Thursday, April 30, 2020

Sounds :)

In Mindfulness, we talk a lot about using our 5 senses (sight, smell, hearing, taste and touch) to help us be present in the moment.  Some sounds can make you feel calm and relaxed, while others may make you feel excited or happy and some can even make you feel a little stressed or frustrated.  Please explore these SOUNDS and see how they make you feel and which one you like the best :)


Blog with links to relaxing sounds:


Positive Background Music for Kids-Morning Time (somewhat energizing)


(Water sounds):


(Forest Sounds):

Parent Tip:  Take a “Sound Bath”.  This website from the University of Nevada, Reno explains why sound and music can help in stress reduction.  This site has a sampler of 11 different types of music...take a “Sound Bath” and discover the different effects music has on your sense of well-being:




10 Benefits of Listening to Relaxing Music:



Friday, April 24, 2020

Inner Coach Poster :)

Inner Coach Statement Poster:


Remote learning can pose many challenges for children and families.  One idea we talk about in Guidance classes is the Inner Coach (positive thoughts) vs. the Inner Critic (negative thoughts).  These two “voices” are thoughts we all can have inside of our head - we make these up for ourselves, sometimes slowly over time.  We talked about this concept in our blog last month-so take a peek a few weeks back if you need a review :)


Activity:  (Inspired by a student at Abbot!)  
  • Create an Inner Coach statement poster.  
    • Include photos of things that bring you joy (ie, family photos, pictures of animals that you like, etc.).  
    • Write Inner Coach statements to coach you on as you do your work!  (examples may include “You Got This!”, “You’re half-way there, almost done!”)
    • Take a break, and take a look at your poster!  The poster can be by your computer work space, or in a different area of your living space where you could take a break.


Parent Tip:


We know caregivers and parents are working very hard right now, here’s a little acknowledgement and inspiration from Elmo’s dad! (Did you know he has a dad?)   



Thursday, April 16, 2020

Gratitude

Gratitude: What is it?  Check out this video to learn more :)




Why now . . . especially now!  During the most challenging times it is important to look for what is going well and what you are grateful for even if it is hard.  You can change the way you feel just by how you think. When you think about things you are grateful for you will feel happier. Small things count!


Practice and Grow your Gratitude Muscle:
To strengthen your gratitude muscle you need practice.  The more you practice the easier it will get. See if you can find a way to add Gratitude into your daily routine.


Here are some ideas:


*Make a gratitude jar . . . when it is full, do something specific as a family to celebrate :)


*Start waking up and going to bed saying 1 thing you are grateful for


*Start a gratitude journal . . .


*Make a poster of pictures and words (e.g. draw, write, use images from magazines, pictures, etc.) you are grateful for



Parent Tip:  

“REPEAT AFTER ME: THIS. IS. TEMPORARY.”

This is a blog that has some helpful “mantras” or phrases you may need to help you through during this time.  See if one might fit for you.  



Thursday, April 9, 2020

Mindful Coloring

MINDFUL COLORING . . . something so simple, but everyone seems to enjoy.

Materials needed are simple:  paper, any type of drawing or writing utensils (colored pencils, crayons, markers, pens, or pencils), mindful coloring sheets (or any coloring sheets will do), or even a blank piece of paper.  

Why is mindful coloring so helpful?  Sometimes doing the same thing over and over (repetition) is very soothing and calming, focusing on staying in the lines can be calming too (it’s ok if you can’t stay in the lines - nobody is perfect :),  and the pressure from feeling the coloring utensil in your fingers and from coloring on a hard surface can feel very calming.  

Mindful coloring can help us feel more positive and help distract us from things that might be worrying us … such a simple activity to help you stay in the moment.  Keep this one in your “toolbox” of strategies when you might be feeling a need for a break!

Ms. Newton colored a rainbow and placed it on her window for “rainbow hunts” for families to find while taking walks:

Ms. Wendler and her son did some Mindful painting on their window.



Coloring Sheets:
Here are some fun animal mindfulness coloring sheets (scroll down the page to see 12 sheets to choose from):  Animal Mindfulness Coloring

Parent Tip: 
Because sometimes we need evidence to remind ourselves something as seemingly unimportant as relaxing and coloring is actually very important!  


Keep Calm and Color - Keep calm & … Adult Coloring Pages

Thursday, April 2, 2020

Just Breathe . . .

Just Breathe….

We often use deep breathing exercises during our Mindfulness Moments before starting our guidance lessons.  There are many different ways children can practice deep breathing.

The key to deep breathing is to breathe in through your nose and fully exhale using your mouth. 

The link below (2.5 minutes) leads children through “box breathing”

Another form of deep breathing is “Belly Breathing” (we do this type most often with guidance lessons - you may also hear this called “Balloon Breathing”).  Kids can practice becoming more familiar with breathing from their bellies (versus breathing from their chests) by laying down and placing a stuffed animal on their bellies and watching their bellies rise and fall with deep breaths.

Belly Breathing for kids (adults can benefit too), step-by-step: 


Parent Tip: We know that life may feel overwhelming at times, especially now when we are having to be flexible mostly always (this can leave us feeling exhausted at times).  If possible, set aside a little time to “re-center” or “ground” yourself. Taking care of ourselves, even for 10-15 minutes a day, a few times a day, will hopefully give us a little renewed energy.  It’s good to take breaks, whatever that might mean for you.

Two quick ways to re-center and take time for ourselves include mindfulness breathing and guided meditation.  Choose a time, either before your children are awake or at the end of the day where you might be able to steal away 5 - 10 minutes of uninterrupted time.  Here are a few very short breathing and guided meditation:

  1. Belly breathing for adults (3 minutes):

  1. Guided Meditation (7 minutes) - the first 3.5 minutes are guided followed by nature sounds/quiet, with 30 seconds at the end of guided meditation closure.  

Keep an open mind while hearing this meditation for the first time because it begins with “Make sure you won’t be disturbed for the next 7 minutes..” (and we know how difficult this may be with kids at home!).  *This is a great exercise to do before the kids are up in the morning, or at the end of the day when it may be more quiet.