We Can Do Hard Things!

• Date Published: 14 Oct, 2020

Hi friends! It’s so great to be back with you! Thank you for stopping by!

First, I truly hope that you and your families are healthy, safe, and doing well throughout this journey. Second, I am going to keep it very real in this post. Life as an educator looks incredibly different this year. We have spent months on Zoom, in our digital classrooms, planning, preparing, scheduling (rescheduling), teaching, and reteaching, hoping to engage students in productive and meaningful ways. Prioritizing social and emotional wellbeing, whilst maintaining academic excellence, and promoting thoughtful dialogue between students, parents and teachers is the expectation, but some days, in all honesty, it feels HARD...some days it feels impossible. BUT - some days - you grab your big girl pants and you show up as your best self and you do your very best. I can tell you, the kids KNOW you are doing your very best. They truly appreciate and value authenticity. Modeling behavior that shows, “we can do hard things” is the new #2020 motto. And I am living by it - EVERY SINGLE DAY.

I know you are asking yourself if your kids are still learning and growing and thriving. What I can tell you is that - YES - they are learning valuable life skills that will become a part of their story. They miss their friends, they want to go back to the classroom, they want life to return to normal, however, they are playing, reading, writing, counting, collaborating, and solving throughout this journey. Keep the faith, and know that there are also lots of outstanding resources out there to help you. A few thoughts to consider: 

Review daily habits and routines:

• Are your kiddos tired in the morning? Put on some music and let them dance and get the wiggles out to wake up their bodies. 

• Breakfast is essential. If your kiddos are not fed, their minds are not awake. Great “brain food” includes green smoothies, bananas, almond butter toast, or some scrambled eggs. 

• Make sure that your children get dressed for the day - yes, even in Zoom school! Getting them back into a routine (and out of their pajamas) sets the right mindset for the day. “Dress well, test well” is a motto I lived by in school, and it actually really works!

• The blue lights from our screens suppresses melatonin, so it’s vital that your kids get brain breaks. I tell my students to literally close their computers and go outside to play. They have to move their bodies and get some endorphins flowing. 

• Eat a protein-rich lunch. It helps keep your kid’s blood sugar steady, so they won’t have an energy spike and crash. 

• After a long school day, enjoy quiet time. Go outside. Observe the world around you.

• Do a classwork / homework check. Reach out to your child’s teacher if they need additional support.

• Give your kids time to reflect on their day. Have a conversation with them to see how they are doing. At the end of my class each day, we share “Roses & Thorns” to talk about the great moments and the moments that might have been tricky. Kids will amaze you with what they share. 

• Make sure that your children are screen free at least an hour before bedtime. Their consistent sleep is vital, and making this slight change will make a difference.

If you’re ready to throw your computers out of the window, here are some screen free purchases that will help you and your kiddos!

• Kid’s Blue Light-Blocking Glasses

• Blue Light-Blocking Computer Screen Protector

• Mindfulness / Gratitude Journals

• A Year of Meaningful Reads: Brightly’s Monthly Themes

• The Most Anticipated Picture Books of 2020

• The Most Anticipated Middle Grade & Chapter Books of 2020

Lastly, a favorite mindfulness activity to do with kids of all ages is to create glitter jars. This fun craft gives kids the grace and space to process their emotions in a positive way. It’s important to first talk about feelings and how they can grow really BIG inside of us, and sometimes, we just need to “take a moment” (this works for adults too!). Next, we created glitter jars (mason jars filled with glitter, Elmer’s glue, and water), and selected 3 glitter colors: one for thoughts, one for feelings, and one for behaviors. Then when shaken, the jar gets all sparkly and swirly. Last, once the jar is set back down, kids can “take a moment” and watch the glitter settle to the bottom of the jar (preferably seated in a quiet space). By the time the glitter has settled, kids feel that they have settled themselves too. When our feelings get to be too big for us, similar to the glitter mixed in the jar, everything becomes jumbled together. This mindfulness activity is a great way to show kids (and adults) that taking a moment to process what is happening around you, is actually a really great thing to do. 

Again, it is truly awesome to be back with you all. I look forward to sharing LOTS more helpful resources with you!

With love,

Jenny