 Research shows that regular, intentional mindfulness practice - even just a few minutes a day - can increase attention control, emotional regulation, presence and compassion. Grey matter increases in specific areas of the brain (supporting stronger neural connectivity in areas that are responsible for memory, learning, problem solving and controlling emotions).
Research shows that increased screen time, which keeps our brains in the hypnotic state receiving a massive surge of dopamine (the pleasure transmitter), can decrease attention control and presence. So although one may seem to be laser focused on one thing - technology - we are actually receiving many cues all at once leading to the practice of sliding attention from one thing to another at a rapid rate. This can be beneficial, but only when paired with practice and the development of focusing on one thing at a time. With technology engagement such as this, research has shown that white matter decreases in the brain; an area key to language development, literacy and cognitive skills. With increased screen time use in households today, as we try to navigate the new norm with the COVID-19 global pandemic, it is more important than ever to ensure there is a balance between online and offline experiences. To balance the increased connectivity through technology, should we consider adding - or increasing - our current intentional mindfulness practice? The answer is an easy, yet astounding YES. Stop and focus on your breath or the sounds around you a couple of times a day. Intentionally focus your mind on repeating words (a mantra) that are meaningful to you. Explore the outdoors, without distraction or technology. Exercise. Support an under-stimulated mind at home. Let the minds wander. Let yourself - your kids - be "bored." "Boredom is the space in which creativity and imagination happen," says Pediatrician Michael Rich, Director of the Center on Media and Child Health at Boston's Children's Hospital. To learn more about the power of mindfulness and the importance of starting with YOU, check out the online course, Mindful Parenting: Keeping it Simple or Launching a Mindful Classroom: It Starts with YOU. Use the code: FAMILY to receive 50% now through May 15th in response to the COVID-19 Global Pandemic. We are in this together. Reference: https://hms.harvard.edu/news/screen-time-brain
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 Dear Parents/Caretakers,
I am going to keep this simple. I am WITH you on the challenges of working from home and being with your beloved kiddos all day, every day. There are so many moments to cherish during this unprecedented time together, but there are many moments where you might just lose it. To help maintain the sanity that you do have left, it's time to add some time for YOU into the day. 3-5 minutes minimum. Give yourself time to just BE. Just sit and focus on your breathing, listen to the birds, watch the rain. Just do one thing and do it well. That will support the brains response system to develop more control. That way the oh-so-powerful PAUSE between a stimulus and response will shine more often! How the Mindful PAUSE works… Stimulus - (NO PAUSE) - Response (No/Limited Mindfulness Support) Stimulus: "Ellie, please turn off your Kindle," says mom. Response: Ellie doesn't hear mom’s request. Stimulus: Ellie doesn't hear mom's request. (Of which research supports, isn't her fault since her dopamine is flowing at a high level.) Response: "Ellie! Are you f***ing kidding me? I said get off that Kindle right now!!" And then the two are in a heightened level of stress as a battle ensues. Stimulus - PAUSE - Response (Mindfulness Support) Stimulus: "Ellie, please turn off your Kindle," says mom. Response: Ellie doesn't hear mom’s request. Stimulus: Ellie doesn't hear mom's request. (Of which research supports, isn't her fault since her dopamine is flowing at a high level.) PAUSSSSSSSSE (options are contemplated with clarity) Response: Mom approaches Ellie and makes physical contact to gain her attention. Ellie makes eye contact with Mom to listen. Mom offers a one minute warning for shut down. Ellie shuts the technology down. This PAUSE is a key benefit that comes from regular, intentional mindfulness practice. Research has shown that mindfulness practice can reduce the amount of gray matter in the amygdala, which plays a major role in our levels of stress. It has also been proven to reduce the levels of cortisol, also associated with decreased stress levels. So when a mindfulness practitioner is stimulated by something challenging, the brain is more likely to naturally pause to consider response options. This pause can ultimately lead to a more controlled, positive outcome for all. To learn more about the power of mindfulness and the importance of starting with YOU, check out the online course, Mindful Parenting: Keeping it Simple or Launching a Mindful Classroom: It Starts with YOU. Use the code: FAMILY to receive 50% now through May 15th in response to the Global Pandemic. We are in this together.  Calamity - an event causing great and often sudden damage or distress; a disaster.
Hey Teachers - leave your resources behind and teach using only technology. Do this from the comfort of your home. All you need is your computer. And guess what? Your family will be by your side. Figuratively AND literally! Hey Parents - your wish to work from home has come true! You not only get to do your own work, but your children can do their work beside you and you can help them along the way. No more wondering about what they’ve been up to in school. You get be their head teaching coach! Oh Heyyyy Kids - remember the “I don’t want to go to school…” feeling that you’ve had? Your wish has come true, too! AND you don’t have to do six hours of school work. Only 2-3 hours, k? All from your computer though. And we won’t harass you with how much you are on your phone - you can use technology to communicate with your friends anytime! Just no connecting in person though, ok? Lounge around all you want. Ask for snacks every hour. Oh and you can go outside whenever you want, but just stay in our yard. Wave to your friends and neighbors. No touching. And most importantly, wash your hands for 20 seconds. And definitely don’t touch your face. Wipe down everything you use regularly or have used in the past month. And keep at least 6 feet from one another if you do have to go out. And god forbid you have a loved one who is sick or dying, but if you do, you will have to say your goodbyes from a distance. This just scrapes the surface of the changes we are feeling around the world. Our rug of life as we know it has come out from under us. We now have slippery, but strong, wood floors beneath our feet. It looks different. It feels different. It’s certainly not as comfortable as the rug was, but it does offer a solid foundation to hold us up. How we move about on this floor beneath us will be different. But we can move about with careful confidence. We need to be more conscious, more intentional with our movements, as slipping can be easy. This analogy offers a reminder of how we can view the changes. Our world is shifting before our eyes. It will never be the same. It was unexpected for every single person. We are in this together. We have the choice to resist the change or to move with the change...with intentional care and precision. If your choice is the latter, here are some thoughts to consider this week. Every day, repeat the following three steps as needed. But no less than once a day. Clear - Breathe - Savor Clear the Plate: acknowledge any worry or anxiety that you are feeling. Write it down. Don’t judge it, just write. When you are done, read back over the list and label it. Yes that’s in your control or no it’s not in your control. Spend no more than five minutes on this. Then leave those stresses behind and continue on with your day, hopefully feeling a bit lighter. Breathe for an 8 Count: throughout the day, we have many things that may trigger an immediate reaction. Before responding to the stimulus (like spilled juice on the floor or an insensitive email from a co-worker), take a conscious deep breath. Then respond. Reflect on how your response is now compared to what it could have been without the breath. Savor the Experience: We have many experiences that are worth savoring throughout each day. However, we may not always be fully present to savor the experience. The more that we intentionally focus on savoring the positive experiences in life, the more our brain becomes attuned to it and the more joyful our life can actually become. Many of us have the gift of time with each other right now while social distancing. While keeping ourselves and our loved ones healthy, we can choose to embrace the time together. And be deeply thankful that we are in good health. Many people around the world don’t have the same choices as we do. |
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I'm obsessed. This is fabulous. LOVE that you are doing this. The new way of being a student forces us to think outside the box and approach how we teach more dynamically. ~Derek, Father of 2 and Elementary School Principal
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Just a girl with a dream to collectively build a healthy mind space for children, while creating a healthier mind space for ourselves. 
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Healthy Mind Space offers mindfulness coaching and workshops to professional educators, preschools & childcare centers, and families throughout the Rochester, NY area. By practicing mindfulness in our everyday lives, and through intentional interactions in our classrooms, I believe we can help kids develop a greater capacity for kindness, compassion, positivity, self-confidence and the opportunity to achieve their full potential. |
