We hope you enjoy Calming Yoga with Amalia Trieger. The props that we’ll be using are two yoga blocks and a blanket. If you don’t have that at home, no need to worry. You can use whatever you have around the house.
Coronavirus
So Ham Meditation: 6-12 Movement and Mindfulness With Jen Champion
Welcome to movement and mindfulness for grades 6 – 12 with Jen Champion. For this class, you will need your yoga mat, yoga blocks an empty wall space and/or a folding chair. Hope you enjoy!
Animal Parade: K-5 Movement and Mindfulness With Jen Champion
Welcome to K-5 movement and mindfulness with Jen Champion. For this class, you will need your yoga mat and an open heart! Hope you enjoy.
Why Working Parents Are Angry, And What They Can Do About It
Calling all working parents… this article is for you!
If you’ve been working from home these past six months and have little kids at home, you know how tiring it can be.
Having conference calls and watching a toddler at the same time can be challenging.
By this point, almost all of us have been interrupted during important meetings at least once! So many parents have been struggling to entertain and educate their children at home while also working a 9-5 job.
All that additional responsibility can be frustrating and lead to anger. Anger is not a fun feeling. But it is completely normal and can even be useful.
Anger is designed to keep us safe and encourage action! However, too much of anything is not healthy.
There are plenty of mindset shifts that can help us deal with anger in healthy ways. But today we are going to talk about acceptance! Accepting anger does not mean ignoring it. It means coming to terms with situations out of our control.
Remember, not every problem can be solved, and that’s okay. The sooner we understand that, the sooner we can move on.
We can also try and listen to what our anger is telling us and challenge our thoughts. Just because we can’t change a certain situation doesn’t mean we can’t change the way we think about it. If you’ve made it this far, you’re already on the right track! You may be feeling a little apprehensive or angry right now, but every day will get easier. Learn More
Helping Your Child Succeed And Have Fun While Distance Learning This Year
Want your child to have a successful and fun school year while distance learning? Well, it’s easier than you may think. Keep reading to learn more.
Set Up A Distraction-Free Workspace
If your child’s study room turned into yet another playroom, there is no need to worry. Transforming it back into a study room is an easy fix.
Having a designated school zone can help your child concentrate, be creative, and have fun!
Keep in mind; they don’t need an entire home office space to themselves to be successful. You can set up a desk for them in the hallway, guest room, or bonus room. When they take a break, encourage them to step away from the desk and go into another room.
This will help their brain better understand that their desk is designed for homework and other areas of the home are designed for play.
Encourage Conversation
Sometimes kids and teens can have a hard time opening up and coming to terms with their emotions. It’s like when you ask your child how their day at school was, and they reply with “fine.”
A great way to work around this is by asking them open-ended questions.
Here are a few examples.
1) How are you feeling about distant learning this year?
2) What are you most looking forward to experiencing this year?
3) How prepared do you feel for this year?
Say Goodbye to Multitasking
No matter how simple or complex the task at hand may be, multitasking is not the answer.
When we multitask, we are much more likely to make careless mistakes along the way, which can significantly slow us down in the long run.
Having multiple tabs open at once, texting, or listening to a podcast may feel like a good idea at the moment, but it can actually be very draining and stressful.
Be Flexible
The truth is, even the most thought out plans aren’t always a success. And that’s okay!
Of course, it’s always a good idea to set up a game plan at the start of the school year.
But at the same time, none of us know for sure what this year will look like.
Every day is a new day, and we need to roll with the punches. It may be a challenge at first, but your child is resilient and they’ve got this! Learn More
What Scientists Have To Say About Boredom And The Brain
Think about it. Your brain never gets a day off. Every single day our brain works hard to listen, make decisions, and keep us safe. The brain is so devoted to protecting us that it never takes a break.
Even when we’re sleeping, our brain is still running. Keep in mind that getting enough sleep is extremely important for our brain, and it’s health. When we don’t get enough sleep, the brain can’t function properly, which can lead to problems down the line. Believe it or not, sleep isn’t the only gift you can give your brain.
Wondering what the other gift is?
If you guessed embracing boredom, you are correct!
Benefits of Embracing Boredom
The idea of sitting down and doing nothing can seem quite counterintuitive. However, it can actually work wonders on our productivity.
When we are constantly on the go, we are much more likely to experience burnout and decision fatigue.
Several studies show that boredom can increase productivity and creativity.
Just Be
When life gets busy sometimes, we can forget to take a minute to just be and do nothing.
Many famous writers have said their best ideas have come to them while taking a shower or organizing the house. It just goes to show how powerful the brain can be, and how ideas can come to us anytime. So many of us have a daily to-do list. But, it may be time to think outside the box and start a to-be-list.
Taking a casual walk around the block or stretching for as little as 5 minutes a day can make a huge difference! What are you waiting for? It’s time to embrace boredom and give your brain the rest it needs. Learn More
Changing The Way You Look At Online Dating
Due to COVID-19, many people think that dating just isn’t an option. But that is not the case whatsoever.
Online dating is a fantastic way to meet new people and step outside of your comfort zone.
We live in a world that is constantly changing, and people all over the world have met their partners through dating apps and websites.
Even though dating apps have not been around for that long, they have many strong success stories.
Next Steps
Keep in mind that relationships can’t stay online forever.
Sometimes it’s easier to open up and form a connection online. You’d be surprised how well you can get to know someone by instant messaging.
The thing is, sometimes, text messages can get misinterpreted along the way and our emotions can play tricks on us.
Even if you’ve been talking to someone online for months, actually setting up an in-person date can be scary.
Your Attitude Matters
Go into every date with an open mind, and remember there is no such thing as a bad date!
The first date can go one of two ways. Either the two of you have a good time and make a plan to go out again.
Or you realize that the spark isn’t there and you walk away with a new friend.
Set Reasonable Expectations
Sometimes we can go into dates with very high expectations, which can bring on a lot of pressure and anxiety. There is no such thing as perfection, and no one is expecting you to be perfect.
Dating Takes Patience
Remember, dating is a process, and there is no set in the stone rule book.
The best thing you can do is put yourself out there, keep an open mind, and have fun!
Coping With Parenting Stress By Pressing The Pause Button
Being a parent is a full-time job. Although it’s very rewarding, it can also be quite stressful.
These past several months have been a lot to take in for both parents and children.
And now that back-to-school is just around the corner, both you and your child may be experiencing additional stress.
Whether your stress levels are high or low, taking just a few moments to pause every day can help you live in the moment and decrease stress.
Here are a few tips and tricks that can help you get started…
Prioritize:
There are only so many hours in a day to get things done. When life gets busy, we can often put our hobbies and/or passion projects on hold.
Never feel guilty about practicing self-care and doing things that make you happy.
Self-Compassion:
As a parent, it’s common to put your child’s needs before your own and put yourself last.
At the end of the day, you have to be your own best friend – not your worst enemy.
Be kind to yourself. Give yourself some credit. You are doing the best you can.
Focus On The Here And The Now:
No matter what we say or do, we can’t change the past and we can’t predict the future.
Sometimes we can spend hours worrying about what may or may not happen tomorrow, instead of living in the moment and focusing on the now.
No one knows for sure what the rest of the year has in store for us. All we can do is spend time with loved ones, appreciate life and hit the pause button when we need to. Learn More
Let’s Rediscover Your Motivation
You have the ability to achieve anything you set your mind to! You just have to rediscover your motivation!
Set SMART Goals:
Regular goal setting is a fantastic way to increase your overall motivation.
Setting SMART goals can give you something to work towards on a day to day basis, and give you a sense of direction. You don’t have to set large goals right away. You can start small and work your way up.
Just remember to keep your goals SMART:
Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely.
Set Daily Tasks:
Of course, having a solid set of goals can help you stay on track and think about the future. However, sometimes that isn’t enough to keep you motivated throughout the day.
When you have so many things to do, it can often be difficult to know where to begin.
Taking just a few minutes every morning to write down your most important tasks can help declutter the mind and prioritize your day. Whenever a task is completed, you can cross it off and move onto the next one.
At the end of the day, you can look back on your list and celebrate how much you got done.
Build a Consistent Routine:
Writing out a to-do list is one thing. Following it in an appropriate order is another.
There will always be items on your list that ideally should be completed before others. Some people prefer to tackle the most complicated items first thing, while others prefer to take it easy and work their way up.
You know yourself best. If you want to succeed, you have to do what works for you. A great hack is to label your to-do list in order of priority.
An “A” task must always be completed before a “B” task, and a B task must always be completed before a “C” task.
Emphasize Self-Care:
Practicing self-care and listening to your body is one of the best ways to prevent burnout. When we’re constantly on the go and worrying about things, it’s easy for our motivation to slip away.
We all have those days where we just don’t feel motivated – and that’s okay!
Continuing to work on a task when our energy levels just aren’t there can be very exhausting and counterproductive.
If you feel like you need a break, go take one!
Call a Friend:
Being around people can be very motivating and give you some much-needed energy. As you know, getting together with friends is not an option right now. But that doesn’t mean you can’t call or FaceTime the people you love.
The next time you catch yourself feeling unmotivated, call up a friend and talk about something you love and/or are excited about.
That simple change of mindset can completely transform your mood.
Energy Flows Where Attention Goes: 6-12 Movement and Mindfulness With Jen Champion
Welcome to movement and mindfulness for grades 6 – 12 with Jen Champion. For this session you are going to need your non slick surface and a chair. We hope you enjoy the class.
4 Healthy Habits To Help You Deal With Stress
Practice Mindfulness + Meditation:
Mindfulness is all about stepping back and truly observing how and what we are feeling in the moment.
When it comes to dealing with stress, you need to accept and understand what’s happening and why.
Practicing mindfulness can help you get to that realization. The next time you catch yourself feeling stressed, ask yourself the following…
What am I feeling right now? Why am I feeling this way? How can I move past this?
We can’t always prevent or predict stress. But there are several techniques and tools out there that can help us embrace and accept it.
Set Up A Relaxation Zone:
Setting up a little relaxation zone in your bedroom can be very therapeutic.
There is no right or wrong way to decorate a relaxation zone. As long as it’s full of things that make you feel calm, that’s all that matters.
The next time you catch yourself feeling stressed, you can head on over to your relaxation zone and take all the time you need to unwind.
You can play calming music, stretch or spray essential oils.
Practice Self Care:
You know, yourself and your body best. If you feel like you need an extra hour of sleep, or have to turn down an invitation, go ahead and do it.
At the end of the day, nothing is more important than your health and wellbeing.
Being well-rested can help you better handle stressful events and prevent burnout.
Know Your Triggers:
We all have our own definition of stress. What you find stressful, someone else may find fun and vice versa.
Once you know your triggers, you can come up with a game plan!
With a little creativity and willingness to think about the box, you can become more resilient and deal with stress in healthier ways.
Coping With Back-To-School Uncertainty
It’s no secret that this school year will be far different than most. Children haven’t stepped foot in an actual classroom for many months now, and it’s been quite a unique summer.
The unknown can often be scary, and right now, no one knows for sure what this school year will look like.
Most children love the first day of school. It’s always so nice to catch up with friends, play games and chat about summer.
This year, children can still have an amazing first day; it’ll just be done virtually.
Every child is different, and there is no right or wrong way to feel about the first day back. If your child is experiencing some back to school nerves, here’s what to do!
Talk About It:
Remember, your child has never experienced a first day back quite like this one.
They may be feeling a little confused, anxious, or scared.
Talking about our fears and worries can help us better understand and come to terms with them.
Getting Used To The New Normal:
If your child is young, they may not fully understand what the “new normal” means. Sit down with them and let them know exactly what they can expect this year to look like, and encourage them to ask questions.
Once they have a better understanding of what’s going on, you can create a game plan together.
Focus on the Positives:
Whether your child is nervous, afraid or confused, it’s so important to focus on the positives.
You and your child can sit down together and make a list of all the things they are looking forward to this school year. Remind them how fun it will be to experience a new grade, learn new things, and spend time with family.
Establish a Daily Routine:
Kids thrive on structure. Even though your child will be learning online, it’s still incredibly important for them to go to bed on time, have fun, and connect with friends.
Now, it may take some time to get back into a routine, but they’ll get there.