Modeling Quiet Time

There are so many distractions in the current world and the kiddos are WOUND UP with electronics, constant programming, sports teams .... all of which have their place.

But ... it's hard for a kiddo to find a space to relax, unwind, and just think. 

These days, grown-ups are suffering from the same "affliction," and have limited space (physical or mental) for reflection, dreaming, creating, etc. 

Telling your child to have some quiet time doesn't always help them to understand what you mean by that. Like any concept, MODELING this for your children is a critical piece of teaching them to make space for their own quiet time. 

Take some time to show your child, by example, what quiet time would look like, sound like, feel like.

• Get comfy in a chair and read an actual paper book or magazine. Recharge and take your time, focusing on something, instead of scanning.  
• Take a blanket outdoors with some books and writing paper (or not) and have quiet time in the shade. Enjoy the benefits of being outdoors.
• Find a corner of the room to sit in with minimal distractions and write, diary style or free style, any thoughts you have - or doodle. 
• Turn the lights down, put on some soft music and just let your thoughts wander. Regulate your breathing to lower your stress. 

Let yourself enjoy some quiet time, and your child will learn that this is a great time for dreaming, relaxing … and for self-regulation. Sometimes the stress of our go-go world is too much, and having tools to decompress is important. 

"Mindfulness" is a concept that has been publicized a lot in recent days. There are books, videos, audio tracks, etc. to help you on the path to mindfulness. So many folks are looking for an easier way or more time-efficient way to do things, but mindfulness (or quiet time) is not going to fit into that category. Carving out some special time to be quiet, spend time with yourself, find things that make you joyful ... this is a process.

MODEL for your children, and enjoy the side benefits of winding down and chilling out. 

Have fun!

Mindful "Noticing" in Springtime!

 As Spring emerges, "noticing" has become our favorite word. We notice buds on bushes, water streams after the rain, pods lying on the sidewalk. Many "gifts" have been brought in - dandelions, shiny rocks, flower petals ... all the signs of spring!

As good as the children are at noticing, sometimes we adults are so busy organizing and planning, and just doing, that we miss the opportunities that are presenting themselves ... to stop and look through the eyes of the child next to us, and see where we can go with the subjects they are showing interest in.

Welcome and celebrate the interests of each child - see where their interests lie by the things they consider treasures and want to share with you or their friends. Find a way to incorporate telling about treasure in your day - a show and share type of activity, expanding vocabulary, and promoting conversation and questioning. Try taking turns filling a special bag or box and sharing what's inside! Each day could be a different surprise!

Explorations in parts of a flower or plant, how trees come back to bud, life cycles of plants and animals ... all of these "growth" topics are great for springtime, with examples all around us. Asking open-ended questions, such as "What would you like to do with it?" or "How can we find out?" will get your child more involved in the exploration.

Set up a "sticky wall" to give your children a place to display their treasures. A square of contact paper, hung sticky side out and tacked onto a window or other surface, can become a favorite display and organizing tool for your kiddos. With the light coming in, treasures are highlighted and can become a focus for future explorations. A dedicated exploration center, with small bins and boxes, is another way to organize special things that should be handled and examined. See what tools you have lying around - kiddos are always excited about magnifying glasses and plastic pincers - the tools of a "real" scientist!

Add art materials to the mix! Leave paper for sketching and clay for sculpting near the objects and see what they decide to do - maybe make a sculpture with sticks and flowers incorporated, or mold a tower with clay and rocks.

Combining natural materials with traditional art materials gives your kids a whole new experience! Sketching a rock with all its veins and colors helps children really see all the variety in its appearance, instead of just seeing a brown oval shape. It takes them deeper in "noticing."

 During the day, as you go about activities, make sure that you are present in the moment to witness these experiences, as often as you can. This attention to the little things is the mindfulness we hear so much about lately - young children are so good at this naturally, if we give them the opportunity :)

Have fun!

Little Ones With Big Feelings

When we try something new, we sometimes have feelings of fear, anxiety, or just uncertainty. Little ones just starting school may have these feelings, too, but aren't sure how to express them.

Parents and teachers can help by naming those feelings with them and giving them a funny face, like an emoticon, to label those butterflies-in-the-tummy times. Giving children tools to express themselves can sometimes help avoid those meltdowns created by big changes, and make for a much happier adjustment to school.

Use a little drawing to launch a chat about what your kiddo is feeling. Ask them to think about what face they'd like to have - and then work out a plan with them of how to get there. Maybe arranging a first day walk-to-school partner, or enclosing a family photo in their lunch boxes would help :) Getting your little one talking about feelings encourages them to share fears and dispel any unfounded ideas they may be internalizing.

Try this to get them giggling: Sing a little song with them to help them voice what's going on inside ...

If you're happy and you know it, show your smile, if you're happy and you know, show your smile, if you're happy and you know it - then your face will surely show it, if you're happy and you know it, show your smile! 

Then ...
If you're sad and you know it, make sad eyes ...
If you're mad and you know it, make a face ...

They will be in charge of coming up with some very silly faces :-o

When they complete that all-important first day, make sure you do a happy face check-in. Just another way of getting ready for school!!

Have fun!

Mindful Fun in the Summertime!

I've been reading a lot about mindfulness lately ... being in the moment isn't always the easy way to do things, but the benefits are amazing!

Whatever generation you are raising your children in, there have always been distractions from being able to live in the moment and teaching your children with simple things, daily things, that are organic and part of your day. Whether it is housework, laundry, careers, parents, health concerns ... all of these take our attention and use up part of our brain ... and now, it's also screen time. I'm guilty! I probably don't go an hour without looking at either my phone or my iPad.

If you fit this profile, try this ...

As you go through the day, check out what is happening right in front of you. When you're making toast, watch as the butter melts on the bread - have your child notice the heat and what happens. Have your child set the table, counting out forks and spoons as they go. Practice pouring with your little ones and see how quantities fit into different sized and shaped containers. Be mindful of the lessons your child is exposed to through these everyday activities. Build vocabulary by talking and questioning through these "lessons."

Apply the same mindfulness to your summer fun time! Toes in the water - notice how it makes your skin change, how the water droplets can make a rainbow, what the bubbles in the sand are from... Pre-swimming lessons - breathe deeply, see how the air puffs out your body, feel how the air pushes out, float on the surface ... Garden play - watch a bug work, see the buds appear, spread the dirt out and examine the crystal and shiny rock pieces... slow down and smell the roses :)

Look for opportunities as you go through each day to bring focus to the activities at hand. Each simple activity gives your child the opportunity to develop language skills, social skills, and motor skills. It helps them connect experiences and knowledge. Practicing mindfulness in your own life shows your child, through modeling, how to do this themselves. And, it's good for you!

Have fun!