Day 27 - Boys Town - Daily Dose of Digital Support

Easter is now behind us, along with the fun family activities that helped take our minds away from the current crisis. Now it’s on to another week with the kids at home. With these long days at home, it’s helpful for parents to have some novel, interesting activities stuck up their sleeves for times when the usual activities grow stale.   Here are some fun learning cards you can download for free to keep them busy. The cards provide you with quick and easy learning activities that you can go to when you hear the words “I’m bored!”

Learning to take a break… Our mental-health activity for the day walks you through spotting when overwhelming situations come up and planning the steps to get a much-needed break.

Day 26 - Boys Town - Daily Dose of Digital Support

Whether your family is celebrating Easter or rejoicing in spring’s arrival, this is a day to recognize hope and be thankful. Given the realities of daily life now, however, having – and maintaining – hope is a challenge. But according to research, everything from more optimism and happiness to well-being and empathy can result from feeling and showing gratitude. As difficult as it may seem, there is much to appreciate…    the caregivers who sacrifice to keep our communities safe and healthy. the loved ones and friends who bring us happiness and support. the neighbors and strangers whose random acts of kindness renew our faith in humanity. A few of the kids at the Boys Town campus in Omaha spent the last few days writing out Easter notes to veterans from a local VFW who they can no longer visit in person.                 Today, do a little good for your heart and soul by remembering and thanking all those who bring more light, hope and encouragement into your family’s life. PS… Thank you for reading our Daily Dose messages and following our social media platforms. Your interest, support and trust inspire us every day, and we appreciate your friendship. Happy Easter!

Gratitude can change your brain… Adopting an attitude of gratitude can make you happier, more optimistic and healthier! So start counting your blessings… you may be surprised by just how much is going right in your life.

Day 25 - Boys Town - Daily Dose of Digital Support

In bright yellow chalk, a young girl draws giant rays of sunshine on the family driveway. Coloring makes her smile and offers a sense of accomplishment when the concrete canvas turns a golden hue. Meanwhile, her brother busies himself in the garage and puts together wooden cubes to build robot buddies. Working with his hands calms his nervous energy and softens his emotional edge. For these siblings, artistic expression relaxes the mind and lifts the spirit. That’s the power of art.       Artistic expression can benefit your family’s emotional well-being, too. Creative activities help… Relieve stress. Process emotions. Bring order to chaos. Boost self-esteem. Increase happiness. Take away fear. Each of these benefits are needed now, especially for children and teens. They are working through many different emotions, including fear, worry, sadness, disappointment, boredom or general gloominess. They need reassurance. And they need to know they’re loved, protected, appreciated and supported. One of the more inspired and memorable ways you can help your children find comfort and happiness is by creating word clouds (or word art). Word clouds are a source of reassurance when a child needs a pick-me-up or morale boost because doubts, fears or self-defeating thoughts have taken over. The process of making word clouds refocuses the mind to a happier, healthier place. And the final product celebrates all the positive qualities a child possesses. Best of all, simply by doing this activity, you can strengthen family bonds and create meaningful connections. That’s great for everyone’s emotional health!

A little writing fun to mentally reset… Journaling can be a fun distraction and a powerful tool for resetting your mood. Don’t worry about writer’s block. These questions will get the words flowing: Things I would do if I were a multimillionaire? Things I would save if my house was on fire? Things that make me laugh? Things I’ll never do again? People I’d like to meet?

Day 24 - Boys Town - Daily Dose of Digital Support

For all those who observe Easter, Sunday’s celebration will be a test of adaptability and creativity. From religious services to family meals to egg hunts, many of the much-loved rituals of the holiday won’t look familiar. And that’s okay.    Easter represents renewal and a new beginning. In that spirit, there are many innovative ways to embrace and enjoy the customs you love without sacrificing your family’s health or safety. Here are just a few (view these ideas in Spanish): Watch Easter services online. Many churches are recording their services and posting live on Facebook or through their own websites. Encourage everyone to dress in their Sunday best and then gather together to watch the broadcast in the comfort of your living room.   Make Easter services a “community” experience. Invite your extended family and friends to watch the same religious service from their homes, then use FaceTime, Zoom or other platforms to come together and share your thoughts about the celebrant’s Easter message. Go on a virtual or modified egg hunt. Facebook groups, neighborhood associations and others have stepped up to create egg hunts that respect social distancing and involve everything from hiding painted rocks in parks to hanging giant egg cutouts in windows. You can even host your own virtual hunt by inviting family and friends to participate using videoconferencing apps. All the ideas, instructions and invitations to join a hunt can be found by typing “virtual egg hunt” into a search engine. Do a doorstep drop and dash. Family dinner is a holiday favorite, and nothing will replace the joy of having everyone gathered around the dining room table. Though your loved ones can’t break bread beside you, they can still share in your meal. Surprise Uncle John with a slice (or three!) of your famous pineapple-glazed ham by dropping off a plate at his doorstep and then dashing off and delivering more sweet surprises to friends, neighbors or coworkers. Let your kids help you with the meal prep, too. This can be a great bonding experience and provide a valuable faith lesson about charity and service. You can even use video apps to bring loved ones into your home and around your table.      Hold an Easter Parade. If making or wearing a new dress, Easter bonnet or outfit is a family tradition, then twirl and high step your way through the living room and show off your ensemble for everyone. You can even record and post your parade online, if you wish. Fill the air with praise songs and sacred music. Play your favorite worship songs all day. Many streaming services already have playlists created, and music provides a special connection to the Divine. Remember the lonely and alone. Many people are isolated, missing their friends and family, or have no one to check on them. Take a moment to reach out with a welcoming phone call, text, video chat or handwritten note. Gestures of kindness are needed now and can help lift the spirits of those who are struggling.   The best part of any holiday is time spent with family, regardless of how much the celebration is pared down. Simplicity is beautiful and creates more space to enjoy each other. Go for a walk, play a board game, read Scripture aloud or let the kids hide the eggs and you go on the hunt. Whatever you do, bask in the time together!  Hopefully, no one will ever have to experience a situation like this again. But you can use this moment to self-reflect and rejoice in the many blessings you have. There is joy in the simple things of life. Have a Happy Easter!

11 stress-busting strategies… Worry and anxiety don’t have to control you. You have the power to reduce your stress. See how you can do it here.

Day 23 - Boys Town - Daily Dose of Digital Support

Again, I apologize that these are coming to you late...we WILL get caught up!

As Passover begins and Easter approaches, Boys Town President and National Executive Director Father Steven Boes reminds us to renew our faith, live with hope and remain joyful. For those of other faith traditions or no faith at all, Father’s broader message calls each of us to aspire to the greater good through understanding, compassion and service to others.      This Holy Season, Rise Above the Crisis This Easter and Passover season is unlike any most of us have ever seen. There’ll be no large family gatherings. No Easter egg hunts. Church and synagogue worship services will be offered, but they’ll mainly be online to prevent large groups of people from coming together. The coronavirus pandemic has changed our world, and with it, the way we will observe the most important holy days of the year. But we still must embrace the Easter and Passover season. How we celebrate will be different. That we celebrate is more important than ever. Our world is going through a confusing, fearful time right now. It’s a time when our faith is being tested – both our faith in God and our faith in each other. Staying strong in both areas is what will empower our families, our communities and our country to get through this. Since Easter and Passover symbolize a time of renewal and new beginnings, I encourage you to make this holiday season a starting place for a new, positive attitude going forward. Use your personal family celebration to focus on the good things – stronger family relationships, better communication, fun activities like baking holiday cookies or coloring Easter eggs – that come from being together at home and build on them in the coming weeks. Pray together at mealtimes, before bed and anytime your family needs a spiritual lift. Keep active in your place of worship by regularly “attending” online services as a family (if possible). Also, stay in touch with relatives and friends through technology, phone calls or drive-by-and-wave visits. We can all practice social distancing and still maintain community connections. May this Easter and Passover season be one of great joy and peace for you and your family. God bless you and your loved ones. Stay strong. Be kind. And put your trust and faith in God.

Have a happy, healthy day… Lifesavers are people or activities that pull you back from the brink and instill a renewed sense of hope. Remember your lifesavers here.

Day 22 - Boys Town - Daily Dose of Digital Support

In the past several days, civic leaders and health officials have warned that the coming week may be the most challenging yet, as infections peak in the nation’s hardest hit communities and new “hot spots” emerge. The grim warnings and graphic news alerts are instantly accessible and practically inescapable thanks to the proliferation and sophistication of social media platforms. For many kids, exposure to the uncensored pictures and scary videos of emergency rooms, morgues and empty streets can make them question their own safety, feel more anxious and be more withdrawn or needy. With so many alarming predictions, it’s never been more important to tune into your children’s behaviors and tune out much of the media noise. Be proactive and support your children by doing the following:      Limit media exposure. Don’t obsess over the latest breaking news or make the virus the topic of every family conversation. Listen to your children. Let them express their emotions and try not to tell them how they should There is no right or wrong way to feel. Stick to the facts. Your children may hear exaggerated, embellished or inflated stories. Don’t feed into the hysteria or the fear. Use concrete terms and be brief, like you’re reading about a world event from the newspaper. Give your children a chance to ask questions. If they have difficulty communicating their feelings, encourage them to communicate in a way that works best for them – journaling or drawing, for example. Show vulnerability; it’s okay. Your children learn through experiencing and watching. They can learn how to cope simply by seeing how you grieve and manage during difficult times. Stick to routines. Don’t undermine your children’s sense of security by interrupting their activities with the latest gruesome statistics or gossip about who’s been infected. Be honest. Acknowledge the dangers but remind your children that you and others are doing what they can, including sheltering at home and social distancing, to keep them as healthy and safe as possible. If your children tell you they’re fine but their behaviors say otherwise, try using TIME (Talk, Instruct, Monitor and Encourage). See how to use TIME to ease fear and discomfort.

Today’s mental health message…Unplug from the news and have the family practice one or more of these coping skills. They’ll help you get back to your happy place!  Shoot hoops, kick a ball Try to make as many words out of your full name as possible Visit and engage with yourlifeyourvoice.org Search online for new songs/artists Rip paper into itty bitty pieces

Day 21 - Boys Town - Daily Dose of Digital Support

Why do I feel like such a slug?   That’s a question a lot of us are asking ourselves. How can we be feeling so exhausted when we’re no longer battling our fellow commuters, scrambling to get the kids off to school or even pushing our muscles to the max at the gym? Our home should make us feel comfortable and whole, not completely wiped-out. So what’s going on? For some, the stress of the last few weeks is simply exhausting. Others, who don’t feel stressed out, have still experienced loss… the loss of movement, routines, rituals and normalcy. Fatigue and a lack of energy are common symptoms of anxiety and sadness, so it’s important for your family to practice stress-reducing strategies and remember that these disruptions are temporary. In addition, you can’t ignore the role sleep plays in your mental attitude. For your family’s physical and emotional well-being, keeping up good sleep habits is essential. Maintaining regular sleep-wake schedules and bedtime routines has many benefits for the body and the mind…     Lowers stress and reduces inflammation Improves memory Boosts your mood Sharpens your attention span Improves concentration and creativity Fatigue often fuels irritability, and that can lead to the kinds of disrespectful, grumpy and unkind behaviors that were touched on in yesterday’s Daily Dose. To keep exhaustion from turning your family into a bunch of crabs, cranks and curmudgeons, check out our Guide to Bedtime Routines and help everyone bounce out of bed in the mornings with more energy and a better attitude!

Monday’s mental health message… Float into a happier emotional space by packing up all the negativity and sending it on a permanent vacation. Get the directions here.