Please tell me you aren't the small percentage of people that don't like chocolate or are allergic to chocolate.!!!
I sympathize with you, but it's hard to empathize because I just NEED to eat it!
For this mindfulness activity that's great for kids too, grab a piece of chocolate (m+ms are great because they don't melt in the hand) or a small fruit like a strawberry or raisin.
First, look at the food noticing anything about the appearance.
Then, smell the food noticing how it smells.
Next, place it in the mouth without chewing. Move it around the mouth noticing texture and temperature.
Finally, slowly chew paying special attention to how the teeth feel while biting it and how it tastes in different parts of the mouth.
That's how to mindfully eat! Here are 2 videos to watch and try with us!
With Joy,
Tanya and Taylor
Grab the Free PDF 15 Ways to Build Self compassion here
Here is an article about how hugs will improve your relationships with the family. Connection before correction is a huge part of our parenting philosophy. I notice that when we are not connecting with our children in meaningful ways, the negative behaviors start to emerge more frequently.
Day 4: Core Values
Brainstorming the family's core values and working on them consistency is an important part of cultivating a Family Mindset. In the first 3 days, we worked on Intention, Gratitude, and Kindness. Today, use these grounding techniques to center your family into its truest values and then work on recording them into Family rules or expectations to refer back to along your family's path. List them with positive language as in 'We can' or 'We will' statements rather than the things you will not do. Example: We will listen to each other or We can pause before responding.
As I write this blog series we are currently on Stay at Home order for the Covid-19 pandemic. There are a lot of new ideas and cultural shifts that have been brought into our home. We are dealing with fewer distractions therefore we can work on and implement what is truly important to our family. In the comments, please write what your family hopes to implement into your future goals from this 5 Day Challenge or from your time at home during the pandemic.
Affirmation: I am Strong and Rooted
Snack: Root Veggie Chips
(eating root veggies can help you feel more grounded)
Set up a taste test using this article. See if you develop something new that you like to eat!!
Guided Activity: Tree Pose video
Invitation to Play: Barefoot walk
Feeling the earth under your feet is so crucial to brain development and emotional regulation! Take some time this week to be barefoot outside. We went around our backyard looking for different textures to put our feet on. Then, we described the feeling on our skin. See how many different textures you can find in your yard!
Enjoy the shift in the brain this week!
Find the 5 Day Break THRU Boredom challenge in my facebook community too! That's where you can participate for prizes and get more free trainings.
If you like this blog, you may also like this Free Guide: 5 Ways to Reduce Childhood Stress and Anxiety.
Grab the Free PDF 15 Ways to Build Self compassion here
Today, our mindset focus is on Kindness! Studies show that performing kindness acts activates areas of pleasure, social connection, and trust in the brain. Scientists also found that when someone only thinks of the idea of giving, endorphins and oxytocin hormones, which elevate the mood, are released making him/her feel better and happier for hours. Read about why Kindness is important to the brain.
Affirmation: I am Kind, I am Giving
Snack:
Let's spread kindness by thinking of shareable snack packs to bring to neighbors or essential workers. Here are a few ideas.
A list of snack ideas to give out to neighbors or essential workers:
Printable tags:
Mindfulness Activity: Worry Rocks
Activity: Painting Kindness Rocks
We absolutely love participating by sharing and finding kindness rocks. Our town has a Facebook group that is very active and it started at a Nursing Home as a fun activity for the residents to do as well as for them to receive from town members. Whenever we travel to other states we've started finding them as well. Now, we enjoy painting rocks and sending kindness messages to friends and families as well as hiding them when we go out hiking.
From this website: Here's how you can create Kindness Rocks with your family or in your classroom. You'll need these supplies:
- Palm-sized, smooth rocks
- Acrylic paint and thin brushes
- Paint pens or permanent marker (optional)
- Clear outdoor sealant spray
Gather your rocks. Look for ones with a smooth side that fit in the palm of your hand. About 3” is the best size. (We got ours from our river rock landscaping.)
Invitation to Play: Giving the Stones a bath
Kids absolutely love to play with water and soap or shaving cream make it 100% more fun! Set up a water table or a shallow bin with water and soap or shaving cream. Add some sponges and scrub brushes. Set a basket of collected rocks (from the kids or ones that you provide). Also, set a basket of plastic animals. Tell them that the rocks and animals need a bath today! This should engage them for quite some time. To extend the play, then build a habitat scene with the rocks and animals while they dry on a towel using the color as the terrain such as a green towel for grass or a blue one for water.
Enjoy the shift in the brain this week!
Find the 5 Day Break THRU Boredom challenge in my facebook community too! That's where you can participate for prizes and get more free trainings
If you like this blog, you may also like this Free Guide: 5 Ways to Reduce Childhood Stress and Anxiety.
Grab the Free PDF 15 Ways to Build Self compassion here
In this blog post, the importance of cultivating gratitude within our families is discussed as a way to make a positive impact on the world. The author emphasizes the need for a "Family Mindset" that starts with self-love and gratitude, which can then be shared with others. The post suggests various activities and practices to foster gratitude, such as having a gratitude jar where family members can write down what they are grateful for and reading them together on New Year's Day. The post also includes links to resources for interactive read-aloud sessions and scavenger hunts for both younger and older children.
Don't forget to check out the author's Facebook community for the 5 Day Break THRU Boredom challenge, where you can participate for prizes and get additional free trainings. You may also be interested in the author's Free Guide on reducing childhood stress and anxiety.
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