January 2023 - Self-Care
SPOILER ALERT: THERE WILL BE A PRIZE DRAW FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION THIS MONTH!!!
Welcome back to a New (School) Year! I hope your family spent time during the Holidays together cherishing special moments, making memories, and taking time to acknowledge all the things (big and small) you are grateful for.
January has been deemed self-care month by Northern Lights Public Schools, and the staff have been hard at work gathering great resources in order to promote and support student mental health. January can be a tough month for many; the weather can be dreadful, and people are exhausted from the holidays. Take this month to focus on yourself and/or your family’s well-being. There are so many benefits of self-care including improved physical health and mental health, it boosts self-esteem, and promotes positive relationships with those around you.
A couple of Art Smith students worked hard at producing a little self care video called: "I care, you care, let's talk about self-care!" Art Smith Self Care Video
Here is a video that you can watch as a family to teach your kids what self care is:
Below is a short article that describes simple self care habits that I hope you can implement as part of your daily routine
11 Simple Self-Care Habits for Kids
I will be going into the Elementary classrooms and reading “Clunky And His Happy-O-Metre”. It is a heartfelt story about a robot named Clunky who learns about what fills and drains his self-care tank.
Take a look at this read aloud of another self-care book, and maybe you will find some new coping strategies to have your children try out: ABC Mindful Me Read Aloud - Mindfulness Book by Christiane Engel
Many of the classrooms will be participating in a lesson on how to paint your feelings. This video will give families an idea on where to start if they want to try this activity at home. Even with just a piece of paper and crayons, you can make beautiful art based on your emotions that is also a great calming strategy : Draw Your Emotions with this 5 min Mindful Art Activity | 30 Day Art Challenge
Below is a poster with 31 simple ideas for self-care. Print it off and stick it somewhere visible that you can easily refer to when feeling overwhelmed.
SELF CARE BINGO CHALLENGE!!! Complete all (or as many) of these self care activities as possible by the end of January and your name will be put in a draw for a family self-care basket!!! Please send photographic proof of you completing these activities to [email protected].
For more resources, check out the Self-Care page of the NLPS website.
If you would like me to connect with your child(ren) or family, you can contact me at the school at (780) 594-1404 or by email at [email protected]