Tulips on the Fence

It's a rare occasion - being home in the middle of the day, having a reflective moment.  The flu may have its perks after all!  Looking at the "new" fence, which has been about 4/15 finished for 3 years brought on a chuckle.  For a number of very good reasons, projects don't always get completed quickly at our home.  For 98% of the time, we don't fight about it because we both know that we both do things that drive the other one batty.  (But I get to pick which ones gets blog about.)  Being able to laugh at these things have proved better for the family, once we get over being concerned about what other people think.  After all, other people do not get to enjoy the haven that is our home, to which each of us gladly return at the conclusion of our day in the outside world.

It did get me thinking though about advise for our daughters.  Perhaps they should do projects with their significant others before making any permanent decisions, you know,  just to see if they work well  together. Projects seem to be what people do so much of nowadays.  We could administer the Myers-Briggs or the Compass Protocol to assess the match in their personalities or work approaches.  Or they could each marry her best friend and figure it out from there.  After all, if we knew too much about each other, or if we knew too much of what was to come, perhaps very few would take the leap.

As we approach Valentine's Day, let's celebrate the leaps of faith (or hope) many have taken.  Let's also remember that a marriage is about two people finding their way through projects, sometimes parenting, and almost always painful times.  As a wise woman (a lovely Mrs. Tapia) once told me, when the children are launched, only the two of us will remain.  Let's always be building our marriages with that in mind.

Finding a Therapist

Parents and guardians sometimes asks about finding "good" clinicians for their children.  In the February 4th, 2013 Boston Globe Article "Finding the best therapist can be confusing", Patricia Wen explains the reality of looking for the right counselor.  In summary - it is advisable to always start with the primary care physician, to rule out any medical issues which may be related to the concerns.  Determining what the family's insurance will pay for is also important.  Sometimes, it takes calling a few names down the list before a family will find someone who has an opening for a new client.  But perhaps the most important piece of the puzzle is whether the child and his/her family connect with the clinician.  I often explain to families that just because one counselor is very effective with a particular child, it does not guarantee that (s)he is a good match for theirs.

The companion section - "Caregivers: Who they are and what they do" is super informative.  Please take the time to read both!  Thank you Ms. Wen!

Free Apps

Courtesy of Beth Lloyd, our Occupational Therapist at the Hosmer School:

Hands on equations (the fun way to learn algebra)

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/math-drills-lite/id302881372?mt=8

Learn Spanish For kids

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/learn-spanish-for-kids-bilingual/id488624401?mt=8

Touch World (Geography)

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/touchworld/id576809650?mt=8

Solar system for kids

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/interactive-minds-solar-system/id578659268?mt=8

Working on opposites? Try this for the younger kiddos:  You And Me: We're  Opposites

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/you-me-were-opposites/id579548884?mt=8

And this for the older crowd: The Opposites

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/the-opposites/id480194638?mt=8

Do your students still need more math facts practice?  These two apps are free today:

Math Plus Minus  (Customizeable!  Make sure you go to settings to choose your language and how large the numbers are) 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/math-plus-minus-addition-subtraction/id477104659?mt=8

Taps Times Tables (you can choose your language)

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tap-times-tables-multiplication/id457383394?mt=8

She also gave the excellent advise - that we can download the app, try it out, delete it from our devices, and they will still be available in our account.  They are usually only free for a day.

Talking to Children about Violence

The National Association of School Psychologist offers a two page handout for parents and educators on how to talk to children about violence.  (Click on "handout" to access the document)

Responding to Today's Tragedy

When tragedies occur, we are all deeply impacted.  Children are so intuitive, they can sense our fears and sadness.  That is why as parents and significant adults in children's lives, we have to be thoughtful about our reactions.  If possible, they do not need to be exposed to the news or our conversations about the event.  If they are aware of what has happened, let them know that together, we always do every thing we can to keep them safe.  Keep it simple and factual, don't over-explain, only answer the question being asked.  They will ask more questions if they need more information.  It is okay to say "I don't know" especially if they ask why.  Let them know that this is rare, not something that happens every day, like hurricane Sandy.

We have to contain our own fears and anxieties and focus on their sense of safety.  Please remember that the school is one of the many places which can help with tough questions.  Also, below please find a link to a good resource about how to talk to our children.

How To Talk with Kids about a School Shooting

These are the moments to remember how important it is to stop what we are doing and listen to them when they want to talk to us.  Love them for who they are.  Hug them as often as we can~

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Helpers

Improving Today

89 Simple Swaps That Could Change Your Life | Greatist

This made me feel hopeful today. Picked two to try; just two because we are going for moderation today~

• 66. Meditation for comfort food.
• 3. Incline for flat treadmill.

  
  

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