World Kindness Day - Early Start

Gratitude as the Antidote

“Piglet noticed that even though he had a Very Small Heart, it could hold a rather large amount of Gratitude.” - A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

For many years, we have been reading research on the connections between the practice of gratitude and happiness, health, improvements in personal or professional relationships.  Though the definition of gratitude varies, most studies confirm that there is much to be gained by recognizing, reflecting on, and articulating experiences or things that are valuable and meaningful to us.  In Praise of Gratitude, published several years ago around the Thanksgiving season in America, lists some easy "Ways for Cultivating Gratitude"from thanking someone mentally to keeping a gratitude journal.

In her "Creativity in Therapy" blog, Carolyn Mehlomakulu shared the idea of using a "Gratitude Jar" as a tool to "increasing awareness of positive things in one's life".

I believe I will start with being grateful for the jar of Strawberry Rhubarb jam which will put me on my journey of gratitude this school year!

How to Disagree - Wisdom from Kid President

Quoting Mandela, Gandhi, and Meowth!

Rude, Mean, or Bullying

In "Is it Rude, Is it Mean, or Is it Bullying", Signe Whitson, L.S.W., author of Passive Aggressive Diaries, through some real life examples, helps us differentiate between types of negative social behaviors.  Teaching politeness or kindness is very different from restoring an imbalance of power.  Having a keen understand of the difference between rudeness, meanness, and bullying will help us better support our children in their social experiences.  Children need us to respond appropriately as caring adults at school and at home.  Under- or over-reacting both have negative consequences.  It is important that we validate their experiences while helping them developing strategies such as speaking up, being considerate, reading social situations correctly, or getting help when they need it.

Reading Stories with our Children Helps them Develop Empathy

Now that the sand toys are dried and back in storage, and we are a couple of weeks into our back-to-school routines, many families are settling back into the wonderful habit of reading to and reading with our children.  There are few things more precious than this stage of parenting.  The dishes can wait.  The emails can wait.  The opportunity to spend this kind of quality and bonding time with our children will come and go very quickly.  So leave the phones, the iPads, and the computers beyond our reach and beyond our earshot.  Let's pick up a book or two and snuggle on the couch to read for a while.

Do make this a low stress and enjoyable time.  Read to the children, or buddy read every other page, or listen to them read.  Take a minute and talk about the characters.  Imagine what it is like to be that character and how (s)he is feeling in that situation.  Such activities help our children develop the capacity to think about other people, their experiences, and help them grow empathy, a key component of emotional intelligence.

Also, the positive emotional experience of reading together is also good for us.

This is How Literary Fiction Teaches Us to Be Human
By TOM BLUNT September 15, 2016

Say it Dufferently

Transitioning back to a full schedule with school, music, sports, and a myriad of activities and demand on our energies can be stressful.  Let's be mindful about our words.  They are powerful~

A Perfect Balance

"You only work 180+ days? You are so lucky!"

Yes, and yes...but

Those 180+ days are 24/7 about these little people whom we love: the students, their families, and their lives are constantly on our minds and in our hearts.  There is nothing like teaching (or school counseling in my case).  It is so deeply meaningful and we love it very much!

It can also be all consuming. So....fellow educators, please take the summer and take good care of yourselves.  Here is a wonderful article with some inspiring thoughts~  See you all in two months!

A Summer PlanHOW TO STRIKE THE RIGHT BALANCE BETWEEN UNWINDING AND ACHIEVING
BY BARI WALSH, ON JUNE 20, 2016 4:53 PM