Day 4 - BoysTown - Daily Dose of Digital Support

Hope all continues to be well for you and your family. Today’s Daily Dose takes a closer look at consequences (topped with a much-needed, anxiety-reducing relaxation technique). By now, you should have your e-learning spaces and daily schedules set and, hopefully, are settled into a new routine. (See Tuesday’s Daily Dose on our Instagram page for a refresher on schedules and learning spaces). But maybe your little one is being a stinker about the schedule and your “quaran-teen” is so over it already. Or maybe all is good – but you know that can’t last. This is where consequences come into play. You can use them as motivation to keep your kids, your schedule and your routine from going off the rails.     Remember, consequences help kids realize that their choices have negative and positive results. Positive consequences increase the likelihood that a behavior will be repeated, and negative consequences decrease the possibility of a behavior happening again.   Whether positive or negative, consequences are most effective when they are… Important (has meaning or value to your child) Immediate (creates a clear connection between the behavior and the consequence) Appropriate (excess is not your friend; be reasonable) Consistent (“if you do this, then this happens”; your spouse/partner backs you up, too!) Varied (being consistent doesn’t mean sticking to the same response all the time) Manageable (don’t make them so punishing or difficult that you don’t follow through)

A 60-Second Video on How to Use a Joy and Job Jar

Until tomorrow, be safe and be healthy. Remember, your mental health matters too. Today’s positive mental health activity is great for de-stressing... Maintain your mental and emotional health with mindful breathing. You can do it anywhere at any time, and it will leave you feeling more relaxed, more creative and more energetic. Get the best techniques here.

Day 3 - BoysTown - Daily Dose of Digital Support

Like anything else, family relationships must be tended to and nurtured if you want to keep them happy and healthy. The strongest connections aren’t forged from a single moment or event, but through the small, everyday interactions you have with your children. So make the most of them! Keep communicating… Get started today with these 12 awesome conversation starters. Six are perfect for starting the day, and six will set the table for fun, insightful dinnertime discussions.

Hold Family Meetings... Forging stronger and more trusting relationships with your children will make it so much easier to withstand whatever challenges come your family’s way today and in the months and years ahead. A way to build this deeper bond is to have meaningful communication where feelings, thoughts, fears and ideas can be shared freely. One of the best ways to do that is through family meetings. Family meetings can be done daily or weekly, in an environment that’s upbeat and involves some fun. Remember, this isn’t a staff meeting at work… it’s you and your kids! To understand why you need family meetings, how to run them and everything else you need to know, read this quick article.

Today’s positive mental health activity: Take a break from the news and practice one or more of these coping skills. They’ll help you get back to your happy place!

What to expect in Friday's Daily Dose...We’ll take a deeper dive into how you can use consequences to reinforce the routines you’ve set up at home. Kids need routines, plus they’re great for providing control and reducing chaos. You really don’t want to miss tomorrow’s message.  Be safe, be healthy and try not to stress out. We are here to help!

Day 2 - BoysTown - Daily Dose of Digital Support

How do I explain at-home learning to my children?  Try not to refer to school as being “closed.” Instead, tell your children that for the next few weeks, they will learn at home instead of the classroom. This will help them understand that learning isn’t over or ending, it’s just happening in a new environment.   Keep to a schedule. It’s important to create a consistent and predictable environment for your children while they’re at home. We’ve created a sample “daily schedule” to help your family establish a routine and have more order as home becomes school.

Help the schedule run smoothly. Have a morning meeting with your kids. Take a few minutes each morning to discuss the day’s schedule and answer their questions.     Keep the e-learning space consistent. Yesterday, we shared with you tips on setting up e-learning workspaces. Make sure your kids use those workspaces during their study times.   Give consequences, both positive and negative, each day. A consequence is the result or outcome of a behavior (positive or negative), which influences whether or not that behavior is likely to occur again in the future. Here is an example of a negative consequence: If your daughter isn’t following instructions or completing her studies, set a timer. The timer will track how long it takes her to calm down and get back on task. However long it takes, 5 minutes or 45 minutes, that’s the amount of time she must spend doing chores. Her misbehavior earned her this negative consequence.     On the flipside, if she has a good day, follows instructions and completes her studies without arguing, she can stay up an extra hour at night (a positive consequence). Consequences are earned and help kids realize their choices have negative and positive results. We’ll share more about consequences in the coming days.

Today’s positive mental health activity from YourLifeYourVoice.org: ‘Jar of Sunshine.’ Have the entire family work together to write positive statements – what you’re grateful for, quotes, affirmations, song lyrics, Bible verses, etc. – on slips of paper and place them in the jar. Write down anything that makes you happy. Encourage everyone to take a slip out of the jar and read it whenever they’re feeling down or anxious. Once read, take a deep breath and go on with the day. Until tomorrow, be safe and be healthy. Remember, your mental health matters too.

Song - Ancient Words - Michael W. Smith

“Who hears music, feels his solitude peopled at once.” ― Robert Browning

Ancient Words - Michael W. Smith

Day 1 - BoysTown - Daily Dose of Digital Support

The organization that provides our Common Sense Parenting Class materials is sending out Daily emails with helpful tips and resources.  I wanted to share them with you so will post each one as I get them. Mandatory school closings. Voluntary self-isolation. Panic buying. Social distancing. The speed at which daily life has been disrupted and upended by the coronavirus has left many children and families feeling unprepared. And the uncertainty of when “normal” will return is a source of stress and anxiety for many, and even anger for some. Whether your family is living in lockdown, adjusting to unfamiliar routines, coping with new restrictions, or simply trying to make the most of inconveniences large and small, Boys Town is here to help.     Our physicians, psychologists, parenting experts, education specialists and counselors have advice, insights, strategies and encouragement to get you through the unpredictability and unknowns that lie ahead. Trust Boys Town to provide recommendations and suggestions that will reduce anxiety and family stress, keep you connected and help remain resilient. Every day, find the information you need and want, including how to… Talk to your kids about the pandemic Prevent spreading viruses in your home Maximize learning opportunities at home Stop siblings from constantly squabbling Maintain family routines and a sense of normalcy Take time for self-care and emotionally recharge Keep your mental health a top priority during unexpected times Start now with today’s daily dose of digital support.

Setting Up e-Learning Spaces and Workspaces for Each Family Member Getting children motivated for e-learning can be a challenge. One way to make this more exciting and successful is to spend the time setting up a designated e-learning space for each child. Get them involved so they feel positive about the space and the changes to their learning environment. Challenge them to spend some time making the space their own. Print out the 9 Elements of a Good e-Learning Space below and let them loose. This list applies to workspaces for adults as well if working from home is an option and something that is new for your family.

Find more information on creating an environment for supportive learning at home at the links below. VIDEO: How can I create a good study environment at home? ARTICLE: Helping children succeed in school.

Today’s positive mental health activity from YourLifeYourVoice.org: Identify whom you can go to when you are in need. Have each member of your family write out their circle of who they can go to if they experience feelings of depression or anxiety or overwhelming stress. Find the activity here. Until tomorrow, be safe and be healthy.Remember, your mental health matters too.

Quiet Time

The past few weeks we have all faced uncertainty of what we are facing at work, home, schools, our communities and even church.  Our daily routines are changing up a bit....kids are out of school, some of us are off work, a task of once going to the grocery store is even changing, and even our  church doors are closed. In this time of so many changes I believe we need to lean on our faith in GOD.  I want to encourage you to take a few minutes through out your day to have that quite time with Him.  He longs to hear his children come to him to talk, pray and take comfort in his presence.  In trying times we sometimes don’t know where to go in scripture so here are a few of my favorites to remind us that he is never far and always with us. 

 “Be strong and courageous.  Do not fear or be in dread of them, for the Lord your God who goes with you.  He will not leave you or forsake you.”  Deuteronomy 31:6

“Let not your hearts be troubled.  Believe in God;  believe in me also.”   John 14:1

“I  sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.” 

Psalms 34:4

“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.”  1 John 4:18

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13

“The Lord will hear when I call to him”. Psalms 4:3

“Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for your God is with you wherever you go.”  Joshua 1:9

I would like to encourage you this week to take a few minutes of quite time to pray, listen to what God is saying to you, and even start a prayer journal.  He wants to be our encourager, our healer, redeemer.....everything we have always needed he has always been. He is already making a way. Take comfort in that.

Send a friend an encouraging text reminding them they are loved, they are special and what a blessing they are to you just as our creator is to us!

30 Ways to CONNECT with your family

If your children are home with you instead of in school, consider choosing building relationship by doing these activities together.

From the FamilyLife Facebook page - visit it for more resources and ideas