Memorial Wellness Weekly Newsletter
Parent/Teacher/Community
March 27, 2021

Habits

Creating good habits or breaking undesired habits will take time. The most effective way is to start with one goal and create small systematic ways to get started. It's been said that when you stick with something for 21 days, you've mastered it. Although that may be a good initial timeline, you should consider how to keep it up for months or a year. What's your goal?

Keys to forming habits:

Use a prompt that initiates you. For example, if your goal is to drink more water, then keep your water bottle out in the open to prompt you.
Use a mantra, saying or quote to remind you to stay on course.
Stay positive even if you miss a day. Building good habits should be viewed as a want or goal, not a have-to.
Children need consistency. They need to be taught a new habit or desired behavior and the WHY behind that goal. The interaction around the teaching needs to be upbeat. Even young children can understand the why if it's positively driven.
Focus on the progress not the outcome. Avoid the "all or nothing" mindset.

Good Habits = Desired Behavior

Book of the Week:

Salt in His Shoes:

Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream

Visit:

Ms. Hodgdon's Interactive Office
Memorial Remote & Hybrid Learning Success Website

Listen:

The 1 Minute Secret to Forming a New Habit

Watch:

Pip

Psychological First Aid: Parents, Kids and Mental Health

Read:

How Do You Really Make or Break a Habit?

50 Fun Spring Activities for Families

Helping Your Child Spring Forward

March Theme:

Message of the Month: Flexible Thinking (Growth Mindset, Flexible vs. Fixed)

Upcoming opportunities:

Kid's Heart Challenge -

Parent Resources

Talk Time with Your Student:

Do you have trouble finding out about his/her school day? Try these questions
Helping Children Cope with Changes from Covid-19
12 Fun Things to Do with Friends and Family over Video Chat

Meeting Our Needs:

You can only be the best version of yourself if you have a solid foundation.

The AAP recommends the following (healthychildren.org):

Children 6 to 12 years of age should sleep 9 to 12 hours per 24 hours on a regular basis to promote optimal health.
Children 6 years and older need 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity on most days of the week (free play and organized sports focused on fun).
The AAP recommends that families create a Media Plan in order to address the multifaceted impacts that all kinds of media and screen time have on children. Attached to this report is a Tip Sheet for parents on screen time. Additionally, create your family media plan here: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/media/Pages/default.aspx

More Tips and Help:

Tips for Remote and Distance Learning

Yoga for the Whole Family

Virtual Calming Room

Resources:

DHHS: Quarantine Guide

CDC: Facts about Covid-19

Help from the School Health Office

Help for Parents: Routines and School during Covid

Google Meet: Be Safe, Be Respectful, Be Responsible