Stressed Out? More Tips on Releasing Stress.

Do you ever feel like this kitten?  

Here are some tips to avoid and/or relieve those feelings:

• Maintain more peace by beginning and/or setting aside time each day for meditation-a quiet time for you. Begin with noticing your breathing.  Allow your mind to get into the natural rhythm of your body.
• Treat your mind and body with love and respect.
• Drink plenty of water.  Stay hydrated.
• Get adequate rest.  Sleep deprivation affects our mind and body.
• Exercise regularly.  
• Brain Gym movements.
• Engage socially.  Simply talking to people face to face can release hormones that reduce stress.
• Move. Physical activity plays a key role in stress management-especially activities that require moving both arms and both legs.  Focus on how it feels.  Focused movement helps get the nervous system back into balance.
• Get a massage. Body work helps to relieve stress held in the tissues of the body.
• Laugh-a good deep belly laugh can do wonders. Watch a funny movie or do things which result in laughing. Laughter results in chemical changes in your body.
• Listen to soothing music. Breathe deeply and allow yourself to relax.
• Limit internet and phone use.  They can increase tension.

Stress!!!! What Role Does Play in your life?

Stress!!!!  We have all had out experiences with it.  It seems to be a common everyday malady.  To hear, "I'm really stressed out!" or "This is making me totally stressed." seems to be heard almost every day.  When we feel this way, we probably are worried or uncomfortable about something.  We may also experience a variety of symptoms such as feeling ill.  Stomach aches and headaches are well known symptoms.  Being "stressed out" occurs in people of all ages.

Often we think of stress as being a bad thing.  However, there is such a thing as good stress.  Good stress can help us get things done and/or done better.  Times when we feel good stress might be when we have a report or presentation to give, are going for an interview, are performing for others, etc.  Some may say, how can that be "good stress"?  In reality, it is up to us to determine.  This stress can urge us to prepare better and more thoroughly for the presentations, interviews, and performances.  As we do this, we gain more confidence.  When we are well prepared and have more confidence, we do better.  On the other hand, if we allow the stress to gain momentum and power, it becomes an influence for experiencing illness, immobilization, and poor performance.  It then can become an experience that is uncomfortable, debilitating, and embarrassing, rather than uplifting, exciting, and empowering.  The great news is: We are the one who chooses!  We are the ones in control!

Turning stress and tension into positive power is done in different ways by different people.  We are all unique, so different techniques may be more effective for some than others or different techniques may work better some times than others. Here are a few to begin with:

• Breathe your stress away!  Find a quite place, lie down or sit comfortably, close your eyes, place your hands over your ribs, take in a deep breath slowly through your nose so that your belly fills up like a balloon (this a deeper breath where your shoulders don't move), hold it while you count to 5 slowly.  Then let the air out slowly through you mouth.  Repeat this several times (at least 3-5)
• Exercise your tension away!  Walking, running, swimming, jumping rope, doing sit-ups, riding a bke, dancing, singing, etc. are excellent ways to burn off extra energy and let the stress out.  Hitting things is not the best thing to let stress out.  It can accelerate stress.
• Do and/or think of something different.  Take a break.  Watch a movie, take a walk, play a game, take a shower, get a drink of water, read a book, take a trip to the park, etc. just a few of the things you can do to give your mind and body a break.
• When you are presenting, preforming, taking a test, etc. work extra hard and practice more.  Begin early to learn and prepare for it.  When you are prepared and know it, you are more confident and have less stress.
• Talk to someone you trust and feel comfortable sharing your feelings.  Often talking with such a person helps relieve stress.  Hearing their point of view and objectivity can help to see things from a different and more powerful perspective.  

More information and ways to reduce stress and increase power and control in your life are coming this week.  Remember you are the one who chooses how it will be!

Tips for Doing Things Better and Easier-Especially When Under Stress Stress

#1. Sipping water: Sipping the water is more effective than drinking in gulps. Some of the benefits of sipping water:

• All academic skills are improved when we are adequately hydrated.
  
• Water intake is vital before test-taking or at other times when possible stress is anticipated. Has your mouth ever gotten dry when you are nervous?
• Sipping water helps to improve concentration.
• It improves mental and physical coordination.

Suggestions for Helping Kids (of all ages) Start the Day

It's January 3rd and most of us are back to work and school following weeks of festivities-family dinners and get-togethers, parties, concerts and performances, etc. The adjustment is usually hard for all of us. The first thing this morning a second grader came up to tell me that it was really hard to get up today, because she and her brother have been staying up late having fun.

In addition to getting back on track, it is important to remember that it is the end of the semester for many schools. As a result students will be doing more testing than in regular weeks. Some things to consider to help prepare your student to do their best are:

• Get adequate rest. It is recommended that children 5-12 years old get at least 9.5 hours per night.
• Be prepared. Have the things needed for school (or work) completed and in their designated place where they are ready to be picked up as he/she walks out the door.
• Eat breakfast. It is best to include some protein and to go lower on sugar.
• Keep the morning as calm as possible. I know it can get pretty hectic with everyone getting ready for their day, but we all think, react, focus, etc. better when we are "calm, cool, and collected."
• Send him/her off with a kind word of confidence and love. It will make a difference.

New School Year, New Beginnings! Plan for success!

Here it is September 1! It's hard to believe how quickly the days, weeks, and even months come and go. Yet they do. For those of you whose lives include school, it is a time of new beginnings. The new school year has just begun or will be beginning. With that comes new teachers, students, clothes, supplies, friends, practice and game schedules, routines, etc. These new adventures are exciting and fun, but a result can be more things to do with less time to do them. As you think about your schedules, be sure to remember to plan for the basics that help you and your children successful. Some considerations are:

• Get adequate rest.
• Eat healthy food
• Drink plenty of water
• Exercise daily
• Develop and maintain a routine to support success

Summer Break: Time to Begin!

Now it is time to put the family plan into action! You have decided what you want, met with the children, and made your family plan, the next step is to put it all into action.

It is best to just do it. Begin the first day of your break. If it has already started, begin now. It is easy to say, "We had a late (bad, or whatever) start, so we will begin tomorrow." You know about tomorrow, it never comes. Modify and begin where you are. Tomorrow can be better. It may take a few days. If it does, it does. But if you keep procrastinating, you may not do it and you won't receive your desired benefits. Just do it now!

A key to being successful in most anything is being consistent. The same is true in this situation. Hold to the guidelines or rules that you have established. When rewards are earned and deserved, be sure to reward. Immediate rewards are most effective, so reward as soon as possible. The same is true with negative consequences. If the guidelines are not being followed, follow through with what you said would be the consequence. When consequences are consistent, children know what is expected of them and what to expect. It gives them security and structure in their lives. When consequences aren't consistent, children can become confused as to what the rules are. They may test you to see if you mean what you say, but when you do, they know you are there for them. Be consistent.

As I said in the last post, evaluate periodically. Problem-solve and make alterations as seems wise. Praise and reward for the things that have gone well. You are on your way.

Have a great summer adventure!

Summer Break: Time to Begin!

Now it is time to put the family plan into action! You have decided what you want, met with the children, and made your family plan, the next step is to put it all into action.

It is best to just do it. Begin the first day of your break. If it has already started, begin now. It is easy to say, "We had a late (bad, or whatever) start, so we will begin tomorrow." You know about tomorrow, it never comes. Modify and begin where you are. Tomorrow can be better. It may take a few days. If it does, it does. But if you keep procrastinating, you may not do it and you won't receive your desired benefits. Just do it now!

A key to being successful in most anything is being consistent. The same is true in this situation. Hold to the guidelines or rules that you have established. When rewards are earned and deserved, be sure to reward. Immediate rewards are most effective, so reward as soon as possible. The same is true with negative consequences. If the guidelines are not being followed, follow through with what you said would be the consequence. When consequences are consistent, children know what is expected of them and what to expect. It gives them security and structure in their lives. When consequences aren't consistent, children can become confused as to what the rules are. They may test you to see if you mean what you say, but when you do, they know you are there for them. Be consistent.

As I said in the last post, evaluate periodically. Problem-solve and make alterations as seems wise. Praise and reward for the things that have gone well. You are on your way.

Have a great summer adventure!

Summer Break: Creating the Working Model with your Children

Now that you have your objectives and plan, you are ready to present them to your children, and to invite them to become a part in creating the actual working model. There are several things you might want to consider when you present the ideas.

• Bring to their attention the benefits they will receive-what they will get from it.
• Allow them to have some voice in the planning. You have your ideas and some of the things may be non-negotiable, however, they will have really good ideas, too. As you acknowledge their ideas with praise, they will offer more ideas and your planning sessions will be more and more productive.
• Be sure the plan is realistic.
• Build in some flexibility for days that will be different.
• Evaluate. Set a time to look at how the day(s)-week(s)-are going. It might be at the end of the first day, couple of days, week, or ... Are your objectives being met? Ask the children their opinion first. Be sure to praise their comments and the things that have gone well. If there are things that haven't gone well, ask how they think you, as a family, can improve them. Try different things. Sometimes it might be wise to allow your family to try suggestions that you don't think will work. The results will be that you are surprised as they do or it can be a great learning opportunity as they see the ideas didn't work and can find a different way to approach the situation. Discourage anyone from saying, "I told you so!"
• Reward all in some way for the successes that you are experiencing.

When children are a part of the decision making, they gain confidence, learn to brainstorm and problem solve. The result will be that they follow the plan-their plan-more easily.

Enjoy and have fun as you work together!!!

Summer Break: Creating Your Plan

You have decided some things you would like your children to do this summer and the atmosphere you would like in your home. How can you structure the days and weeks to successfully reach those objectives?

One good way is to create a comfortable, but firm, structure for each day. Determine a time frame and responsibilities for each person. It is best to have a routine. Your day can be as detailed and structured as you want it to be. An more loosely structured example might be:

· Awake and out of bed by 8 am

· Eat breakfast, put dishes in the dishwasher

· Get dressed.

· Check list of chores on frig.

· Complete chores by 10 am.

· Free time

· Lunch at noon. Check schedule for responsibility

· Quiet time til 1:30 This could be time for reading, academic skills, nap, etc.

· Dinner 6 pm

· Bath and bed 9:30 pm

It is vital that your goals and expectations are clear. KIS is also good advice here. Think your plan through, write it down (Remember it is only a wish, if it isn’t written down. We know what happens with wishes.), and compare it with your goals. Some questions to ask yourself are: Will this plan bring the goals to reality? Does it support what I want? Am I being reasonable? Is it too much? Do I need more details or expectations?

Tip: Brain Gym PACE would be a great item to put into your schedule. It can help get the day off to a more smooth and focused start, will be great during a quiet time or when working on academic skills, and will help when tension creeps into the day.

Summer Break: What is it going to be Like ar Your Home?

When summer break comes, children are not on their regular schedule. As a result, the whole family can be affected. If they go to a daycare or babysitter while you work each day, things may be much the same. However, if not, life can be very different.

Children need structure and are happier when they have it. Sometimes we think and may say, they have been in school and need a break. That is true. They have and do. However, they thrive when they have some kind of schedule. To create yours, determine what you would like your life to be like with them at home. Some question to consider might be: Do I want them to be up by a certain time? Do I want them to do daily and weekly chores? When would I like they completed? What guidelines do I want to have concerning meals? Some items to address might be time, preparation, clean-up, etc. Do I want them to read and do other activities to maintain their academic skills while away from the classroom?

As you take some time to seriously consider these types of things, make a plan to incorporate them, and follow your plan you may be surprised with the results. When structure, responsibility, and purpose are incorporated in children’s lives, their self-esteem flourishes. They are more positive, easier to motivate, happier, and more fun.

Next: “I know what I want, how do I make a plan so that I will get the results I want?"

Summer Break is Coming. What is yours going to be like?

May is speeding by and soon summer break will be here! What is yours going to be like?

Now is the time to think about it and decide.

Now, before it is here, is the time to determine the kind of summer break you want to have with your children, plan what needs to happen or not, and how you are going to bring it to reality. You may be thinking, "I don't want to plan. I want it to be a relaxing time without a lot of pressure." I understand. However, even the most casual, relaxed atmosphere has some ground rules that keep it in integrity.

Be sure to check in, because I'll be posting ideas and suggestions in the next 10 days.

Remember "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail."

Cross Crawls: Prepare for Tests; Let go of Frustration

To engage the whole brain before beginning testing, do some Cross Crawls. They help recall information, resolve problems, and remain calm.

Have you ever gotten frustrated and the harder you try, the more you seem to make mistakes? When that happens, you are in what is called "survival mode”. You are not accessing your whole brain. If you will do some Cross Crawls, it can help you get the whole brain working again. Your frustration will diminish and you will be able to perform easier and more accurately.

I saw this recently as I worked with one of my tutoring students. As he worked on some exercises, he became tense and began making more mistakes increasing his frustration. I asked him to do some Cross Crawls. After he finished, he sat down and was able to proceed easily.

Cross Crawls

Bring one leg and opposite arm together. Then bring the other leg and its opposite arm together. Repeat rhythmically for about one minute. 

Hook-Ups: Great tool to Calm Test-taking Concerns

Taking tests can result in feelings of concern, fear, and stress. When this happens, we are more likely to have trouble focusing, remembering, problem-solving, and doing our best. Brain Gym's Hook-ups is a tool we can use to calm down, focus, and organize our attention for the task at hand.

Hook-ups can be done standing, sitting, or lying down.

Part 1: Sit quietly. Breathe deeply.

Cross your right ankle over the left.

Cross your right wrist over the left. With palms together, thumbs down,and fingers intertwined, bring your hands up under your chin.

Hold like this for a minute or more breathing slowly.

As you inhale, touch the tip of your tongue on roof of your mouth just behind the teeth. Relax the tongue as you exhale.

If it feels safe, close your eyes and continue to breathe slowly and deeply.

Part 2: Uncross ankles and arms. Put fingertips together. Continue to breath slowly.

Hook-ups are a great tool when we want to be on task and using our whole brain for optimal performance. I have seem some dramatic results for students using them.

Coming up next: Brain Gym Activity for reading and writing.

Water, So Simple, but So Vital!

One of the simplest things we can do to ensure we do our best is drink enough water to be adequately hydrated. Even though it is simple, it is often challenging to drink the water we need or even to remember to drink when we are busy.

When we have adequate hydration, all of our academic skills are improved. Water intake is extremely important when stress is anticipated such as before test taking. Water improves concentration, alleviates fatigue, improves mental and physical coordination, and enhances communication and social skills.

Why is water such a big deal?

About two-thirds of our body is made up of water which is an excellent conductor of electric energy. It facilitates electrical currents in our body that are conducted between our brain and sensory organs. All of the electrical and chemical actions of our brain and central nervous system depend on this.

Several things deplete our body of water leaving our cells dehydrated. One of these is stress-both psychological and environmental. Another is working with electrical equipment, such as computers, TV, etc. We may think that we are getting water through food or other drinks, while in reality, we are eating processed foods that don’t contain water and, like caffeinated drinks, may be dehydrating our bodies. When we are consuming these items, we may need to drink more water rather than depend on them for the fluid that our body needs.

As you prepare to do your best, be sure that your water intake is adequate. The most efficient way to have the water we drink absorbed is when it is taken frequently and in small amounts at room temperature.

Tomorrow: Hook-ups invite calm while focusing and organizing scattered attention.

May =Testing for Many

For teachers, students, and parents, May is the culmination of the school year. It is time to complete all projects, review for the year has already begun, and end of the year testing is at hand.

Everyone has worked hard all year, so we want our students to be and do their best. There are some things that can help them to do just that. This week I will be sharing some tips to help our children and students do their best while testing.

The first two things I automatically think of are several nights of good rest and eating breakfast. We all behave differently when we are sleepy or tired. Adults usually become sluggish when tired while children tend to overcompensate and speed up. In a study involving 2,463 children aged 6-15, children with sleep problems were more likely to be inattentive, hyperactive, impulsive, and display oppositional behaviors. So do your best to insure that they have a good night of sleep and, if possible, several nights.

Even though breakfast time can be hectic and rushed, it is important to have breakfast. Two rules for breakfast are:

• Never skip it!
• It must include protein!

If you and/or your children not like the typical breakfast food? That is fine. Last night's left over tuna casserole or a peanut butter sandwich will be fine. For other suggestions for breakfast see "Healthy Breakfast Ideas" under Topics.

Tip: Take a Break. Play "Simon Says"!

Whether it is a break with an entire classroom or a just a few children. "Simon says" is always a fun and great way to move. You can lead or they can. Simon says point to the south. Simon says point to five pieces of information on the walls. Simon says point to the new poster put up this morning. Use other movements than pointing, such as bending, turning, or twisting. How about jumping, lifting one leg or putting your left hand on your right shoulder while lifting your right leg. Make it simple. Make it more complicated. Just remember that movement is the key to learning.

Tip: Breakfast for ADHD Kids and All Others

Breakfast rules for ADHD kids and all others:

DON’T SKIP BREAKFAST.

INCLUDE PROTEIN.

Kids who eat breakfast tend to be healthier in all ways and are more likely to participate in physical activities. They also tend to feel less tired, restless, or irritable.

What kids eat for breakfast is also important. When they eat foods rich in protein, whole grains, and fiber-yet low in added sugar, their attention span, concentration, and memory may be boosted. They also tend to keep their weight under control, have lower blood cholesterol levels, have fewer absences from school, and make fewer trips to the school nurse with stomach complaints related to hunger.

Healthy breakfast suggestions :

· Whole-grained cereal topped with fruit and yogurt

· Whole-grain waffles topped with peanut butter or fruit

· Whole-grained pita stuffed with sliced hard-boiled eggs

· Hot cereal topped with cinnamon, nutmeg, fruit, nuts

· Peanut butter on whole-grain toast or bagel with fruit and milk

· Omelet with whole-grain toast and orange juice

· Bran muffin and yogurt and fruit

· Breakfast smoothie made with low-fat milk or yogurt, fruit and teaspoon of bran

· Heated leftover rice with chopped apples, nuts, and cinnamon and fruit juice

· Lean turkey on a toasted English muffin or bagel and vegetable juice

· Shredded cheese in a folded whole-grain tortilla and microwaved for a few seconds with a topping of salsa

· Low-fat cream cheese and fruit n whole-grain bread or bagel

Tip: ADHD Behaviors; Sit or Stand?

Have you noticed that some kids and adults, too, find it hard to stay seated when they are working? This isn’t new. Winston Churchill wrote most of his books standing up at a “standing desk". Standing desks are available today too. I recently saw a desk constructed for those who like to stand which also allowed them to swing a leg. However, these desks are a bit pricey, so it maybe more practical to let kids stand while working. For some it works better. The movement can help them to focus better.

Tip: ADHD Behaviors; Constant tapping

You know how it seems like some kids are constantly tapping with their fingertips? It can be very annoying and distracting to you and those around them. However if they are tapping on their leg, arm, or something that makes no noise, it doesn’t bother anyone.

The tapping helps them to focus for now until they can learn other tools to help them. As I’ve asked “tappers” to tap on their arm or leg, I’ve found them happy to do so and we are all calmer and happier.