Take a break

Try some mindfulness and breathing to make a stressful day less stressful.

• Sit in a comfortable position. Close your eyes or look down.
• Pay close attention to your breathing. Feel the air come in thru your nose, then fill your chest, and your belly. Calmly and slowly, let the breath leave your belly, then your chest, and finally your nose.
• Keep your shoulders dropped and relaxed. Think about the air coming into your body and the air going out.
• Bring your attention back to your breath, if your mind tries to think about other things.
• Notice your stomach rising and falling. Let your belly be soft and relaxed.
• Open your eyes slowly and take a slow, deep breath.

More Tips to Start the School Year

Homework-staying motivated
When your child gets home from school or after-school care, he/she might want to relax for a little while or maybe just jump right in and work. If he feels restless when doing his homework suggest that he gets up and moves once in awhile to a new spot. For example he might finish his spelling at the kitchen table and then read on the porch. A planned break can also give him a second wind (a snack or a short walk).
Building Relationships
One way to help your child develop relationship skills is to enourage him/her to identify feelings. As you watch your favorite television show, movie or read a book with your child, have them write down all the feelings they see and hear the characters express. Compare the list with your list.
See how many feelings you label the same. Notice how many feeling words you both think of.
You can also discuss how the different characters handled their feelings. Talk about their decisions on how to deal with their feelings.