Back to School

Wow, it’s that time of year again. Back to School! Are your kiddos getting excited? Are YOU? As summer comes to an end, we can feel mixed emotions. Excitement for a new school year and seeing all of our friends and classmates we may have missed over the summer. Anxious about new teachers, new rules and expectations, and resuming roles that may have been placed on vacation mode throughout the summer. Your kiddos may have to start waking up earlier, going to bed earlier, and assuming increased responsibility and independence. And parents, do I even need to bring it all up (packing lunches, carpools, PTA meetings, after-school curricular activities)?!?

Before your calendar gets jam-packed with all of the activities that pop up during the School year, take some time to fill out the Back to School Worksheet below with your kids to set goals for the coming school year. Help them, and you, get excited about the year ahead. We can do this!

New Year, New Resolutions

Happy New Year!

How are your New Year’s Resolutions coming along? Still hanging in there? Sometimes, we shoot for the stars when thinking what our resolutions should be each year. Anyone going to the moon this year, JK!

As an occupational therapist, I have spent many hours creating care plans for my Patients. They always include Long-Term Goals and Short-Term Goals.

Why Short-Term Goals Matter

I am sharing this with you because we often overlook short-term goals altogether. Short-term goals are mini goals, stepping stones to reach (and celebrate) along the way. For instance, if my Long Term Goal (New Year’s Resolution) is to live in the moment, I could start by creating a few short-term goals to start with. Example: 1. I will notice my mind drifting during dinner with my family and redirect my attention; 2. I will meditate for 3 minutes every day for one week. And then, as you meet these short-term goals you can make another one (and celebrate and pat yourself on the back each time). All of these short-term goals keep you on the path, progressing toward that Long-Term Goal of yours. And furthermore, keep us excited along the way, making us less likely to be overwhelmed and give up altogether!

So take some time and think of some short-term goals to keep you on track and celebrate BIG when you accomplish that New Year’s Resolution!

Gratitude Garland

What is GRATITUDE?

Gratitude is a feeling of thankfulness. Let’s spend some time this month to express gratitude for what we are thankful for.

What a perfect time of year to express gratitude for what we are thankful for in our lives!

Gratitude Garland Challenge

As you are sharing what you are thankful for, have some fun and create your own gratitude garland. See how long you can make it! Keep going all month long (or longer) and add a loop every time you think of something you are thankful for. You can write what you are thankful for on each loop, or draw a picture of what you are thankful for for. Let’s get creative!

Instructions:

  • Cut 1 to 2-inch wide strips out of construction paper (use fall colors to emphasize the season and Thanksgiving if you wish).
  • Write or draw what you are thankful for on each loop.
  • Tape or glue the ends of your first strip together, forming a loop.
  • Insert the next strip of paper into the first loop, and then tape or glue the ends of your new strip together to interconnect the loops.
  • Continue.

LETTER Z

Alphabet Fun

CLAP every time you see and hear the Letter Z Have some fun and sing to the beat…

Z is for Zoo, Z Z Z.

Z is for Zenia, Z Z Z.

Z is for Zipper, Z Z Z.

What else starts with the letter Z?

As we wrap up our Alphabet Fun series, and we learn all about the letter Z, I’m going to read Miss Moo Goes to the Zoo, by Kelly Graves.

Click HERE to print off your Letter Z coloring page!

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LETTER W

Alphabet Fun

CLAP every time you see and hear the Letter W Have some fun and sing to the beat…

W is for Watch, W W W.

W is for Wagon, W W W.

W is for Whistle, W W W.

Keep going!

What else starts with the letter W?

Today we will be reading DOWN BY THE BAY, a Raffi Songs to Read book, illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott. Let’s see what all we can find that begins with the letter “W”!

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Click HERE to print off your Letter W coloring page!