incredible. The majority of campers leave with new coping strategies they use on a regular basis. Many are more open and comfortable talking about their parent’s illness and life situation. Ninety-two per cent of campers say they feel better about themselves upon leaving and 80% show more confidence and independence.

“Our approach at camp is really positive reinforcement. We focus on pointing out the good choices they make and emphasizing their strengths,” says MacInnes. “The goal is for campers to leave having more positive words to describe themselves than before they arrived.” Mental illness does not discriminate. It impacts people of all ages, genders, races, and economic backgrounds. For parents and guardians who live with mental disorders, there is often an underlying worry about the impact on their children. Camp Believe helps address those concerns by helping children develop important life skills, character, and meaningful relationships that contribute to their continued growth and success. “He’s been able to stay

Camp Believe connects children who have similar family experiences.

Finding a new passion and developing new skills helps to separate children from their parents mental health diagnosis.

home alone which he refused to do this before this summer,” says a parent. “He is also participating in youth group. He still shuts down, but will request alone time, and then return and discuss afterwards. He’s been more open to discussing therapies and coping strategies. Camp Believe has been healing, provided growth, encouragement, and fun.”

Camp Believe also helps children manage their own mental health problems in healthy, constructive ways. Counsellors and staff work with campers to develop new ways to deal with difficult emotions and techniques to help with the unique challenges they face having a loved one who lives with mental illness.

“She’s a people person but it takes her a long time to feel comfortable enough to open up,” says another parent. “Camp has proven so beneficial for her. She opened up and let people in. She has been much more independent—remembering to do her chores without reminders. She has managed an anxiety attack almost entirely on her own since coming home from camp!”

The feedback from campers and parents is overwhelmingly positive. Campers return home with new friends and lifelong memories. Of the youth who attend Camp Believe, 100% hope to return the following summer and would recommend it to someone else.

“When I got there, I instantly felt safe and it felt very homey,” says another camper. “All the staff were so nice. I’m so glad I had the chance to go to Camp Believe. It made me more confident and it was so much fun!”

Camp Believe is scheduled to run from July 25 to 30, 2021. For more information or to register, visit mentalhealthns.ca/camp-believe.

Jill Chappell is the marketing and communications lead for the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia. She is a regular contributor to Our Children and Senior Living, and previously worked as anchor/producer at Global Halifax and CTV Atlantic. When the laptop closes, Jill loves to get outdoors: hiking, biking, swimming, and making the most of Canada’s Ocean Playground with her husband and twin boys. n

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We keep kids hoppin’!

You’ll never hear the words, ‘I’m bored!’ at White Point. We keep kids of all ages busy – from their stack of pancakes to the evening bonfire. And kudos to our recreation team for their creativity and dedication to keeping kids happy and safe – from the pool to the Boathouse. Come for daily activities, crafts, tennis, swimming, and of course... bunnies! Live nightly entertainment for big kids!

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