Wellness Newsletter - October 23, 2020

Memorial Wellness Weekly Newsletter

Parent/Teacher/Community

Week 7

Student Stress: The Signs

Recognize/Respond/Reflect.

Signs:

Changed or poor sleep habits: Pay attention to how your children are sleeping.
Physical complaints: Children who are experiencing stress or are in distress may be complaining of physical symptoms such as their head hurting or their stomach hurting.
Dietary changes: Suddenly having a loss of appetite or other changes with their eating patterns out of the blue could also indicate that children are struggling.
Mood swings: If children start having behavioral or emotional outbursts, become easily upset and frustrated, or are having meltdowns over minor situations.

Parents can:

Talk about it: Having open and honest conversations with children to try to help them identify or reflect on the cause, whether it is school, home, friends, etc. Remember to remain calm and ask how you as parents can help. Don’t minimize.
Teach and Reteach: Help teach children coping strategies.
Ask a pro: If the problems last more than a few weeks, seek professional help so children can learn strategies and coping skills that can benefit their mental health now and into adulthood.

Most importantly, remember that this has been a stressful year for many people. It is normal for everyone to be experiencing anxiety, increased stress, and even grief. The best thing we can do for our students is to start conversations about the challenges, disappointments, sadness, and other feelings often not just during the struggle. The practice of these proactive conversations and the tool of reflection will teach healthy strategies.

October 26th-30th is RED RIBBON WEEK-Wear red Monday and Tuesday as we discuss making safe and responsible student choices.

Focus on the BIG FOUR: Build Healthy Habits, Be Active, Unplug, stress management

Great podcast about Burnout and managing stress for parents and Teachers.

Read of the week:

Stuck by Oliver Jeffers

Talk Time with your student

Do you have trouble finding out how your child’s day went? Try these questions.

October Theme:

Being a Responsible Student

Whole Body Listening

Problem Solving

How BIG is Your Problem?

0	Glitch Making a mess Need a pencil Forgot something Bathroom Teacher didn’t call on me	I can fix it myself! I can handle it! Ignore
1	Small Problem Frustrated/Bothered Confused Problems in Line Won’t share Lost game	“I” Message Use words Walk away Wait/cool off Ask a Friend
2	Big Problem Too rough or not respecting space Hurtful words Your words didn’t work Work is Confusing	Ask a Teacher “Take a Break” Reflection Sheet
3	Emergency! Hurt Fire Not Safe	Get a Teacher 911