Parent Power Newsletter
TIU 11, 4th Edition ~ May 19, 2020
Editor's Note
At present, we are all facing new life situations and obstacles made by the COVID19 pandemic. Our patterned lifestyle has been disrupted and it can be hard to focus. It may even feel that you’ve become a new person. I’m slowly learning and embracing that it is ok to experience a full range of human emotions. I’ve followed these wise words from another school psychologist to get me through some hard moments:
Notice: It’s important to trust yourself and to acknowledge how you’re feeling. How does your body feel? Are you clenching your jaw or tightening your fingers in a ball? Is your stomach flipping? What are these feelings telling you?
Feel the sensations: Take a moment to allow yourself to feel and breathe. Benjamin Franklin said, “patience may be our greatest virtue,” a statement that we all need to embrace in our new predicament. We will experience many more wonderful experiences in our lifetime; acknowledging that we must change our concept of time and learn to wait patiently, may be the greatest life lesson we can learn at this time.
Reach out: We all have been negatively affected by the virus. Even the term “social distancing” is antithetical to the concept of humanity itself! If you are feeling a sense of loss or pain, please note that you are not alone! Try to call a friend, talk to a family member, read a good book, watch an old great classic movie; and ultimately, if you’d like, find a therapist.
Just remember, you do not need to go through all these painful moments, alone. Your children will learn through you that it is O.K. to be sad, and to take a step back to process your feelings; but then try to find a remedy. Find joy in the simple things of life, a good cup of coffee or tea, watching the flowers blossom and the birds returning to your neighborhood! In fact, one day in the near distant future, you may witness your child handle a difficult situation with a new set of skills and maturity. Hopefully, you will be able to say, “Wow, my kid can handle difficult situations because they learned patience and resiliency from me.”
And that is parent power!
-Leia Reynolds, School Psychologist
Together at Home: Resources for Youth and Families
Tuesday, May 19, 2020, 05:30 PM
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Kid Cuisine
Sprinkle Fruit Dip
Craft Corner
Mini Garden
Mindfulness Matters
Fingertip Breathing
Intentional breathing techniques are quick to learn, effective in calming the body, used by people of all ages, don’t require special equipment, and, best of all, don’t cost a thing.
Today, I would like to share the practice of fingertip breathing. In this practice, we’ll focus on the breath which helps connect us to the current moment. Engaging the body, in this case the fingertips and hands, helps us to become (or remain) grounded in our here and now experience.
Combining breath work with body movement allows us to come more fully into the present. This kind of body practice is frequently used by those who practice mindfulness. The following steps will guide you gently through the practice. Taking only a few minutes every day with this and other mindful practices can have a beneficial effect on your health and relationships. Let’s begin…
1. Find your most comfortable sitting position. If you are practicing with your child, invite them to do the same.
2. Bring your hands in front of your body with palms together. Place your fingertips together, thumb to thumb, index finger to index finger and so on until each of your fingertips on your right hand is matched with a fingertip on the left hand.
3. Allow your intention to move to your breath. Feel how your chest and abdomen move as you breathe. The inhale brings expansion while the exhale contraction.
4. Keeping your fingertips touching, on your next inhale invite the palms to separate from each other while imagining a ball inflating as the hands are expanding.
5. As you exhale, allow the hands to close as the imaginary ball deflates and ending with the palms touching.
6. Continuing the intentional breathing, allow the hands to expand during inhales and close during exhales. Try to keep your mind on your breath and the slowing movement of your hands. If your thoughts drift, gently guide the mind back to your breath and hands. Be gentle with yourself. This is a practice, not a test.
7. Continue practicing for the amount of time that is comfortable to you.
As Rob Bell reminds us, “That breath you just took…that’s a gift.”
The FIRST Center, Lake House Wellness and The Mindfulness Center of Central Pennsylvania thank you for participating in this practice. If you are interested in learning more about mindfulness, please follow FIRST Center and Lake House Wellness on Facebook or visit the web sites (links below).
Be safe. Be well.
-Tracy Lake
Parent Power
Stress Tips from DHS
Questions or comments about this newsletter? Send to Denise Shugarts.
Email: dshugarts@tiu11.org
Website: tiu11.org
Location: 2527 US Highway 522 South McVeytown, PA 17051
Phone: 814-542-2501