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Talking To Your Children About Racism

Jaclyn Baker
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Having conversations with your children about racism can be difficult.

It’s common for parents to think their children are too young to fully understand racism, and they are better off waiting a few years.

However, children start recognizing human faces at around 1 – 3 months old. 

The sooner you start the conversation with your children about race and racism, the sooner they will understand it.

Ask Them Questions

If we want to reduce the tension around race conversations, we have to talk about it openly and often. 

You can’t know for sure what your child thinks or feels about something unless you ask them.

Asking them a few open-ended questions can help start the conversation and encourage them to open up. 

Storytelling

There are several books for children of all ages that dive into racism. If you already have some at home that’s great. 

If not, here are some great children’s books you can look into.

You and your child can read the books together, and afterwards, you can talk about it.

You can ask them how the book made them feel, or if you they have any questions. 

Keep Up The Conversation

Talking to your children about racism is not a one-time thing. Encouraging them to ask questions whenever they want can help keep the conversation going.

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Tips for Managing Your Children’s Screen Time

Jaclyn Baker
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Screen time is not a bad thing. Texting is a great way to stay in touch with friends and family. Plus, there are several educational shows out there.

However, too much screen time can do much more harm than good. 

If you aren’t careful 5 minutes of intended screen time can easily turn into 2+ more hours. 

Almost all parents are familiar with the “come on, just 5 more minutes” request. 

Establishing reasonable screen time rules for your children can help them find a balance between time well spent on and off their screens.

Set Technology Times 

It’s so easy to lose track of time while watching TV or texting friends. We’ve all been there and it happens. Setting a timer or coming up with a schedule can help keep us on track. 

Family Activities 

Here’s some family homework. Sit down with your children this week and together come up with a list of fun tech-free activities you can do together. You can bake, play board games, or go on a walk. 

These activities can help remind both you and your kids that you don’t need a phone to have fun. 

No Phones in The Bedroom

Even if your phone is off, having it in your bedroom can be very distracting. We all have those nights where we just can’t fall asleep.

When your phone is right there, it’s so easy to scroll through social media at 2 AM instead of trying to fall back asleep. 

Keeping your phone in a different room while you sleep can help prevent endless late-night scrolling. 

Be Realistic 

Some rules are meant to be broken and everything is okay in moderation – screen time included.

When you’re not feeling well, sometimes the best thing you can do is take it easy and get lost in a movie or two. There is nothing wrong with having a movie night or binge-watching a series once in a while. 

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Teaching Children How to Manage and Understand Anger

Jaclyn Baker
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Anger is a normal, healthy emotion that children, teens and adults experience. 

Here’s the deal though, children know when they are angry. They feel it just like an adult or teen would.

But they can have difficulty understanding and expressing it, which can be frustrating. 

The good news is, healthy coping skills can be learned!  

Here are three ways you can help your child better understand and manage their anger. 

Lead by Example

You are your child’s biggest role model. How you respond to frustrating situations can impact them in more ways than you’d think.

Here’s an example. Let’s say you accidentally drop your coffee one morning, and your entire kitchen floor is covered in coffee. 

We know that is far from fun, but those moments are the perfect opportunity to practice remaining calm even when it’s hard. 

If your child notices you remaining calm, chances are they will mimic those actions in the future. 

Time Outs

Time outs are a great calm down tool for kids.

When you’re angry or overwhelmed, sometimes the best thing you can do is take yourself out of the situation. 

The same tool works for kids. Now, you may prefer going on a walk or reading, while they may prefer drawing or playing with one of their toys.

After a few minutes of quiet time, they may even forget why they were angry in the first place. 

Remain Calm

We get it. When your child is angry and having a tantrum, it’s easy to lose your cool and raise your voice. 

Even though it may be tough, the best thing you can do is remain calm and talk it out with them. 

Sit down and ask them to explain exactly what they’re feeling and what brought it on.

Once you know what happened, the two of you can figure out a solution together. 

The simple act of getting their feelings off their chest can help dial down some of the intensity. 

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When to Call and When to Text

Jaclyn Baker
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Here’s something for you to think about.

How many hours a week do you think you spend talking on the phone?

And how many hours a week do you think you spend texting?

Chances are you spend many more hours a week texting. And you are not the only one. Texting is very easy, and you can reply basically whenever you’d like. While talking on the phone requires you to be completely present.

These past several months, most of us have been texting a lot more than usual. 

Texting has been one of the easiest ways to stay in touch with friends and family while social distancing.

The only thing is, texting is not always enough.

Of course, texting friends and family is far better than having no communication at all.

But there’s something special about hearing someone’s voice and/or seeing their face.

Sometimes text messages can get misunderstood or lost in our inbox. 

Here’s an example. Have you ever vented to a friend via text after a bad day and didn’t get the response you were looking for?

Maybe you felt like they didn’t understand. Or maybe you felt like you weren’t there for you.

Chances are, your friend didn’t fully understand the situation or misread something in your text.

Phone calls make it much easier to get your point across and clearly communicate emotions. 

Don’t get us wrong. Texting is great too.

It’s a very practical and easy way to pass on a quick message or confirm small details.

But solely relying on texting can make it much harder to maintain strong and healthy social connections during COVID.

Simply picking up the phone and calling a friend just to chat can go a long way.

Typing is one thing. Voices are another. 

Learn More

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These Techniques Can Help You Cope With Work-Related Stress

Jaclyn Baker
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Just because the vast majority of us are working from home now, doesn’t make the workday any less stressful.

Deadlines still need to met, customers still need support, and proposals have to be approved. 

Even though stress can keep us motivated and on top of our game, no one wants to constantly feel stressed.

Here are a few techniques that can help you cope with work-related stress.

Start Your Day Right:

Our morning sets the tone of the entire day. Feeling rushed in the morning is not a pleasant feeling. Everything from making breakfast to checking homework can be a lot.

Waking up just 20 minutes early and relaxing can help you start your day on a positive note.

Stay Organized:

Have you ever had one of those days where you just couldn’t find any important documents or emails? 

You know it’s on your computer somewhere, you just can’t remember where. 

Properly labelling files and having some sort of an email system can prevent several problems down the line. 

Embrace Imperfection:

We are all human mistakes do happen.

Instructions get misunderstood, important emails get lost, presentations have typos, the list goes on.

The next time you make a mistake, don’t panic! Instead, take a step back and remind yourself that you are only human and even though you made a mistake you are doing the best you can.

You have two choices. You can either look at your mistakes as setbacks or learning opportunities. It is all about perspective. Learn More

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Helping Your Child Succeed And Have Fun While Distance Learning This Year

Jaclyn Baker
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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

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Coping With Parenting Stress By Pressing The Pause Button

Jaclyn Baker
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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

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The Best Ways To Work From Home With A Toddler

Jaclyn Baker
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If you have a toddler, you understand how difficult it can be to work from home. Now, it may be difficult – but not impossible. Keep on reading to learn more. 

Wake Up Earlier: 

Waking up earlier takes discipline and dedication, but it is so worth it.

Getting your most important work done early in the morning isn’t only a confidence booster, but you can pretty much guarantee little – no distractions. 

A good productivity tip is to complete the more complicated tasks in the morning and the simpler tasks in the afternoon. 

Nap Time Will Be Your Best Friend:

While your little one is napping, you can get some more work done, catch up on housework or take a much-needed break.

Remember, you deserve some me-time.

When we work too many hours in a row without a proper break, we are much more likely to make mistakes or experience burnout. Being at home allows you to get a little more creative with your breaks. You can shower, read a book or take a nap yourself.

Encourage Independent Play:

Independent playtime is a win-win for everyone.

If you like, you can set up a little play area with puzzles and dolls in your home office. That way, you can keep your eye on your little one and work at the same time.

Learn More

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How to Foster Meaningful Relationships

artb
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Maintaining meaningful relationships can be tough. People come in and out of our lives all the time. When we change, our relationships do as well. Here are a few ways you can successfully foster meaningful relationships.

Treat Others They Way They Want to be Treated

It’s so important to remember; we are all different.

What works for you may not necessarily work for someone else. It may even make them feel worse.

You’re not a mindreader. The only way you can know for sure what others need is by asking them directly.

Take a Pause

Have you ever said or done something out of your character in the heat of the moment?

It’s completely normal to argue or disagree with friends and family from time to time.

You have to learn to take a step back and deal with negative emotions in a healthy way.

Don’t be afraid to hit the pause button for a few minutes. During that time you can reflect on your feelings in order to calmly communicate them.

Teach People How to Treat You

You can’t read other peoples minds right?

So how are they supposed to read yours?

Don’t be afraid to open up and show people the real you. The sooner your friends and family know what you need, the sooner they can help.

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