Welcome to Healthy Back to School Habits Part 2 with my friend, Loisann Fowler of Coach in Tandem! As the new school year approaches, we want to ensure our children are set up for success both in and out of the classroom. Today, Loisann and I will discuss three crucial areas: exercise and movement, managing stress, and relational downtime. Let’s explore some practical, easy-to-implement tips that will make a big difference in your child’s mental and emotional well-being.
Meeting our goals can be difficult when school picks back up. That’s why now is a perfect time to consider these five easy foundational non-negotiables that we can incorporate into our homes before school starts.
In part 2 of Healthy Back to School Habits, Loisann and I focus on exercise and movement, stress management, and relational downtime. Let’s start with exercise and movement.
Healthy Back to School Habits: Exercise and Movement
What do you mean when you say exercise and movement? It’s simple. It means making sure our children get up and move around. Today’s kids are sitting for far to long and need to get up and move for optimal health. Movement nourishes your body and gives your child energy. How do we know if our children are getting enough exercise?
Movement improves academic performance. It might take a little time initially, but you will quickly see results when your children put down their devices, turn off the TV, and move their bodies.
Mental and Emotional Clarity.
Physical development. Children who move and exercise on a regular basis build strong bones, increase muscle strength, and improve their quality of sleep.
Studies show that children who exercise and move perform better, think clearer, and experience a general sense of well-being.
Stress Management
Stress is part of life. Helping children learn how to manage stress well will bring peace and calmness to your children’s lives.
Establish a routine. A sense of security is provided when children have a daily routine. It also allows children to feel like they have some control over their lives.
Make time for physical activity. Physical activity releases endorphins which are natural mood lifters. Aim for 30 minutes a day, and you will see great improvements in your children.
Teach relaxation techniques. Children who learn how to relax will do better at managing stressful situations. One effective way is to teach children proper breathing techniques.
Simply practicing these three techniques will help our children stay calm under stressful situations.
Relational Downtime
Understanding why children need downtime built into their lives equips us with the knowledge we need to make this a priority.
Strengthens family bonds. Spending quality time with family members fosters a sense of security and belonging.
Enhances Emotional Intelligence. Relational downtime provides opportunities for children to express their feelings and understand the emotions of others.
Promotes relaxation and reduces stress. Unstructured, relaxed time with loved ones helps children unwind and decompress.
Encourages positive behavior. Positive interactions with family members serve as a model for appropriate behavior.
Supports Cognitive Development. Engaging in meaningful conversations and activities with family members stimulates cognitive growth.
Spending quality time with family is important for kids. It helps them feel secure and connected, knowing they have a strong support system. When families spend time together, kids learn to express their feelings and understand others’ emotions, which boosts their social skills and empathy. This downtime also gives kids a chance to relax and unwind, reducing stress and anxiety. Positive interactions during these moments teach kids good behavior and values.
Healthy Back to School Habits Matter
The little habits you implement today will yield huge rewards over time. Your children rely on you to teach and train them in the way they should go. You create an environment where they can truly flourish by creating healthy back-to-school habits, providing exercise time, managing stress, and allowing time in their day to focus on relationship building.
We are so glad you’re committed to helping your children grow and thrive. I pray our Healthy Back to School Habits series blessed and encouraged you. Remember, every small step you take makes a big difference. You’ve got this!
About Loisann Fowler
Loisann Flower is a nationally board-certified functional medicine health coach. She helps people from teens to 90-somethings uncover and achieve their highest wellness in body, mind, and spirit. There is a gap between our level of health today and where we want to be. Loisann’s coaching bridges that gap, discovering lasting practices for a strong and energetic life.
Have you considered AI’s impact on students? Is artificial intelligence going to be the future classroom for students’ education? How will this cutting-edge technology intersect with education? In our latest episode, I discuss the Pros and Cons of AI and how it impacts students’ learning. Is AI a powerful ally in personalized education, or is it a silent saboteur undermining critical thinking and creativity?
Join us as we unpack the pros and cons of AI in the classroom, featuring insights from educators, tech experts, and students themselves. Discover how AI is reshaping the way we learn, the potential pitfalls we must navigate, and the future of education in an AI-driven world. Tune in and get ready to consider the role of AI in your child’s education.
If you are like me, I’m not excited by the rate at which AI has taken over nearly every sector of our online world. It concerns me. What will happen to our children? Will they be negatively impacted? Are they being dumbed down? To be honest, there are pros and cons when it comes to using AI in education.
In this honest look at raising boys, we lay out essential principles for raising boys to become godly, responsible men of integrity, honesty, and determination. We share invaluable insights and practical wisdom gleaned from years of experience mentoring and guiding young men toward a fulfilling life filled with meaning and purpose.
The Promise of AI in Education
AI has been hailed as a game-changer in the educational landscape, promising to revolutionize the way students learn. Here are a few ways AI is making a positive impact:
Personalized Learning: AI can tailor educational content to each student’s learning pace and style, offering a more customized learning experience. Imagine a classroom where every student has a personal tutor that understands their strengths and weaknesses.
Accessibility: AI tools can make education more accessible to students with disabilities by providing features like text-to-speech, speech-to-text, and language translation. This opens up new possibilities for inclusive education.
Efficient Study Aid: AI can help students quickly find information, summarize content, and provide instant feedback, making studying more efficient. It’s like having a research assistant at your fingertips.
The Pitfalls of AI in Education
But wait, it’s not all smooth sailing. The integration of AI in education also comes with its set of challenges:
Over-reliance: Students might become too dependent on AI tools, which could hinder their ability to think critically and solve problems independently. Are we nurturing a generation of thinkers or button-pressers?
Privacy Concerns: Using AI often involves sharing personal data, which can raise concerns about data security and privacy. How do we ensure that our children’s information is protected? But like all online platforms, we must read the terms of service and ensure our children are protected.
Equity Issues: Not all students have equal access to advanced AI technologies, potentially widening the educational gap between different socioeconomic groups. How do we ensure that AI benefits all students equally?
Conclusion
As we navigate the uncharted waters of AI in education, it’s crucial to weigh its benefits against its potential drawbacks. Carefully consider what is right for your child and your family.
Together, we can ensure that AI serves as a tool for enhancing learning rather than hindering it.
Don’t miss out on this thought-provoking episode. Listen now, and let’s explore the future of education together!
If you find this podcast helpful, please subscribe and leave a review. It’s a great way to support the show and only takes a few seconds. Thank you ~Connie
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In “Raising Creative Children Part 2,” I continue to share information about understanding the unique needs of our young artists. This week, I’m excited to share essential insights and practical tips to help parents and educators recognize the importance of providing time and space in a creative child’s daily life. By fostering an environment that nurtures their imagination and respects their need for unstructured moments, we can help our children truly thrive and develop their creative potential.
Following the enthusiastic response to Part 1, I continue our journey into understanding and nurturing the unique talents of our young creatives. We want to be aware of their needs so their talent can be fully developed.
Creative Children View Life Differently
A creative child views the world through a lens of endless possibilities, where every ordinary object holds the potential for extraordinary transformation. They see patterns, colors, and stories in the most mundane settings, turning every day into a canvas for their imagination. Their perspective is rich with curiosity and wonder, and they constantly seek to explore, understand, and reinvent the world around them.
Common Needs of Creative Children
Creative children often display a unique set of traits and behaviors that distinguish them from their peers. I could list many characteristics of a creative child, but these will help you identify the common characteristics :
Vivid Imagination: Creative children frequently have rich imaginations and enjoy inventing stories, games, and scenarios.
Curiosity: They often ask a lot of questions and show a keen interest in exploring and understanding the world around them.
Energetic: Creative children are usually energetic and enthusiastic, particularly when engaged in activities they are passionate about.
Resilience: They are often persistent and resilient, willing to tackle challenges and learn from failures.
Self-Directed: Creative children often prefer working independently and may resist conventional instructions or routines.
Depth of Emotion: They often experience and express deep and complex emotions through their creative outlets.
When we pay attention to what our creative children need, we can better nurture their creative potential effectively.
Creatives Need Encouragement
Encouraging your creative child doesn’t have to be complicated; small, everyday actions can make a significant impact. Here are some practical examples to help nurture and inspire your child’s creativity at home.
Provide creative time and space to think and form ideas.
Encourage exploration and experimentation: Allow your child the freedom to experiment with different art forms, materials, and techniques, encouraging them to take risks and embrace mistakes as valuable learning experiences.
Celebrate effort, not just results. Creative children tend to be more sensitive to failure, and they thrive when we praise their progress.
Teach them how to fail. Failure can cause them to produce better work.
Watch for naysayers who discourage your creative child.
Creatives tend to push the boundaries of everyday reason. We want them to take risks and be adventurers, innovators, and explorers, but we must be careful not to make them conformists.
Supporting children’s artistic journey not only fosters their talents but also contributes to their overall personal development. By encouraging exploration, offering support, and celebrating their efforts, you are not only helping your child develop their creative talents but also instilling confidence and resilience that will benefit them throughout their lives.
You can reduce kids school year stress so they can enjoy this season of life. Most kids experience stress when faced with end-of-year exams, graduation, and other requirements. Helping children learn how to manage their stress levels will allow them to finish their year with excellence and gain confidence in the process.
While the end of the year can be an exciting time, it doesn’t come without a measure of stress. I mean, trying to juggle assignments, final exams, and graduations can put a lot of pressure on your children. So, what can you do to help your children manage it all? How do you know if your kids are getting overwhelmed?
Last week, I discussed When Children Move Out on Equipped To Be. This week, we are discussing Reducing Kids School Year Stress. While obstacles and stress are common, kids have to learn some principles that can help them navigate them well and possibly change their future.
Many experts believe there are signs parents should look for as the school year comes to a close. That’s why I’m excited to share this episode with you and your family. I want you to know how to help your kids manage stress so they can know what they can do in future situations.
What Should Parents Look For
Are they acting up or lashing out? Are they struggling to get sleep or trying to stay up all night to study? Do they fear failing? Pay attention to the words they say and their body language. When kids are under stress, their actions will tell us how they feel.
When you know how your child thinks, feels, and processes life’s challenges, you have an opportunity to encourage them in a way they will understand and appreciate.
I like to begin by gathering as much information as possible about the circumstances. The more you know about their schedule the more relevant your instructions can be.
When are the exams? What time of day? Find out how they feel about the subject matter.
Tell your child they are learning valuable life management skills, not just academics, during this period of time.
Help your children put the time in context. Tell them to think of this as a sprint, not a marathon. Using visuals helps some kids understand better. For kids, having a grasp of time can reduce anxiety and stress.
Pray and ask the Lord to give you wisdom as you teach your children.
The benefits of carefully identifying what they need from you are that your help will be better for them. Once you have all the information, I recommend assessing their sleep, daily schedule, study habits, fears, and whether additional tutors are needed.
Reduce Stress with Sleep and Schedule
Parents know the importance of sleep, but kids don’t fully understand that. Which is why they often stay up too late and get up early to prepare for a final exam. But learning to shut things down at a decent hour so they can get sleep will improve their performance. How can we do this?
List what needs to be done. Then, prioritize them.
Silence cell phones and/or put them in another room. This will remove the temptation to scroll on social media or talk with friends when one should be sleeping.
Set an external alarm that reminds them what they are supposed to be doing at specific times. I use one word: focus, math, science, reading, etc. Doing this helps them get back on track if they get distracted.
Create a schedule and put it on the refrigerator. This will make the schedule the enforcer, not you.
I’m sure you and your child can add more things they can do to get enough sleep and create a workable schedule.
Don’t Ask Too Many Questions
Asking some children too many questions can actually increase their stress. Simple checking in with questions like “How are your studies going?” or ” How are you holding up?” can be just enough to let you know you are interested and available if they need you. Saying confident boasting statements can also help.
I know you’ll do your best.
I believe in your ability to handle the pressure.
If you have specific concerns or see your child not making the effort to do well, you can speak up. But first, remember your goal and how they will receive what you say.
Overreacting Increases A Child’s Stress
Wanting kids to excel in their studies is good, but if we aren’t mindful of our expectations, we can show disapproval if they don’t achieve our standards. Keep in mind the goal during this season. We want kids to learn how to manage stress when they are under pressure to perform. If they don’t get the grades or pass the exam with what they or you wanted, don’t immediately start telling them what they did wrong. That won’t help them. Most of the time, they already feel bad.
Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Tell yourself the truth about a situation. You didn’t fail your child.
Tell your child the truth about the situation. Your child will learn from this failure and do better next time.
Ask the Lord to help you find what your child did right. Don’t make your child feel worse than they already do because they know what they did or didn’t do.
Remind your child that God has a plan for them, and it is for their good.
Doing this takes practice. I’ve had to watch my kids work through failing, missing the cut, not putting in enough effort, and not managing their time well, but they learn valuable lessons every time.
Help Them Improve Their Grades
It’s not uncommon for kids to struggle in some subjects. Expecting them to be superior in every school subject would be unrealistic. If your child expresses concern, ask them if they think a tutor would be helpful. Or, if you know the subject well, offer to be a study partner or do flashcards or other creative ways to learn and retain the information that is needed.
Most Important: Ask Them How They Feel
Asking a child how they feel makes them feel loved and cared for. When I was writing Parenting Beyond the Rules, my research showed that most kids don’t think their parents are interested in what they are learning. And their number one complaint was that their parents didn’t listen to them. Oddly enough, most parents don’t feel like their kids want to talk to them.
So, if you show interest in what they are doing, ask the right questions, help them create a schedule, get enough sleep, and avoid overreacting if they underperform, your relationship will flourish, and they will learn how to manage future stress when life gets challenging.
If you enjoy this podcast, please subscribe and leave a review. It’s a great way to support the show and only takes a few seconds. It helps us reach more families when you do this. ~Thank you.
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My guest, Zan Tyler, shares how parents can make homeschooling easier and strengthen relationships using a few simple activities your children will enjoy.
As a veteran homeschool mom, Zan Tyler believes parents can make homeschooling easier by adding a few simple activities to motivate children on their homeschool journey.
What can we do to make learning fun while making homeschooling easy? Zan shares three ideas and some sage advice I’m sure you will enjoy.
Embracing God’s Call
Embracing God’s call isn’t always easy, but Zan’s story is filled with defining moments where she witnessed God’s hand guiding her through the process. Through these experiences, she realized that her purpose is to support and encourage homeschool moms like enjoy the adventure.
Making Homeschooling Easier
Zan understands the challenges of homeschooling and wants to help you make your homeschool days more enjoyable. Here are a few tips she shared:
Break up the school week by designating a special day that your kids can look forward to.
Focus on the unique gifts that homeschooling offers, such as the flexibility of time, the ability to explore new ideas, and the spontaneity it allows.
Look for serving opportunities that you and your children can do together. Engaging in service activities strengthens the bond between you and your kids.
Plan mid-week outings or activities outside the house to bring excitement and variety to your homeschool routine.
Encourage your family members to embrace their individual strengths and find meaningful ways to redeem each day.
Building Strong Relationships
Zan emphasizes the importance of building strong relationships within your homeschooling journey. She quotes Mother Teresa, who said, “If you want to bring happiness to the whole world, go home and love your family.”
Here are some practical tips to making homeschooling easier
Love each other well by intentionally investing time and effort into nurturing your relationships.
Take the time to truly understand and get to know your children, their unique motivations, and learning styles.
Give yourself grace as you navigate the homeschooling journey. Remember, it’s all new, and mistakes are part of the learning process.
Learn to incorporate your faith into your daily homeschool routine, allowing God to guide you every step of the way.
We must trust in God’s leading to help make homeschooling easier
By implementing these practical tips and embracing the lessons shared in this episode, you can make homeschool easier and more fulfilling while strengthening the bond within your family.
Trust in God’s plan, cherish your relationships and enjoy the adventure of homeschooling. Together, we can strengthen today’s families and create a brighter future.
About Zan Tyler
Zan Tyler’s homeschool journey began in 1984 when homeschooling was illegal, and she was threatened with jail. For eight years, she and other families battled for homeschool freedom and established landmark homeschool legislation in South Carolina. In 1990, she founded the South Carolina Association of Independent Home Schools (SCAIHS) and served as its president for ten years.
Zan loves to empower parents as they answer their God-given calling to homeschool. She is an inspirational speaker and author. For sixteen years, Zan worked with Christian publishers developing homeschool curriculum and resources. She is now a consultant with BJU Press Homeschool. Zan’s greatest privilege in life was homeschooling their three children through high school. Zan is the host of the Zan Tyler Podcast, sponsored by BJU Press Homeschool. Join Zan and a special guest each week for real encouragement, engaging stories, and practical wisdom for surviving and thriving on the homeschool journey.
It’s that time of year again – the start of a new school year! Whether you’re a seasoned parent or you have a new kindergartener, the mixed feelings of nervousness, excitement, and anxiety are likely familiar. In this episode, we are going to talk about transitioning smoothly into a new school year and the importance of easing kids back into school.
Let’s just first acknowledge now that there’s a bit of upheaval that happens at back-to-school time. Your kids are learning new things and adjusting to new schedules. Be mentally prepared for this.
Easing into the School Year
Here are my suggestions for ways of easing your kids back into school and setting them up for a great year:
Be sure to talk to your kids about any anxiety they may have.
This might be anxiety about the challenges of new things or it might be social challenges. Connect with your kids about how to process their emotions. Temper your expectations of your children, and yourself.
Be prepared and reduce stress by meal planning.
Having the groceries in the house and at least a rough plan of what you’re going to cook will make your days run more smoothly. Don’t forget to think about nutrition! Your child’s brain is developing rapidly and they need healthy fats and proteins in addition to good carbs. Set consistent meal times and set your day by working backward to make sure that meals happen on time and avoid children becoming hangry.
Help your kids develop good study habits and related routines.
Show them how to focus. Give them a space in which to study. Provide organizational systems and skills.
Include physical exercise and free play in your days.
Create margin in the schedule for these activities. Don’t give up this time in order to get other things done!
Create an atmosphere in your home that your children will want to remember.
An atmosphere of warmth, excitement, and enthusiasm is contagious. Write down the words you want your kids to use to describe your home after they’ve left your home as adults. Be and do the things needed to embody those words.
Remove distractions and provide the resources they need to be successful.
What is in the way of your child achieving their goals? Determine what is needed of you to reach those goals? What is keeping you from being available for your child?
Make It a Great Year
Every school year brings its own set of unique joys and excitements and challenges. I hope your children look back on this school year as a year of blessings and call it a great year!
