Helping kids with executive functioning challenges can take one part instruction, one part practice, one part mindfulness and one part patience. For the instruction part, I have created fun visual aids to support kids with their learning and understanding of how their brains work. Within the school I work, every grade is using the In-Focus …
Walking the Path This past summer I had the opportunity to visit the Chartres Cathedral labyrinth to walk it for the third time. Giant in size, it is a walk of heart. In fact, the first time I set foot on it, I was unexplainably moved to tears. Labyrinths have long since been used as …
You, dear parent, dear teacher… are a Gardener As I am working with kids in one of the many Garden Offices we have, this is one of my most powerful mantras: I am a gardener, I plant seeds, I am not in charge of when they grow. It keeps me in “seed planting mode” rather …
It’s back to school time and the perfect time to practice relaxation techniques with your kids! Recently, the first graders and I created a “Forest of Calm” through the Vrksasana yoga pose, or “tree pose.” All of the kids gathered together to assume the tree poses and linked arms to create our forest. Your Forest …
“The most precious gift you can give to the one you love is your true presence.” ~Thich Nhat Hanh When you are mindful of your breathing, you are building a bridge between your mind and body. And, as Thich Nhat Hanh notes in his book, True Love, it only takes 10-20 seconds to accomplish this …
I believe that each of us is born with an inherent natural sense of imagination and a propensity for wonder. Every child, in their purest essence is a priest of priestess, an alchemist of imagination. And to the extent that we, as parents, caregivers, educators or therapists can be a support to nurture and nourish …
A consistent, predictable, calming bedtime relaxation routine can make the difference of a good night’s sleep or not. Our brains and nervous systems thrive on predictability and routine in order to reach a state of calm. And, the more we experience a routine, over time our bodies and minds build the capacity for calm, automatically …
Passport to Relaxation Building upon the positive passport theme, I created a Relaxation Passport for use in my small groups. Each week as we practice a new relaxation tool, we put a stamp in our booklet–to denote our travel to said relaxation destination. However, it’s a journey. Students find this so fun in that you …
This week in small group we are studying SLOTHS! Until we slow down in the moment, and during life in general, relaxation practice isn’t effective or even very possible. Slowing down in the first step in the relaxation response, it is a signal to our Central Nervous System that we are going to calm …
Here’s a quick break for all of the kiddos you know that could use a pause and some sensory input to help them balance and calm their minds and bodies. To introduce this break or for practice, I ask the boys in my group to drop and “be a snake in the grass.” First teach …
