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How can you rethink some of the challenges we face today?

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5 Real-Life COVID-19 Problems & How To Help Students Develop An Innovation Mindset | Makers Empire

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Explores fixed, growth and innovation mindsets and how to help students apply an innovation mindset to real-life problems caused by the coronavirus.

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Growth Mindset Activity and Video Library 

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Growth Mindset Activity and Video Library 

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Teacher and Student Resources for Nurturing Mindset

We know that coronavirus has caused mass cancellations in schools and childcare and that many teachers and students are being asked to move learning online. We also understand that this can be a difficult shift. Annie Brock and Heather Hundley, bestselling authors of our Growth Mindset series of teacher resources, have put together a bundle of growth mindset activities and videos for teachers and students. We all hope these resources will be helpful in developing and nurturing growth mindset during this difficult and volatile time. Check out Annie and Heather's note below, as well as links to a playlist of their favorite growth mindset videos on Youtube, and some growth mindset activities for kids and teachers.

And let us know on social (@ulyssespress) if you'd like to see more teacher resources or activities for online learning on the blog in coming days!

* * * * *

Hello, teacher friends! In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, we know that many of you are being asked to move to digital learning or put together work to send home with students with a very short turnaround. We've created a growth mindset bundle using resources from our books for you to share and distribute as needed. We have also created a "Growth Mindset Playlist" featuring helpful videos available on YouTube for you to share with your students. Growth mindset is all about overcoming challenges and obstacles and there is no better way to do that than by working together. Wishing you peace and good health and looking forward to better days ahead.

- Annie & Heather

Check out Annie and Heather's favorite Growth Mindset Videos Playlist on Youtube (including Carol Dweck's TED Talk on growth mindset)!

Activities from My Growth Mindset Journal and the upcoming The Growth Mindset Classroom-Ready Resource Book!

Here are some more growth mindset books and tips on how to develop a growth mindset you might be interested in:

Our bestselling book, The Growth Mindset Coach: A Teacher's Month-by-Month Handbook for Empowering Students to Achieve
The Growth Mindset Playbook: A Teacher's Guide to Promoting Student Success In Other Words: Phrases for Growth Mindset: A Teacher's Guide to Empowering Students through Effective Praise and Feedback My Growth Mindset Journal: A Teacher's Workbook to Reflect on Your Practice, Cultivate Your Mindset, Spark New Ideas, and Inspire Students

Learn more

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Growth Mindset Activities for Coronavirus School Closures | Ulysses Press

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We know that coronavirus has caused mass cancellations in schools and childcare and that many teachers and students are being asked to move learning online. We also understand that this can be a difficult shift. Annie Brock and Heather Hundley, bestselling authors of our Growth Mindset series of teacher resources, have put together a bundle of growth mindset activities and videos for teachers and students.

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Today, and every day, you can do your part to flood the Internet with kindness and inspire a culture-shift in the way children and adults utilize the digital world.

The " Random Posts of Kindness" campaignisdesigned to generate a digital culture of dignity, respect and kindness, and encourage children and adults alike to use the Internet in a positive way to make the world a better place. The campaign, which also includes a special Valentines initiative, "Sweet Tweets," encourages all digital citizens to participate, and includes graphics and sayings to tweet, text, post and share on social media. It also allows users the opportunity to generate his or her customized posts. Its to create an online epidemic of kindness and civility in a digital world rampant with hate, division, cyberbullying and sexual exploitation. A culture of human dignity and respect has made this nation strong even in the most turbulent of times in our history. By checking differences at the door and taking the high road over low blows, we build bridges of peace and reconciliation for the sake of our children and America. Join us in spreading the love!

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Today, and every day, you can do your part to flood the Internet with kindness and inspire a culture-shift in the way children and adults utilize the digital world. The " Random Posts of Kindness" campaignisdesigned to generate a digital culture of dignity, respect and kindness, and encourage children and adults alike to use the Internet in a positive way to make the world a better place.

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Watch this video and complete the activities with your family. Don't forget to tell your friends!

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Gratitude in Action

We heard from thousands of our members about what you like about yourself... what you're grateful for... and who you're thankful for! You took an important step in improving your mental health through this activity. You are thankful...

For family...
"We live together (with my son and wife) and although things can get stressful at times we always work together and come support each other to do what is best for all of us and their three kids." -Debbie Katka

"He (my son) has truly been the greatest gift a mom could ask for!" -The Little/Fox Family

For downtime...
"I'm thankful for slowing down to be at home more." -The Russ Rodgers Family

For our essential workers during the pandemic...
"Because we couldn't function without these people (teachers, postal workers and grocery store clerks), and I never realized how essential they were until now. They are so important!" -Jenni Calvi

And you recognized the importance of showing gratitude toward yourself!
"I like that I can make things for other people. Right now I'm making masks and donating to our local giving boxes. -Zimsjurney

The On Our Sleeves team is thankful for YOU and your willingness to talk about the important topic of mental health! You are helping to better shape our children's mental health all while breaking stigmas.

We also couldn't have done this without our amazing partners, who helped grow gratitude through their fans and associates:

Big Lots

Ashley Eckstein

The Columbus Crew

Nina and Ryan Day

The Harlem Globetrotters

We hope you'll continue growing your gratitude in the weeks and months to come!

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We heard from thousands of our members about what you like about yourself... what you're grateful for... and who you're thankful for! You took an important step in improving your mental health through this activity. You are thankful... For family...

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SEL Activity Library for the first few weeks of school

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SEL Activity Library for the first few weeks of school

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Scroll down to find grade level specific activities for remote and hybrid learning.

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Social Emotional Learning Podcast for Families

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Social Emotional Learning Podcast for Families

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Check out season two of this family podcast about the unique challenges families face today and how they are working through it all.

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Listen to the newest epsiode of The Imagine Neighborhood, a kind and kooky kids podcast that helps families talk about the things that matter with the people that matter most!

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Fun ways to practice mask wearing at home

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Fun ways to practice mask wearing at home

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With schools scheduled to reopen in fall, and masks part of the new normal, it's time to make sure your child is comfortable wearing theirs.

So we've put together 16 activities to sneak mask practice into summer fun.

Hint: Whatever activity you choose, try enthusiastically announcing to your child ahead of time that you'll get to wear masks, then build the excitement with a few reminders before you start. While masks are actually on, give plenty of positive reinforcement, from "Great job!" to high fives to selfies.
> Is your child struggling with wearing a mask? Try these tips.
Around the Home

1. Have a daily "Mask On!" moment. Make a plan to wear masks around the house at certain times of day, like from 10-11 am, or during certain activities, like setting the table for meals. Have your child help you decide when.

2. Pick an activity with a concrete ending, like building a simple puzzle, and wear masks throughout.

3. Plan a special event, like a scavenger hunt or playing together with a favorite toy, with one rule: Masks are required.

4. Work masks into video chats. Does your child have regular video chats with family or friends? Arrange to wear masks next time. (While you're at it, check out ideas for video chat activities.)

5. Spend time reading a book, listening to a podcast, or watching a movie together with masks on.

6. Wear masks during art and creativity time, like drawing, coloring or building with LEGO bricks.

7. Wear masks while making masks - whether you're assembling cloth masks for family members or coloring in paper masks for stuffed animals. (This is a great way to make your child more excited about masks in general - here are other strategies.)

8. Play a game with masks on, whether it's a classic card game or your child's favorite video game. (To make sure video games are age-appropriate, try looking them up on commonsensemedia.org.)

> For more helpful resources, visit our Back to School Kit
Around Town

1. Plan a daily walk around the block with masks on. If you see other people on the sidewalk, practice good social distancing - and use it as a chance to talk with your child about why it's still important to keep their distance, even when everyone's wearing masks.

2. Explore hiking trails nearby for nature walks. Practice taking masks on and off: Put masks on whenever you see or hear other hikers, and take them off when the coast is clear.

3. Take your child for a summertime treat - like to get ice cream, play mini-golf, or visit their favorite playground - with masks on.

4. Go berry picking with masks on.

5. Visit the library for curbside book pickup wearing masks.

6. Head out for a picnic, and wear masks before and after eating.

7. Visit parks, playgrounds and the beach with masks on, or other places you can safely social distance. Thank your child for being a great role model.

8. Make a plan with other family members to wear masks while together, and log as much mask time as possible.

The best way to get your child used to masks is to practice - in lots of fun ways, around a variety of places and people. Most activities can be done while wearing a mask, so see what you can add to this list.

Don't forget to take pictures!

Send photos of your child wearing a mask and having fun to photos@connecticutchildrens.org for the chance to be featured on our social media and website.
Related links

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16 Fun Ways to Get Your Kids Used to Wearing Masks Before School Starts

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With schools scheduled to reopen in fall, and masks part of the new normal, it's time to make sure your child is comfortable wearing theirs. So we've put together 16 activities to sneak mask practice into summer fun. Hint: Whatever activity you choose, try enthusiastically announcing to your child ahead of time that you'll get ...

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These are my personal favorite. If you like it, check out Sharon Salzberg.

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Mindful Schools - Back to School Guided Meditation by Mindful Schools

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Check out this series. There are even more online!

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Mindful Schools Podcast, Ep.1, Meet the Team by Mindful Schools

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A database of articles and advice on how to help your family and yourself deal with this unprecedented situation.

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COVID & Kids' Mental Health - Child Mind Institute

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Lo sentimos, la página que usted busca no se ha podido encontrar. Puede intentar su búsqueda de nuevo o visitar la lista de temas populares. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

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How Parents Can Support Children Through Their Worries

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Learning Together and Starting Small Can Help Children Manage Anxiety and Build Strength, Resilience, and Confidence As soon as Tina spied her daughter's face walking in the room, she knew something was wrong. Tina said, "Are you okay?" but daughter Alyssa quickly shut her down. "I'm fine," she said in an aggravated tone with a...

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Inside: A child therapist's favorite ways to help kids learn to take a deep breath, including quick explanations and videos of deep breathing techniques.
Have you ever told a kid to take a deep breath, and then they start hyperventilating? Or they breathe in, but don't breathe out?
Sometimes, kids may need a little more help to figure out how to properly take a deep breath.
First, let's review why deep breathing matters.

When you are calm, your body is in what is known as "rest and digest" mode. Your breathing is normal, your muscles are relaxed, and your heart rate is normal. It's how you would be when you're watching a show and relaxing.

But then suddenly, a dinosaur is chasing you!!

When you experience a stressful event (like an unexpected dinosaur in your living room), your body automatically goes into what is known as "flight, fight or freeze" mode. Your heart rate increases, your stomach stops digestion, and your breathing becomes more shallow.

The goal of calming exercises is to get yourself from "flight, fight or freeze" mode back to "rest and digest" mode. Deep breathing helps get more oxygen into your bloodstream, opening up your capillaries. It has a physical effect on your body to help you calm down and lower stress.

So deep breathing does make a big difference for kids. But how can we teach them to take a deep breath properly?
Here are some of my favorite ways to introduce deep breathing! Quick note: The breathing we want kids to do is deep belly breaths, not shallow chest breaths. When they breathe in, their belly should expand, and when they breathe out, their belly should contract.
Use bubbles

Blowing gently to create bubbles is a good way to be playful and breathe deeply. Kids have to blow carefully and slowly to make the bubbles, which is a major reason why I like using it to help kids take deep breaths.

Use a stuffed animal to practice deep breathing

Have your child lay down on their back and put a stuffed animal on their belly. Have them breathe in and move the stuffed animal up, then breathe out and bring the stuffed animal back down. This helps teach kids to use their belly to take big deep breaths. Another alternative is to use a weighted stuffed animal.

Use a pinwheel

Kids can practice breathing out slowly or more quickly, using the speed of the pinwheel as a measure. Then they can figure out which way works and feels best for them.

Use a Feather

Get some colored feathers and pick out one feather to use. It could be a color that they love or one that makes them feel calm. Breathe in and hold it for a count of 3, then breathe out going up on one side of the feather and down the other side.

Hoberman Sphere

Breathe in and expand the sphere, breathe out and push the sphere back in (this mirrors what should be happening to their belly) - Watch the video on YouTube!

DIY Crafts

Make a craft using half a paper plate, crepe paper or ribbons. Have kids blow the crepe paper or ribbons as they take deep breaths.

Materials Needed:

1. Paper plate - cut in half
2. crepe paper - cut into 6" - 8" strips, cut in half
3. yarn or string
4. any other embellishments to make the creature (use what you have on hand)

Attach the crepe paper to the flat bottom of the paper plate. Attach yarn/string to the top center of the curved part of the paper plate as a hanger.Have kids decorate the paper plate any way they want, as a monster, or a creature, or with stickers.

To Use: hang up the creature and have kids blow on the crepe paper to get it to move.

OTHER DIY ACTIVITIES
Floating Ball Activity from All For The Boys Fire Breathing Dragon Craft by BABYCCINO
TRIANGLE Breathing

Start at the bottom left of the triangle.

Breathe in for three counts as you trace the first side of the triangle.

Hold your breath for three counts as you trace the second side of the triangle.

Breathe out for three counts as you trace the final side of the triangle. You have just completed one deep breath.

SQUARE BReathing

Start at the bottom right of the square

Breathe in for four counts as you trace the first side of the square

Hold your breath for four counts as you trace the second side of the square

Breathe out for four counts as you trace the third side of the square

Hold your breath for four counts as you trace the final side of the square

You just completed one deep breath!

STAR BREATHING

Start at any "Breathe In" side on the star.

Trace your finger over the "breathe in" side of the point

Hold your breath when your finger gets to the tip of the point

Breathe out as you trace your finger over the other side of the point.

Keep going until you reach where you started.

When you trace the whole star, you will have completed 5 deep breaths

Start with the eight on its side and start in the middle

Go up to the left and trace the left part of the 8 with your finger while you breathe in.

When you get to the middle of the eight again, breathe out while you trace the right part of the 8 with your finger.

6 Sided Breathing

Start at the left hand side of the hexagon.

Trace your finger over the "breathe in" side as you take a deep breath in.

Hold your breath as you trace the second side of the hexagon.

Breathe out as you trace the third side of the hexagon.

Then repeat for the bottom part of the hexagon.

Breathe in like a flower, breathe out like you are blowing out birthday candles.

Breathe in blue sky, Breathe out gray skies.

Pretend your belly is like a balloon. Breathe in and make the balloon bigger, then breathe out and make the balloon shrink.

Smell the soup, cool the soup or smell the hot cocoa, cool the hot cocoa

Darth Vader Breathing - Pretend you have a straw in your mouth, suck in through the straw and breathe in. Breathe out like Darth Vader.

Ocean Breathing - breathe in and imagine the wave rolling in, breathe out and imagine the wave rolling out.

Color breathing - Breathe in and imagine a calm, happy, positive color. Breathe out and imagine a color that represents stress, anxiety, etc. leaving your body.

Soft Belly - Say to yourself "soft" as you breathe in and "belly" as you breathe out.

Whale breath

Sitting criss-cross applesauce, sit up tall and take a deep breathe in, Hold it while you count to 5 with your fingers then tilt head up to blow it out of blowhole. You can also put your hands up on top of head to create the blow hole to "blow" out.

Snake Breath

Breathe in, pause briefly, then breathe out slowly while you make a hissing sound for as long as you can.

Bunny Breath

You can do this breathing either while sitting, or add movement to it.

Sitting version - make "bunny" hands in front of chest and take quick sniffs like a bunny.

Movement version - start in a squat and hop forward while taking quick bunny sniffs.

Bumblebee Breath

Breathe in and pretend you are smelling a flower. As you breathe out, make humming bee sound. Try different ways of making the sound - longer or shorter, high or low sounds.

5 - 5 - 10 breathing

Breathe in for 5, hold for 5 and breathe out for 10.

7-11 breathing

Breathe in for 7, exhale for 11.

Count to 10

Using Your Hand to Take a Deep Breath aka Mountain Breathing

Put up one hand, palm facing out and fingers spread apart. Place the index finger of your other hand at the base of your thumb and breathe in while you move your finger up one side of your thumb. Move your finger down the other side of your thumb and breathe out. Do the same thing with the remaining four fingers, and take deep breaths in and out as you move your finger. After you've reached the second side of your pinky finger, you'll have done 5 complete deep breaths.

You can also do this with a close friend or trusted adult. Have them spread their hand out and use your finger to trace their hand and do deep breaths. Or do the opposite: spread your hand out and have them use their finger and trace yours. You can do deep breaths together!

Hands to Shoulders

Sometimes you breathe from your chest instead of your belly, but it's hard to notice. This is an easy way to figure out if you are moving your chest or your belly when you're breathing. While sitting or standing, put your hands down by your sides. Then bend your arms at your elbows and place them on the front of your shoulders. Try taking a deep breath. If your shoulders are moving a lot, focus more on taking breaths using your belly.

Rainbow breathing

Arms start at the side of your body; arms go up as you breathe in and go down as you breathe out (arms make a rainbow) - Watch the video on Youtube!

Volcano Breaths

Pretend your hands and arms are like lava flowing from a volcano. Start with your hands in front of your heart, with palms touching. Keeping your hands together, reach straight up and breathe in. Separate your hands and move your arms down to your side and breathe out.

Explosion Breaths

Start in a standing position. Breathe in as you crouch down. Then, jump up, spreading your arms and legs as you breathe out.

Nostril Breathing/Cowabunga Breathing

Block one nostril, breathe in for 5, block the other nostril, breathe out for 5.

Wood Chopper Breathing

Standing tall with legs hip distance apart. Clasp hands together and raise your arms above your head. Breathe in through nose. Exhale and pull your hands down toward your legs as you say "HA" to "chop" wood
Mindful Arts in the Classroom Breathing Cards Sesame Street Belly Breathe Video

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Deep Breathing Exercises for Kids - Coping Skills for Kids

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Inside: A child therapist's favorite ways to help kids learn to take a deep breath, including quick explanations and videos of deep breathing techniques. Have you ever told a kid to take a deep breath, and then they start hyperventilating? Or they breathe in, but don't breathe out?

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How to help your child cope with the transition back to school during COVID-19

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Parents can help children feel optimistic by listening to and validating their worries, teaching them coping strategies, reviewing safety protocols and supporting them when they face difficulties.

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A wealth of resources for talking with children about race and ethnicity.

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Cultivate positive identity formation, encourage students to confront racial and ethnic injustice, and prepare them to live and work together in a diverse world. Our resources can help you facilitate discussions about race and guide students through lessons on white privilege, economic inequality, mass incarceration, the complexities of identity and more.

"We may be uncomfortable talking about race, but we can no longer afford to be silent. We have chosen a profession that-like parenting-requires us to put our comforts second to those of children."

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Cultivate positive identity formation, encourage students to confront racial and ethnic injustice, and prepare them to live and work together in a diverse world. Our resources can help you facilitate discussions about race and guide students through lessons on white privilege, economic inequality, mass incarceration, the complexities of identity and more.

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Unfortunately, Americans are seeing all types of hate-racism, misogyny, anti-Semitism, homophobia, transphobia-enjoying a grotesque golden age. Parents worry that their children will be exposed from early childhood, warping their views about diversity and inclusion. But here's some hopeful news: You can counter hate's insidious reach before it's too late.

We asked experts in child psychology and the fight against bigotry for guidance. Here, they share how to put malevolent beliefs and events (like the recent attacks against Asian Americans) into context, dispel little ones' misapprehensions, and empower your kids to be forces for good.

In these early years, your task is to lay positive groundwork, addressing hate by cultivating its opposite-compassion and tolerance. Luckily, your child has a head start: an innocent indifference to what sets people apart. "Kids are very aware of ways we differ, but they aren't born identifying people with a particular race, gender, or ethnicity," says David Schonfeld, M.D., professor of pediatrics at the University of Southern California and Children's Hospital Los Angeles and director of the National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement. "They don't naturally discriminate."

The hope is that kids who grow up in communities that are ethnically, socioeconomically, or otherwise diverse will have acceptance baked into their worldview. That's not guaranteed, but studies show it does help. If your child has little exposure to people who don't look or live like them, though, experts advise bringing the world home: Study other cultures together by eating their foods and watching their films. Urge your child's teacher to build multiculturalism into their curriculum. Speak your mother tongue if you are bilingual, or encourage your child to study another language. A 2014 University of Chicago study revealed that children who hear multiple languages in daily life are more accepting of people whose language differs from their own-which is a stepping-stone toward a broader spirit of acceptance.

You don't need to preemptively lecture a kid this age on the evils of bigotry. ("I don't know that I'd sit down with a 3-year-old and say, 'Let's talk about racism,'" says Dr. Schonfeld.) But if the need for a conversation arises, have it. "In 2017 we were seeing a wave of bomb threats at Jewish community centers," says Jinnie Spiegler, director of curriculum and training at the Anti-Defamation League. "On the news you'd see very small kids evacuating from these facilities. Surely, they knew something was wrong and were afraid. So of course you'd want to talk about it with them."

This may seem impossible, but the key is keeping the scope and language manageable to encourage anti-racism in kids. "You'd say something like, 'The person doing this must be very angry,'" Dr. Schonfeld says. "'But we use our words to solve problems.'" However odd the conversation feels, silence is worse. "Imagine you're a 4-year-old and you notice Dad is looking at his phone, that he's upset and people seem worried, and no one is telling you why," says Spiegler. "Think how scary that would be."

Discussing hate explicitly becomes easier at this age, but don't think it has to be a super formal talk. "Families talk about these issues all the time without realizing it," says Allison Briscoe-Smith, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist in Berkeley, California, who specializes in addressing trauma in children and the study of how children understand race. "Little kids are very attuned to what's fair and not fair. That's a strong basis for discussing injustice."

Let your child be your guide. Kids this age can articulate their feelings, so the onus to direct the conversation needn't-and shouldn't-be entirely on you. "Ask her how she understands what she's hearing," says Dr. Briscoe- Smith. What are people saying on the playground? What have they seen on TV? You'll be able to keep the conversation at the right level-of reassurance, honesty, and detail.

Also key: Don't overdo it. "Be simple, brief, and as honest as you can be," says Spiegler. If you feel a reflexive urge to downplay-"What happened at the garlic festival could never happen here"-avoid it. An empty promise sounds a lot like dismissiveness, and if they have fears about these events, they'll feel you're not taking them seriously. Instead, says Dr. Briscoe- Smith, "tell her what you do know for sure: that you love her, and that there are adults working to keep her safe."

Kids can have a quirky, literal view of the world, and they may ask something seemingly bizarre but crucial to their understanding. "When I told my then 8-year-old daughter that Osama bin Laden had been killed, she asked me, 'Where's his body?'" says Spiegler. " It was an odd question, but you can't trivialize what they genuinely want to know."

You may also learn that your child has misunderstood part of what's occurred, perhaps anxiously inflating the event to outsize proportions. But for every worry like "We can't go to Walmart; people get shot there," there is a calming response. You could say, "I understand why you'd think that, but that was a particularly unusual event, and it's really unlikely to happen again."

Child psychologists say that helping kids process scary events has become a very different task in recent years. The ubiquity of technology gives kids unprecedented exposure to information they don't possess the maturity to make sense of. "The advice used to be: Turn off the TV; don't allow kids access to images of death," says Dr. Briscoe-Smith. "But by 9 or 10, they have phones. They'll see it there and on the dozens of other screens they encounter. So we have to help them understand what they see and hear."

Even with safety settings, upsetting news-and abhorrent views-will reach your child. Says Dr. Briscoe-Smith, "My kids tell me that students at their school tease Latino kids about ICE: 'You better run, ICE is gonna get you.' Research shows that in recent years there's been an uptick in racialized bullying. So I ask, 'What are people talking about at school, what's your phone saying?' "

This sort of inquiry is necessary, particularly if you have a child who isn't naturally forthcoming. "You can't count on your kids to bring up troubling things with you," says Spiegler. "You need to ask. Rumors spread like wildfire at school and online. So help them fill in the gaps. 'I'm not sure it happened that way in Minnesota,' you can say, before explaining how it did happen."

At this age, your child may also start to pick up on biased views among those they know and love. Grandma posts a homophobic meme; your neighbor goes off at the barbecue about the need for a border wall. Your child may rightly be confused: They care for this person, but their beliefs differ from their family's. Address these disparities. "Keep your language neutral," says Dr. Briscoe- Smith. "'We love Grandma, and we think differently from her. She's come to her conclusions, but we've come to different ones.'"

Tweens and Teens

As kids prepare to exit childhood, they cement their sense of identity, laying a foundation for who they will become. As we've seen in the news, this age can be a tipping point. Many kids, even most, will choose a life of acceptance, compassion, and respect for fellow human beings. Others will travel a darker path.

If you witness your child engaging in biased thinking or hate speech, whether online or in life-and yes, even kids of socially aware, justice-minded parents do so-speak up. "Adolescents are trying to develop their own values," says Dr. Briscoe-Smith. "You say, 'We're not on the same page on this-so what do you believe?'" Remember that teenagers often fail to see things in their full complexity. "Stereotypes are oversimplifications," says Spiegler. "If your child is buying into them, it's your job to help him complicate his thinking, to see nuances he's not appreciating." She has a few pointers: "It's a tightrope walk. You want to keep the conversation open but make it clear you don't condone bias or stereotypes: 'I don't think that way, and I don't think what you're saying is respectful.' Or: 'I used to think that way, but then I read X or learned Y.' Even if he doesn't seem to, he's hearing what you say."

Other kids may, when confronting these vexing issues, feel compelled to act. This is a powerful impulse, and parents should support it. "It doesn't have to mean starting a foundation," says Dr. Briscoe-Smith. "It can be, 'I'm going to do one kind thing today,' or even, 'I haven't been sleeping well because I'm upset, so I'm going to make sure I get some sleep.'" Taking action also offers a sense of control. "Activism gives you agency," says Spiegler. "It's scary to see terribleness in the world, and if you feel you're contributing and connecting with people who feel as you do, you're reassured."

None of this is easy, of course. You may stumble-after all, these issues are as complex as they are troubling. But in this as in all things, your best tool is your instincts. Says Spiegler, "Every parent, child, and situation is different. But we know our kids and what they can handle." It's okay to let your child see that you, too, are reacting to these scary times. "If we don't show that we're upset, our kids will feel abnormal for being upset," says Dr. Schonfeld. "We can't teach coping skills if we pretend we never need to cope."

These conversations may not be comfortable, but they will be necessary. As Dr. Schonfeld says, "We can't just teach our kids what's easy-we need to teach them what's important."

This article originally appeared in Parents magazine's December 2019 issue as "Help Kids Understand Hate."

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Anti-Racism for Kids: An Age-by-Age Guide to Fighting Hate

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In an era rife with division, bias incidents darken our news feeds and escalate our anxiety. We asked leading experts how parents can shield their children from-and shepherd them through-a world that seems hell-bent on hate.

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How to talk to your children about racism and recent protests

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How to talk to your children about racism and recent protests

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CNN and 'Sesame Street' to host a town hall addressing racism | CNN

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As anger and heartbreak have swept across America over the killing of yet another black man at the hands of police, CNN and Sesame Street are refocusing their second town hall to address racism.

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Feeling Unsafe or suspect someone who is?

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Feeling Unsafe or suspect someone who is?

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Hotlines and resources to get the help you need now.

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Domestic violence programs for survivors

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If you are a victim of abuse, you are not alone. Here you’ll find resources from around the Commonwealth to help you.

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Ideas for ways to reflect on the end of the school year and transition into the summer.

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Creating Reflective Opportunities to Support the Transition during #COVID-19

Motivation to engage in school work may just be at an all-time low as public places slowly begin to reopen, the sun shines a bit brighter, and the end of distance learning for the 2019-2020 draws near. Children may be excited about the freedom of summer ahead. Parents may be eager and ready to shed the pressures of supporting school assignments each day at home. It's tempting to race blindly forward without looking back.

Our strange loss of a sense of time during stay-at-home education comes from the lack of daily transitions that move our bodies and minds from home to work or school and back home again. We are coming up on a similar moment where there will be a major life transition yet without a change in physical location or any of the celebratory events that help children and adults signify the end of another school year. And that can be disorienting for all family members. So there is a significant value in taking a moment to reflect on the growth of the past year - friendships, academic progress and newly developed interests and also, specifically how we've grown and changed as a family during our quarantine.
"We do not learn from experience. We learn from reflecting on experience."
- John Dewey, Renowned Educational Reformer and Psychologist

Your child will never experience this grade level again during a global pandemic. Children may be sad to leave their teacher, their connection to class friends and the predictability of the school-at-home routine. Despite the stress of distance learning, they may worry about the loss of the stability and consistency that the school schedule and connection provides over the summer. They may also fear the uncertainty to come including reentering public places with the danger of the corona virus still present and the unknowns of how summer might be fundamentally different from years past because of the many public restrictions and virus risks.

There are some small, simple steps you can take to ease the transition and also deepen the lessons of their year and also, the last several months through reflection. Here are a few suggestions.
Reflect on Defining Moments.
Retell the defining moments. Be sure to discuss in what ways your family was resilient and strong during stressful times. In your ________ grade year...

What was the most surprising thing that happened?

Did you make any new friends?

When did you feel embarrassed?

What made you belly laugh?

What were you most proud of learning?

How was it challenging? And what helped you get through all of the changes?

Reflect on Learning from Home.
During our COVID-19 distance learning experiment over the past couple of months...

Do you recall the first day or week of learning at home? What were you thinking? What were you feeling?

How is our family different from life before COVID-19?

What have you found that has been joyful or connecting during our quarantine?

How have we helped one another?

How has connecting with friends changed? Are there any new ways of connecting that you enjoy?

What school projects or assignments were you most proud of accomplishing?

What unexpected benefits came from stay-at-home education?

How did you deal with your fears and stresses?

What bigger life lessons did you learn during this time of sustained crisis?

Reflect on Big Feelings and the Opportunity of Now: Practicing Resilience.
If we tried (in the pre-COVID world) to hide the fact that we have all-consuming, intense emotions at times, then we cannot hide anymore. The seismic shifts globally and the uncertainty of a threat that lurks right outside of our door has been enough to rattle our sensibilities, every one of us. If the not-so-hidden opportunity of this moment of quarantine might be practicing and promoting resilience in times of trial, how can you take time out to seal in and ensure that learning by reflecting on it?

No, none of us managed our big feelings throughout this process perfectly. In fact, for most of us, there was a lot of mess. But if we talk about our big feelings, accept that there's been fear and stress, and consider how we reacted and how we might react better, we just might learn important lessons that will assist us as we move into an uncertain summer. Some specific questions to guide you in this discussion might be:

What have been our fears throughout COVID-19 and distance learning?

What have we done to acknowledge or manage them?

When did our fears get the best of us (or we reacted in ways we didn't like)?

When were we proud of how we handled ourselves and/or worked together as a family?

How can we learn more about managing our fears?

What can we do in the future when one or more of us is feeling fearful or stressed?

Share Your Gratitude for Your Teachers.
Yes, teachers also experienced a wide range of big feelings as they had to change their mode of teaching and learning in the blink of an eye. Though parents were in the midst of scrambling ourselves to figure out how to manage our household, our work responsibilities, the dangers of COVID19, and how to support distance learning, we may have not seen the challenges teachers faced. Yet, we know they indeed endured their own set of struggles. No matter how they managed the situation, they put their time, effort and considerable worry into reaching you and educating your children. So now more than ever, it's critical we offer our thanks. Consider creating a simple family video of your thanks to show your appreciation. Your sincere words will mean much more than a potted plant or a gift card this year.

Talk about it a bit before getting your video rolling. You might ask your child: "What were some of your favorite activities you remember from this year? Why is your teacher so special? Do you remember a time when your teacher was especially kind?"
Go on a Digital Parade Walk or Create a Temporary Museum of Learning.
You likely have a pile, a bin or a busting-at-the-seams binder (as we do!) of school work from the past year. Before recycling or filing away, why not use the accumulated papers as evidence of learning and growth and a tangible way to reflect on that progress? Use your home as a museum. Place the school work in the order of the school year starting in the fall. Line them up across chairs, the couch and on end tables for display. I line the dining room with rope and post papers and artwork with clothespins.

Walk around as a family and talk about what you notice particularly when you note positive developments. With a little support from you, your kids may be excited to put together the museum themselves. With multiple children, use different rooms of the house and you may have a full academic museum for an evening.

Is your child's work all online from the past months? Then do a digital parade of work and gather around the computer. Go through her assignments, comment, laugh, reflect and bask in the glow of your collective hard work as a family getting through distance learning together!
Do the big book line-up.
It's likely that most of the books your child read this school year are hanging around your bookshelves. Why not create a temporary display? What a sense of accomplishment to see a book sculpture with all of the stories you've read, learned from and enjoyed since the school year start. It may even spur conversations and reflections on your favorite characters and stories! It may also encourage further reading this summer and inspire a new stack for the coming months.
Create a time capsule.
A terrific early summer activity might be to generate a time capsule in memory of this past school year. There will likely never be another school year quite like this one! Use this free printable time capsule to help guide you. Or work with your child to find and decorate a shoe box or other container and mark with the name of the child and dates of the school year. Now ask your child to consider their older self. What if he came across this time capsule hidden in the attic years later? What items would help him remember the unique attributes of this past school year?
Celebrate learning.
Show how much your family truly values the process of learning. Celebrate together the accomplishment of a school year filled with hard work. Make a picnic in your backyard. Bake a special treat. Decorate as if it's a holiday. Take a moment to recognize this major change.
"Great is the art of beginning, but greater the art is of ending."
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Happy School Year's End to You and Your Family!

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Creating Reflective Opportunities to Support the Transition during #COVID-19 Motivation to engage in school work may just be at an all-time low as public places slowly begin to reopen, the sun shines a bit brighter, and the end of distance learning for the 2019-2020 draws near.

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Kids like you explain why they "just breathe" and use their glitter jars.

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"Just Breathe" by Julie Bayer Salzman & Josh Salzman (Wavecrest Films)

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Snow globes are beloved for their soothing, ethereal effect, but these DIY glitter jars are even more mesmerizing. Also known as calm down jars, they're made with simple household art supplies and mason jars. They create a swirling, iridescent sensory experience that can keep kids and adults focused and intrigued for hours (or at least minutes) on end. Making calming glitter jars is a great project for kids to help out with too. They are a fun birthday party or playdate activity or a pretty office or holiday gift. Even better, these glitter jars are a cinch to make, coming together in about five minutes.

Gather your supplies before you get started so everything is close at hand while you work. You'll need:

Water

Glitter glue

Glitter (use fine, large, or both)

Mason jar or another container that can be tightly sealed

Food coloring (optional)

A mason jar works well if you're making these glitter jars for adults. If you are making them for (and with) children, it's best to pick a non-breakable container. Your sensory bottle should be clear and sealable--an empty plastic water or soda bottle is a great option. To avoid messes, glue the cap on when you're finished.

Since you are working with glitter, it's a good idea to fully cover your work surface with a tarp or old newspaper that can be wrapped up and discarded when you're finished. You can use the same color glitter glue and glitter or mix colors. The overall effect will be the same, but each jar will look different depending on the color variations. Try mixing and matching different glitter sizes and textures too.

Follow these directions to make your own glitter jar.

1. Fill your bottle or jar about ¾ of the way with warm water. Measure how much water you're using; you'll need that measurement for the next step.

2. For every cup of water you use, add one to two tablespoons of glitter glue to the jar.

3. Add the glitter until it's a ½- to ¾-inch deep from the bottom of the jar.

4. Next, if you'd like, add a few drops of food coloring to the jar for a bolder color. Start with just a drop or two and swirl around. Continue adding food coloring until the contents are the desired color.

5. Close the jar. You can seal the lid with glue if you like for extra protection before closing.

6. Now you are ready to shake your sensory jar and watch the glitter slowly float around. These jars can help keep kids calm and relaxed or provide a nice break on a work desk.

Store the glitter jars in a safe place. If you notice the lid is open or the seal is breaking, either reseal or discard the jar. You don't want the contents of the jar to spill.

One way to use glitter jars with children is to make them a tool for discussing feelings and mindfulness.

As the glitter jar sits undisturbed, all the glitter rests at the bottom and you can see through the liquid. Now, think of the glitter as representing thoughts. If your child is feeling angry or upset, thoughts are swirling and they can't see, act, or think clearly--just like what happens with the glitter jar is shaken up. As you and your child watch the glitter settle down, this is a good lesson in how using mindfulness can calm the mind and allow you to see, act, and think clearly again.

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This Simple DIY Toy Can Actually Calm Down Your Kids

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Snow globes are beloved for their soothing, ethereal effect, but these DIY glitter jars are even more mesmerizing. Also known as calm down jars, they're made with simple household art supplies and mason jars. They create a swirling, iridescent sensory experience that can keep kids and adults focused and intrigued for hours (or at least minutes) on end.

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Can you find just one thing to be grateful for each day and write it down to remind yourself?

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Giving back to others and sharing your voice can be empowering!

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Say Something! By Peter Hamilton Reynolds

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Try this to puzzle to practice  growing your mind.

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Try this to puzzle to practice  growing your mind.

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hint: think outside the box

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Maybe you can too!

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LeBron's 'meditation' during the timeout

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Activities, articles and videos to support learning and wellbeing during the corona virus crisis.

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Welcome to Greater Good in Education-a collection of science‐based practices for integrating social‐emotional learning, mindfulness, and character education into the DNA of classrooms and schools. About Us

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Welcome to Greater Good in Education-a collection of science‐based practices for integrating social‐emotional learning, mindfulness, and character education into the DNA of classrooms and schools. About Us

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struggling to make a schedule that works for everyone in your family. Check out these videos.

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"I'm scared of getting sick and I miss my friends" -5 year old
"I'm scared you are going to get sick and papa (grandparent)" -16 year old
"It's only Day 2 of home school and we are already going crazy!" -Parent of child with special needs

During this unprecedented time of school closures, social distancing, and fears of the coronavirus, parents are scrambling for ways to support their children's social and emotional health.

As a parent, you may be wondering "How do I support my child, calm her fears, and maintain some sense of normalcy during a highly abnormal time?"

If you are a parent of a child with special needs, you may be concerned about managing your child's social-emotional and behavioral reactions to the big change in their routine.

All kids (and adults!) profit from structure, predictability, and routines during times of uncertainty. Younger children, children with special needs, and children experiencing high levels of situational anxiety during this time may need structure even more.

As co-creators of Make it Stick Parenting, we help parents teach their children social-emotional and behavioral self-regulation through everyday activities at home. We are offering up this short free three-video series on how to set the stage for a more calm, supportive home environment during school closures.

We invite you to listen, download the tools, and tailor to your personal situation. If something resonates and you want to try it, great! If something doesn't seem to fit for your family or situation, then adapt as needed. Everyone's situation is unique and there is no "one right way" to parent in this time. There are some basic guiding principles, however that may help you keep calm, support your child where they are and make the most of this time with your children.

Download all the Free PDF Tools we mention in our videos by submitting your email below:

1-Four different schedules to print and use.
2-Steps for how to check-in with your child on a daily basis.
3-Calming menus for you and your child.
4- Mindfulness resource guide.

Subscribe to get free tools to help create calming strategies, family schedules, and more!

Video One: Keep Calm and Schedule On
Here's a 12-minute video on the importance of keeping a routine during school closures and how to use the free schedule tool we created for you.

Other resources we talked about:
- Free Internet: To enroll for Charter Internet's service, call 844-488-8395; for Comcast's, 855-846-8376 for English speakers or 855-765-6995 for Spanish speakers, or go to www.internetessentials.com.
- List of free subscriptions to educational websites

Video Two: The Need for Daily Check-Ins
Here's a 9-minute video on using morning meetings/check-ins and evening debriefs to manage big feelings that may arise during this time. Be sure to scroll to the bottom of this blog to get the free morning meetings and evening debrief tool.

Other resources we talked about:
- https://www.emotionalabcs.com/

Video Three: Emotional Regulation
In this 13-minute video, we talk about the importance of having a plan for managing big feelings and behaviors that are likely to arise during stressful or dysregulating times. It's expected for you and your children to have heightened emotions and there are strategies that can help. We have included a strategy for using a "calming menu" for you and your child and several of our favorite mindfulness activities for kids.

Other resources we talked about:
- Social-Emotional Lessons/videos: https://www.gonoodle.com/

While this is a time of stress, confusion, and anxiety, it is also an opportunity to connect with your child! It's a chance to help teach and support their social and emotional skills. With the flood of information that changes minute-to-minute, we hope that these videos give you and your family some comfort and calm.

We are in this together, and we will get through this together. Please feel free to drop a comment if you need more support or if you'd like to share strategies that are working in your family. There is so much wisdom in the Make Social Learning Stick community, and we'd love to hear from you.

Take care,

Elizabeth and Rebecca

***EDITED MAY 2020***
P.S. If this training was helpful, you're in luck! We have a free webinar where we dive deeper into 3 ways you can support your child's social-emotional skills even when everything social is cancelled. Click here to register!

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How to manage emotions and build structure at home during COVID-19

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"I'm scared of getting sick and I miss my friends" -5 year old"I'm scared you are going to get sick and papa (grandparent)" -16 year old"It's only Day 2 of home school and we are already going crazy!"

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How to reduce the stress of crisis schooling at home

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How to reduce the stress of crisis schooling at home

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"Children will be protected if they are connected"

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How to Reduce the Stress of Homeschooling on Everyone

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With nationwide school closures in effect, many parents are now monitoring homeschooling while at the same time trying to make a living in the midst of a terrible economic crisis. In this environment of broken routine and uncertainty, chances are your child is showing big feelings and challenging behaviors.

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Parents Helping Parents: virtual free & confidential parent support groups

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Now more than ever, all parents need support. We are committed to providing moms and dads with resources as we continue to navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic. Here is a list of virtual parenting support groups and playgroups across Massachusetts:

our family centers

Cape Cod Children's Place: Email info@capecodchildrensplace.com to register. View their full virtual offerings here.

Story time with Maggie - Mondays at 10:00 am
Baby's First Year Playgroup - Tuesday at 11:00 am
Baby Yoga with Daniela - Wednesdays at 10:30 am
Tykes and Toddler Yoga and Movement - Thursdays at 10:30 am

Community Action Family Center (Greenfield):

New Baby Group - Tuesday and Fridays. More details here.
Mom's Group - Tuesdays and Thursdays. More details here.

Family Center of Northern Berkshire County:

Facebook Live Monday to Thursday
For Preschoolers - Monday at 10:30 am
Toddlers - Tuesdays at 10:30 am
Babies - Wednesday at 10:30 am
Music and Movement - Thursday at 10:30 am

Parent Support Zoom Chat - Wednesdays at 1 pm. Email bprince@ccberkshire.org to sign-up.

Zoom Playgroup - Fridays at 10:30 am. jgolin@ccberkshire.org to sign-up.

Medford Family Network: New Moms and Dads Group - Tuesday at 12:30 pm. View their calendar to sign-up.

Valuing Our Children: Parent support groups, including grandparents. View their calendar for more details. Check out their Facebook page for daily story walks, activities, and more!

for new moms and dads

Starting on 3/24/2020, JF&CS will offer the New Parent Support Groups for parents with babies under 1 will be meeting via Zoom video conferencing, as always at no cost. JF&CS looks forward to connecting with regular group participants, as well as welcoming new ones into these communities, which offer a space for parents to find connection and support from one another with the guidance of a group facilitator. Their group for parents experiencing post-partum depression and anxiety, "This Isn't What I Expected", will also meet via Zoom.

Arlington New Parents Group: Fridays, 10:00-11:30 am
Brookline New Parents Group: Tuesdays, 10:00-11:30 am
Cambridge New Parents Group: Thursdays, 10:00-11:30 am
Dorchester New Parents Support Group: Tuesdays, 10:00-11:30 am
Jamaica Plain New Parents Group: Wednesdays, 1:30-3:00 pm
Medford New Parents Group: Tuesdays, 12:30-2:00 pm
Melrose New Parents Group: Wednesdays, 10:30 am - noon
Sharon New Parents Group: Fridays, 10:00-11:30 am
Watertown New Parents Group: Fridays, 9:15-10:45 am
New Adoptive Parents Support Group: Fridays, 10:00-11:30 am **Meeting weekly
Postpartum Depression Support Group: "This Isn't What I Expected": Tuesdays, 1:00-2:30 pm. For mothers suffering from postpartum depression or anxiety.

For questions about JF&CS's New Parent Support Groups, contact Diane Gardner, Support Group Coordinator, at dgardner@jfcsboston.org.

for parents with babies (under age 1)

Single Parents Support Group for parents with babies under one year old, Mondays from 10:00-11:30 am

Parents of Multiples Support Group for parents with multiples under one year old, Thursdays 10:00-11:30 am

Parents of Toddlers Support Group for parents with toddlers, ages 1-3, on Wednesdays from 1:00-2:30 pm

Fragile Beginnings Zoom Support Group, for parents whose babies have spent time in the NICU, Tuesdays from noon-1:00 pm

Entre Nosotras/Among Us, will be held Mondays - Fridays from 10:00-11:00 am. "Entre Nosotras" es nuestro grupo de apoyo GRATUITO para mamás con niños pequeños. Lunes - viernes, 10:00-11:00 am.

Pre-registration is not required. Phone: 929-205-6099, Meeting ID: 927-3312-4897.

for all parents

Boys and Girls Club of Dorchester: Tuesdays at noon. Register here.

Meet with other parents & caregivers to create a support system that will provide opportunities to learn new skills, connect with peers, and receive information, mini webinars, and resources.

Lynn Family Forward Resource Center: "Bed Time = Me Time," virtual parent support group. Wednesdays at 7:30 pm. Email adiciero@centerboard.org to register.

Parenting Helping Parents
Parent Support Groups are free, confidential, and anonymous. These groups serve as a safe place for parents to express frustrations and concerns about their children and families and get advice from other parents who understand.

Mondays 9:00 am & 6:00 pm
Tuesdays 9:00 am & 3:00 pm
Wednesdays 9:00 am & 6:00 pm
Thursdays 9:00 am & 3:00 pm
Fridays 8:30 am & Noon

Use this link to join the meeting by computer or smartphone: https://zoom.us/j/6607380697
No Computer? Dial in by phone: +1 1646-558-8656 then input the meeting id 6607380697#
PPAL Family Network & Social Support

Every Monday and Friday from 9:00-11:00 am

Family Support Drop-In (need a resource, have a question or just feel like chatting)

Phone Number: 1(574) 807-6224 PIN: 481 219 769#

Virtual Support Group (Worcester/North Central Area)

Every Tuesday from 9:00-11:00 am

Phone Number: 1(401) 542-3257 PIN:438 858 848

Hispanic Family Support Group

18 Degrees Family Services of Western MA: Virtual Coffee Break - Fridays at 11:30 am and Parenting Workshops. Check out the events on their Facebook page to register.

playgroups and parent support groups

Bourne for Children: Mommy and ME virtual yoga: March 30th to May 8th
Mondays, 11:00-11:35 am - Baby Yoga
Tuesdays, 9:30-10:05 am - Toddler Yoga
Fridays, 9:30-10:05 am - Tyke/Preschooler

Caregiver Connections: Tuesdays at 8:30 pm

Fitchburg Family Resource Center - starting May 13th Parenting Wisely Wednesdays at 10:00 am. RSVP to Kristin Cole at (978) 751-4164.

North Suburban Child and Family Resource Network - Parents of infants up to 6 months - Mondays at 10:30 am. Drop-in for families with kids up to age 5 - Wednesdays and Fridays at 10:00 am and Thursdays at 3:30 pm. Email kbarnes@melrosewakefield.org for the Zoom link.

Plymouth Family Network: Playgroups, support, and parent education workshops - all virtual! Check out their calendar for full details.

Sandwich Partnership for Families:

Tuesdays at 10:00 am, Wednesdays at 4:00 pm, Thursdays at 10:00 am, and Fridays at 4:00 pm. Email lmelillo@sandwich.k12.ma.us for the Zoom link.

Somerville Family Learning Collaborative: New Parents Support Group on Fridays 1:00-2:30 pm. Email sfn@k12.somerville.ma.us to join.

Watertown Public School Early Childhood Partners: Thursdays at 7:00 pm (except 4/23). En Español: Email kchapron@gmail.com for details.

Worcester Family Partnership: daily content posted, email vietze@worcesterschools.net for the Zoom link

YMCA Family and Community Partnership (Sutton): Sign-up for their email newsletter to access the Zoom link: www.theyfcp.org

for parents who are caring for children with behavioral and mental health needs

PIN and the Whitman Counseling Center: Thursdays at 4:00 pm

Parenting Journey

grandparents raising grandchildren

Raising children with Behavioral and Mental Health needs

Navigating the Special Education system

Parent Support Program:

The Home for Little Wanderers

Virtual Parenting Cafe: Mondays at 2:00 pm and Fridays at 10:00 am. Register here.

storytime and activities for kids

Agawam CFCE: crafts for kids and virtual coffee hours for parents

Ashburnham-Westminster RSD CFCE

Beginning Bridges (Uxbridge)

Bourne for Children: new storytime posted weekly

CFCE of Fall River: daily activities, storytime. Also en Español.

CFCE of the North Shore: Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at 10:00 am

Community Network for Children (Erving): new storytime posted on Mondays

Community Teamwork (Lowell): activities posted daily. Homework Hotline via Zoom.

Early Childhood Alliance of Framingham: content posted daily. English/Spanish

Early Childhood Partners CFCE (Wenham)

Falmouth Coalition for Children: new videos added every week day

Family and Community Connection (Haverhill): new content posted daily

The Family Partnership Center (Ayer): daily at 10:00 am

Holyoke Chicopee Springfield Head Start

First Connections Concord Area CFCE: Wednesdays at 10:00 am

Hull Family Network: Mondays and Fridays at 9:30 am, email jmacdonald@town.hull.ma.us

Home.City.Families (Springfield): posted weekly *in English/Spanish

Ipswich Birth to Three Family Center: story time and music time posted every week day.

School Linked Services CFCE (Lunenburg)

Milford Public Schools: new recordings posted weekly

Milton Early Childhood Alliance

Newton Community Partnerships for Children and Families

Nantucket Community Network for Children: Wednesdays and Fridays at 10:00 am

Northshore Suburban Family Network

Fridays at 10:30 am Pathways For Parents: Mondays and Wednesdays at 10:00 am and

Shelburne Falls FB Group: story time and activities posted daily

Somerville Family Learning Collaborative: Tuesdays at 10:00 am , Wednesdays at 9:00 am , and Thursdays at 3:00 pm

South Hadley CFCE: weekly story time

Southshore Community Action Council

Somerville Family Learning Collaborative: Tuesdays at 10:00 am, Wednesdays at 9:00 am, Thursdays 3:00 pm

Triumph, Inc.: videos posted weekly

Westwood Early Childhood: videos posted weekly

in spanish

Virtual Hola! Spanish for Kids

CFCE of FallRiver

in portuguese

Martha's Vineyard Family Center FB Story Time

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Parenting Advice During Coronavirus

Child's Mind Institute: Parenting During Coronavirus: Live daily at 10:00 am and 4:30 pm

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Massachusetts Virtual Parenting Groups during COVID-19 - one tough job

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Now more than ever, all parents need support. We are committed to providing moms and dads with resources as we continue to navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic. Here is a list of virtual parenting support groups and playgroups across Massachusetts: Cape Cod Children's Place: Email info@capecodchildrensplace.com to register.

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Twice daily live chats for parents around the world on parenting during the pandemic.

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Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.

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having a hard time finding gratitude? Listen to this book for some inspiration.

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I Am Peace, A Book of Mindfulness - By Susan Verde | Children's Books Read Aloud

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Check out this story about the power of kindness, how it spreads and what benefit it can have for you.

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FREE Mindfulness classes for kids from Mindful Schools

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FREE Mindfulness classes for kids from Mindful Schools

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Grab a sibling, parent, grandparent, caregiver or whoever is at home with you and check these out!

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Free: Online Mindfulness Class for Kids!

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Mindful Schools has created ten free mindfulness classes for kids (as seen on CNN). Join us online - for mindful activities, mindful movement, read-alouds - and let's have fun exploring mindfulness together. Free Online: Mindfulness Class for Kids! Sign up to receive classes and mindfulness resources in your inbox.

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Check out one of our favorite read alouds to help you stretch your brain.

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BOOKENDS with Julia Cook: Bubble Gum Brain

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Imagine smelling a warm bowl of soup to settle strong emotions.

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Learn a special breathing technique to settle the Hubbub.

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Do not teach your children never to be angry; teach them how to be angry.
- Lyman Abbott

We plan for the uncertainty of a fire in our homes with smoke alarms and exit strategies. And it's important since one in four homes will have a big enough fire to necessitate calling the fire department.

But what about emotional fires? Every single one of us will be overcome with anger, fear or anxiety at some point. If you never knew you had a temper, your children will introduce it to you. And those moments of intensity are our true tests of character. How will we react when our brains are in fight or flight mode? Without thought or planning, we risk lashing out at our loved ones and not only disrupting our routine but also our foundation of trust. And we have to live with the guilt and regret that comes with it. But what if we simply planned for those moments and discussed how we were going to cool down with our families? We could have the chance to bring our best selves to most testing times in life.

First, why have a plan?
It helps to have a general sense of how your brain functions under great stress to know why you should have a plan. Anytime you are emotionally shaken from fear, anxiety, anger or hurt, you are functioning from your primal brain, your amygdala. There are chemicals that wash over the rest of your brain cutting off access so that your only functioning abilities are in your survival center. Effective problem solving requires access to the control centers for logic, language and creativity though these cannot be utilized when greatly upset. So that if your plan when your child makes a poor choice that angers you is to come up with a logical consequence on the spot, you will not be capable of that kind of higher level thinking.

This "hyjacking" of your brain, as Daniel Goleman author of Emotional Intelligence refers to it, serves a critical role. In true survival circumstances, you are able to focus on fighting or fleeing from the danger source. But in family life, fighting with words or fleeing out of the door is often not constructive, safe or practical. Creating a plan for what each member can do when they are in this state of mind and practicing it can prepare all members to act with emotional intelligence during a crisis, big or small.
Creating a Family Plan
Discuss when not emotional. Find a moment when you don't have time pressures to sit down and discuss a plan.

Share your knowledge. Talk about the above information and educate your children and your spouse about how the brain functions in a highly emotional state. Also, reflect on the symptoms you and your children might experience that clue you into understanding your emotions. For example, do you get red in the face or in the ears when you are upset? Does your child shake when she is fearful or anxiety-ridden? What physical experiences do you have when you are highly emotional?

Model. Children understand their emotions and how to handle them primarily from watching you! Have you ever noticed your child yelling or using words in anger in the same way you do? Modeling is a powerful teacher. So you go first! Take a quiet moment to respond to the following questions and/or fill in the blanks. Here is a pdf document with blanks to fill in to use with your family - My Emotional Safety Plan
Need a Spanish version? Here it is!
Mi Plan de Seguridad Emocional - Se que mis hijos aprenden a manejar las emociones de mi modelo cuando estoy enojado y ansioso. Yo se que mi hijo actuara de la misma manera que yo lo hago cuando estoy estresado. Tener un plan listo y ensayado me ayudara a modelar como quiero enseñarles a manejar sus emociones.

When I am angry or have high anxiety, I will say... (Keep it short!!)______________________

Example: "Mommy needs five minutes."

Then, I will go (Describe specific place.) __________________________________to cool down.

Example: I go to my favorite chair in my bedroom. I have heard from others that it's not safe for them to leave the room because a.) They have little ones. b.) They are worried siblings will hurt one another. In those cases, I designate a place in the room I am in or in the case of the siblings, I sit quietly inbetween them in the middle of the floor.

When I get to my cool down spot, I will... (Take how many deep breathes? Then. Write? Draw? Think? Plan?)____________________________________________________

Example: I take ten deep breathes. This is an essential part of any plan since it removes the chemical from your logical brain so that you have access again. I keep my journal and pen beside my chair if I need it. Sometimes, in the case of a child's misbehavior that I need to respond to upon my return, I think about logical consequences or constructive responses while there. I ask, "What does he need to learn? How can I best facilitate his learning in this situation?"

I will return to my family when..._________________________________________________

Example: For me, it's when I have cooled down properly and know my next move when I return to the situation.

Now ask your family to write their own plans after they've heard yours. Make sure all know each other's plans. An adult who leaves the room can scare a child and escalate the upset. But if you've already discussed it, then you merely need to remind him of your plan and implement it.

Having a plan can lend safety and security to your family life. It can create a more caring, supportive environment when all know that there is a clear response process for each person when they are at their most vulnerable. After living with and using your family emotional safety plan, you may wonder how you could have lived without it.

A word about sustained crisis...
If there are high emotions in your household most days, most of the time, then it may be time to consider outside intervention. Physical patterns begin to set in (as in depression) that require the help of a trained professional. Seeking psychological help is the same as going to your doctor for a physical ailment. There's no shame in being examined for headaches but unfortunately there still is a stigma related to seeking mental health support. In fact, it is the emotionally intelligent person who seeks outside help when he or she recognizes it's time. Though many will not seek it, it may be impossible to go through life without, at some point, needing some mental health intervention. The following are some U.S.-based resources to check out.

Goleman, D. (1994). Emotional Intelligence; Why it can matter more than IQ. NY, NY: Bantham Books.

© Copyright, 2021, Jennifer Smith Miller. All rights reserved.

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Do not teach your children never to be angry; teach them how to be angry. - Lyman Abbott We plan for the uncertainty of a fire in our homes with smoke alarms and exit strategies. And it's important since one in four homes will have a big enough fire to necessitate calling the fire department.

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Say hello to your body’s calming superpower, your breath.

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Watch this brief video introduction to mindfulness.

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Watch this brief video introduction to the world of Yeti.

Mind Yeti is mindfulness for kids and their adults. Our library of guided audio sessions can help kids settle the Hubbub and get their minds ready for work, play, or whatever comes their way. 

Mind Yeti is based on mindfulness, which is proven by science to strengthen our ability to focus, regulate our emotions, and even feel gratitude. Listen to Mind Yeti in the classroom or at home. 

Get started today by signing up for free at http://www.mindyeti.com