One story at a time…

We’ve all been there—breakfast gets skipped, a shoe goes missing, the school bus arrives too fast, and suddenly your child’s day feels off track before it’s even begun. For many children, especially those with ADHD or anxiety, morning disruptions don’t just feel like hiccups—they feel like hurricanes.

But what if we could teach kids to rewrite those tough starts into something powerful?

Why Transitions Are Tough for Kids
Small stressors can have a big impact, particularly in neurodivergent children. According to the Child Mind Institute, children with ADHD often experience challenges with executive functioning—making it harder to shift gears or recover from unexpected change (Child Mind Institute, 2022). Their nervous systems are still learning how to regulate.

When kids feel overwhelmed, their brains may slip into “fight, flight, or freeze” mode. This survival response can lead to shutting down, lashing out, or becoming overly withdrawn (American Psychological Association, 2017).

How Storytelling Can Help
This is where narrative coping comes in—a technique supported by pediatric psychologists and educators alike.

Turning a challenging event into a story gives children:

• Emotional distance from the moment
• Cognitive flexibility to see things from multiple perspectives
• A chance to reframe the experience in a way that builds confidence

As Dr. Karen Levine, a developmental psychologist, explains, “Helping children make sense of what happened through storytelling can be an incredibly effective therapeutic tool” (Levine, 2019). It activates the prefrontal cortex—the part of the brain responsible for planning, reasoning, and self-regulation (APA, 2017).

Try This at Home
Prompt your child to create a story about a character who had a rough morning—but turned it around by lunchtime. Let them decide what the character felt, how they responded, and what helped them recover. Through this safe and creative process, your child becomes the narrator of their own emotional journey.

Together with StoryMii’s tailored prompts and guided tools, you can support your child in imagining a better outcome—one where they’re in control.

Call to Action
Want to turn those hard mornings into moments of growth? Download the StoryMii app and help your child build resilience one story at a time.

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References:

• Child Mind Institute. (2022). Understanding Executive Functioning Issues.
• American Psychological Association. (2017). Narrative Coping and Emotional Regulation in Children.
• Levine, K. (2019). Developmental Approaches to Pediatric Anxiety.