I just love the concept of The Emotional Cup. It makes so much sense to me that children (and all of us!) have an internal "emotional cup" that needs to be filled with connection, play, and doing things they love to do and feel successful doing. When we do not have our cup filled often or fully enough, it also makes sense that we will feel stress or fatigue, or we may engage in misbehavior in an attempt to have our needs met. When we think about our internal state in this way, it is easy to see - we must fill our own cup, and work to fill children's cups! This can be done in big ways and small ways every day! (And as always, play, play, play!) This image is from upbility.net/blogs/news/the-emotional-cup - check it out for a free poster and more information!
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High Grove Families ~ We hope you can join us for Trunk or Treat tonight at High Grove! This is a drive-through event to ensure social distancing and safety for everyone. Put on your costumes, remain in your car, drive safely and slowly, and enjoy this family-friendly event! 5:30 tonight (10/19/2021) I have said it before and I will surely say it again: life is not easy, things can be hard, but the moment is as it is. When the going gets tough, try accepting the moment as it is, letting go, and most of all breathing deeply. I love this image from www.mondaycampaigns.org that really shows the slow, dependable rhythm of deep breathing. Do this for you and for those around you! Just breathe.
Wishing you well, ~ Ms. Brie Waiting is not easy for any of us! It is even harder for young children because they do not yet have fully-developed executive functioning skills and they have shorter attention spans. But wait time can also be an opportunity to play, connect, and share or learn with your child. Stuck waiting in traffic? Try a language-boosting game of I Spy with my Little Eye. Sitting in the doctor's office waiting for your appointment to begin? Play the Hand-Slap game or even make up a secret handshake with your child. Waiting for your food to arrive in a restaurant? Put the salt, pepper, and silverware on the table, remove one item while your child hides their eyes, and promote memory by asking them "What's missing?"
Often, as busy parents, we might take a look at our phones during wait time, but then we miss the opportunity to play! If you do decide to look at your phone, consider some shared media engagement time with your child (as in - watch something you both enjoy, together!) Take a look at this read-aloud video of the book Waiting is Not Easy! by one of my most favorite children's authors, Mo Willems. And next time you have to wait - turn it into a game you and your children can enjoy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGGsB-jBTlo I always love to share Cari Ebert's message! She is such an inspiration and I always learn so much from her. She has recently been sharing a lot of great information about autism acceptance and neurodiversity. Many of us (myself included) need to work on the way we talk about autism. Autism is a way of learning and experiencing the world - it is not a condition that needs to be "fixed" or a disease that needs to be cured. As professionals and as good humans, we should avoid using words such as "warning signs" or "symptoms", and we should adapt our own behaviors and the environment for our little autistic learners, rather than changing the child. Please check her out on facebook at Cari Ebert Seminars or on the web at www.cariebertseminars.com for more wonderful information and lots of great strategies!
Welcome back to our returning High Grove students and families, and welcome to all of our new ones! We are so happy you are here with us! We are wishing you all a happy and healthy school year that will be full of fun and learning.
Starting something new can be difficult, but together we can do hard things. Remember to slow down, to be present to help your children with their emotional needs, and when in doubt, to take deep breaths! When teaching young children to take deep, calming breaths, visuals and manipulatives can be very helpful. Try using visuals like this one, or use other manipulatives such as bubble wands and bubbles, scented stickers, or pinwheels to really encourage that deep breath in and that long, slow breath out. Also be sure to model deep breathing when things are hard for you, and talk about what you are doing. Children learn so much from what they see us doing, even in stressful or difficult moments. High Grove Families,
As the 2020-2021 school year is ending, I want to take a moment to wish everyone well! It has been a difficult year, and many of us have experienced loss, hardship, and change. My wish for you is that this summer can be a time for togetherness, recovery, health, and happiness. For families with young children, my wish for you is that you find time to play, learn, and grow together! Soak in the sun and enjoy the moments! Until next year, Wishing you well, Ms. Brie Spending time playing with your children is not only fun and healthy for both parent and child, but it literally changes brain chemistry for our children! Special play time is a dedicated part of the daily routine in which a parent and child remove other distractions and focus on playfulness and connection with one another. It can be short and sweet, and doesn't require any special toys or training. It encourages children to have a stronger attention span, a more balanced mood, cooperative behavior, and stronger social connections with others. For parents or teachers who have behavioral concerns for their children, I often suggest adding 10 minutes of special play time into the daily routine. Research has indicated that 10 minutes of connection and play reduces power struggles in a classroom or home setting by 50% or more! Try adding this simple, fun daily routine and watch as your child smiles and cooperates for the rest of the day! If you have difficulty finding the extra time because of demanding schedules and life stressors, then add playfulness to a part of your daily routine that is already in place, such as the car ride or bath time. And if you're not sure what to do during special play time, let your child lead the way! All you have to do is let go of other distractions, such as cell phones, television, or chores, get down on the floor, and enjoy.
For many of us, it has been such a difficult year. We may have experienced loss, worry, fear, and change. This year has been especially hard for the most vulnerable among us, including children. We may all be in need of extra mental health support to help with coping, recovery, and day-to-day life. If you find yourself in need of mental health support, please ask someone for help. You may be able to get help through your doctor, your employer, a community support network, or a loved one. Our children may also need extra support, and the best way to help them is often to slow down, spend more time together, connect, and play. Take a moment to read this quote. Take a breath, let it sink in, and look for ways in your life to connect meaningfully with your young children, for their benefit and for your own!
Wishing you well! Ms. Brie Spring weather is here! Do you ever notice how the fresh air and sunshine seem to make you feel good? It is actually true: outdoor play, exercise in wide open spaces, and exposure to nature literally boost mood, reduce anxiety, and promote mental health. So we should all look for opportunities to be outside with our children - for their benefit and for our own. This spring, try some of these outdoor play ideas:
* Go for a nature walk. You can do this on your own sidewalk, or find a park that has a nature trail. Wrap some tape (sticky side out) on your little one's wrist, and tell them to collect nature treasures they find along the way. This will help them to notice the world around them, and can be a fun way for a parent and child to walk, talk, and connect. * Park it. Take advantage of our great community parks! Look for parks that have fun, inviting playground equipment (great for boosting gross motor skills) as well as wide open, green play spaces (great for mental health and boosting attention). * Sidewalk chalk rocks! You can use sidewalk chalk and a little creativity to playfully teach pre-academic skills, such as color, shape, and letter recognition. Draw some shapes together, then tell your child to jump on the pink shapes or the green shapes. Then tell them to jump on all the circles, or all the squares. Children will remember these things much more readily if the learning experience includes playfulness and gross motor movements. You can also take turns lying down on the sidewalk and tracing one another's outline, or drawing fun hopscotch or obstacle courses. Have fun with it! * Have a book picnic. Choose a book or two, and maybe a snack, and find a shady outdoor space to read together. The outdoor space and lack of distractions from screens and toys may boost your child's interest in the book and increase attention span. * Get your heart rate up! Try a quick game of tag, hide-and-seek, duck-duck-goose, or a simple foot race. Even if only for a few seconds at a time, a burst of exercise can do wonders for mental and physical health! |
AuthorHi, I'm Brie Krentz, and I'm the School Psychologist at HGECC. I care about the social, emotional, behavioral, and mental health of all of our children, and I believe in Conscious Discipline as a way to minimize behavior problems and to help children connect meaningfully with others. Archives
October 2021
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