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 ever wondered how much a child’s confidence and happiness can soar when they feel genuinely respected? Showing children respect meets a deep core need within them that causes emotional and psychological growth. When kids feel respected, they flourish, building a strong sense of self-worth and confidence.
Parents must understand that respect goes beyond just manners or obedience—it’s about appreciating your child’s thoughts, feelings, and uniqueness. By actively listening to them, validating their emotions, and including them in family decisions, we can create a loving environment where our children truly feel valued.
Understanding Respect
Respect in the context of child development means recognizing your child as an individual with their own thoughts, feelings, and opinions. It’s about valuing their perspectives and treating them with the same dignity and consideration they expect from others.
Why is respect crucial for a child’s emotional and psychological well-being? Respect fosters self-esteem, confidence, and healthy relationships. When children feel respected, they are likelier to develop a strong sense of self-worth and build strong bonds with their parents. When the core need for respect is met, the foundation of respect can lead to a lifetime of connection with us and personal relationships with others.
How to Show Children Respect
Active Listening
Valuing Their Opinions
Acknowledge Their Feelings
Be Respectful
Let’s look at practical ways to show respect to your child and make them feel valued, heard, and understood in your daily interactions.
Reasons Children Might Not Feel Respected
Understanding why children might not feel respected can make us pay more attention to our parenting.
Lack of Active Listening
Dismissive Attitude
Inconsistent Boundaries
Authoritarian Parenting Style
Public Criticism or Embarrassment
One of the best ways to meet our children’s core need of feeling respected is to point them to scripture. help While
What the Bible Says About Showing Children Respect
When we take our children to God’s Word, we can use scripture to validate their need for respect.
1 Peter 2:17 (NIV): “Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.”
Romans 12:10 (NIV): “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”
Showing Children Respect Fill a Core Need
Meeting a child’s core need to be respected is essential for their emotional and psychological development. By showing respect through active listening, valuing their opinions, acknowledging their feelings, setting respectful boundaries, and modeling respectful behavior, we can help our children grow into confident, well-adjusted individuals. Let’s continue this journey together, creating a loving environment where our children can truly thrive.
Children need structure and boundaries to develop emotionally and psychologically. These give children the security they need to gain confidence and explore the world around them.
Establishing clear expectations, consistent rules, and reliable discipline helps children understand what is expected of them and provides a sense of order and predictability. Structure and boundaries are foundational to raising healthy children.
“Establishing structure and boundaries for children is an act of love that fosters security, promotes self-discipline, and paves the way for them to thrive emotionally, socially, and spiritually.” Connie Albers
Clear Expectations
Setting clear expectations is key to helping children understand what you expect from them in different situations. Clearly explaining what behaviors are okay and which aren’t makes it easier for kids to navigate their world.
This reduces their uncertainty and anxiety about what they should do. For example, when you talk about the importance of sharing toys with siblings or friends, it helps them learn the values and social norms you want to teach. Having consistent rules reinforces these expectations, providing a solid foundation for their behavior.
Consistent Rules
Consistency in rules helps children understand and accept the boundaries set for them. When rules are always the same, kids learn to predict the consequences of their actions, which makes them feel secure and builds trust. But when rules change often, it can confuse and upset them because they don’t know what to expect.
For example, if bedtime is set for 8 PM on weekdays and you stick to it, your child will get into a good routine and understand the importance of a good night’s sleep for their health and well-being.
This consistent approach to rules naturally leads to reliable discipline, where children learn that actions have predictable consequences.
Reliable Discipline
Reliable discipline is about guiding our children with love and fairness. It’s not about punishment but about teaching them that actions have consequences. By consistently applying consequences when rules are broken, we help our children understand accountability and the importance of making good choices.
This kind yet consistent approach helps them learn that their actions matter, encouraging them to follow the rules and understand the value of responsibility.
Reliable discipline sets the stage for a sense of order in a child’s life. Children who see consistent consequences for their actions understand how their behavior affects stability. This helps them navigate their world with confidence, knowing what to expect and how to act, fostering a secure and growth-friendly environment.
Sense of Order and Predicability
Providing your child with structure creates a comforting sense of order and predictability, which is vital for their emotional and psychological well-being. Children who understand what to expect in their daily routines feel more secure and less anxious. This predictability allows them to focus on learning and growing instead of worrying about the unknown.
This sense of order, achieved through consistent structure and boundaries, highlights these practices’ numerous benefits to a child’s emotional and psychological development.
Benefits of Establishing Structure and Boundaries
Providing your child with structure and boundaries is one of the most loving and supportive things you can do. It helps them feel secure, guided, and ready to flourish in every aspect of their lives.
Emotional Security
Behavior Regulation
Develop Social Skills
Cultivate Independence and Confidence
By setting clear expectations, consistent rules, and reliable discipline, parents and caregivers create a structured environment that supports a child’s overall development and helps them grow into well-adjusted and capable individuals.
In a world that often feels disconnected, it’s crucial to teach belonging to your children. A strong sense of belonging is a feeling and a vital part of a child’s emotional and psychological development. When children feel they belong, they grow up with the confidence, security, and resilience needed to navigate life’s challenges.
At the heart of belonging is wanting to know who wants me. But it’s deeper than who wants you; it’s who wants you for who you are. Not for what you can give them but how you make them feel. During this episode, I will share practical tips to help you foster a sense of belonging to your children. So, grab a smoothie, relax, and pay close attention to what you can do to teach belonging and how our children will benefit from us taking the time to build connections your children will hold on to beyond the years of living at home.
Easy-to-Apply Techniques for Everyday Life
Incorporating simple practices into your daily routine can significantly enhance your child’s sense of belonging. Start with small, consistent actions that show love and appreciation. For example, make it a point to share meals together as often as possible. Use these times to talk about your day, share stories, and laugh together. Additionally, create small rituals, like bedtime stories or weekend outings, that your children can look forward to. Though seemingly minor, these moments build a strong foundation of connection and security.
Supporting Children Through Challenges Transitions and challenges are inevitable in life, but a strong sense of belonging can help children navigate these times with resilience. Be there for your children during difficult moments, providing consistent support and comfort. Let them know that the family is a safe haven where they can find solace and strength. This consistent support reinforces their sense of belonging and teaches them the value of familial bonds.
Before we talk about nurturing a creative child, you need to know how they think, feel, and experience the world. If you take time to learn some simple characteristics, you’ll enjoy the rewards of watching them grow and develop their craft.
each-belonging-to-your-children
The Importance of Belonging
Belonging is more than just a warm, fuzzy feeling. It’s a cornerstone of emotional security. Children who feel they belong are more likely to develop a positive self-image and higher self-esteem. They also tend to perform better academically and have healthier social interactions. When you nurture a sense of belonging, you’re setting your child up for long-term confidence and joy.
3 Practical Steps to Foster Belonging
Creating a sense of belonging within the family is essential for a child’s emotional and psychological development. When our children feel deeply connected and valued at home, they are more likely to develop confidence, security, and resilience. By integrating practical steps into your daily routine, you can foster an environment where your children feel loved, understood, and important. Here are some simple yet effective strategies to help you build a strong sense of belonging in your family. I list several practical ways you can cultivate belonging in your children in the podcast, but below are three I want to focus on.
Quality Time: Spend regular, intentional time with your children. Engage in activities that they enjoy and that promote family bonding. This shows them that they are valued and matter.
Family Traditions: Establish and maintain family traditions. These rituals create a sense of continuity and shared experience, reinforcing the family bond.
Open Communication: Encourage open and honest communication within the family. Ensure your children feel heard and understood, which helps them feel like integral parts of the family unit.
By incorporating these practical steps into your daily life, you create a nurturing and supportive environment where your children can thrive. Fostering a sense of belonging enriches their present lives and equips them with the emotional tools they need for the future. Remember, your daily small, consistent actions can make a significant difference in your child’s sense of security and connectedness. Let’s work together to build strong family bonds and create a home where every member feels valued and integral.
Creating a Supportive Environment
Creating a supportive environment for your children means more than just providing for their physical needs. It involves fostering emotional security and open communication. This environment helps children feel safe and valued, which is essential for their overall well-being. For instance, make it a habit to have regular family meetings where everyone can express their thoughts and feelings. These meetings can be a powerful tool in making each family member feel included and important. How you create this environment will be unique to your family.
Easy-to-Apply Techniques for Everyday Life
Incorporating simple practices into your daily routine can significantly enhance your child’s sense of belonging. Start with small, consistent actions that show love and appreciation. For example, make it a point to share meals together as often as possible. Use these times to talk about your day, share stories, and laugh together. Additionally, create small rituals, like bedtime stories or weekend outings, that your children can look forward to. Though seemingly minor, these moments build a strong foundation of connection and security.
Supporting Children Through Challenges Transitions and challenges are inevitable in life, but a strong sense of belonging can help children navigate these times with resilience. Be there for your children during difficult moments, providing consistent support and comfort. Let them know that the family is a safe haven where they can find solace and strength. This consistent support reinforces their sense of belonging and teaches them the value of familial bonds.
By teaching your children belonging, you enrich their lives and equip them with the emotional tools they need for the future. These strategies and practices help build a nurturing environment where children can thrive, knowing they are a valued part of something bigger than themselves.
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
Have a Question or Want to Book Connie to Speak?
If you have a question about this episode or want to suggest a topic, email me here.
Do you wonder how to raise boys to become strong, godly men? Men who will one day lead their family, a company, a community, or maybe even a country? Raising boys to be risk-takers, adventurers, innovators, and creative is hard when we live in a culture that does more to confuse boys than help them.
This topic was so popular that I decided to re-air Raising Boys with Mark Hancock of Trail Life USA.
How can we raise boys to be men when society has lost its way? As a mom of three boys, I understand how important raising boys is to our society’s future. That’s why I invited Mark Hancock, CEO of Trial Life USA, to join me to share what parents, grandparents, coaches, and ministry leaders can do.
Too many boys are turning to virtual worlds of television, video games, digital media, and the internet to find realms they can conquer and areas where they can excel. The result of this virtual conquest is often apathy, apparent rebellion, or outright resistance to real-world challenges. But you can shape and guide your boys in their journey of becoming a man.
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.
Raising Boys of Integrity and Honesty
Lead by Example: Boys learn a great deal from observing the behavior of adults, particularly their parents and other influential figures. Model honesty and integrity in your own actions and interactions. Be transparent about your own mistakes and demonstrate how to take responsibility and make amends when necessary. By consistently embodying these values, you provide a powerful example for boys to emulate.
Encourage Open Communication: Foster an environment of open communication where boys feel safe to express themselves honestly and without fear of judgment. Encourage them to openly share their thoughts, feelings, and experiences and actively listen to what they have to say. Engage in discussions about moral dilemmas, ethical decision-making, and the importance of honesty in relationships. Promoting open dialogue creates opportunities for boys to develop a deeper understanding of integrity and honesty and how these values apply to various aspects of their lives.
Navigating Challenges in Today’s Culture
Boys need to develop determination and resilience by setting achievable goals and persistently working towards them. To support this, we guide them in breaking down larger goals into smaller, manageable tasks, and we celebrate their progress along the way. By encouraging a growth mindset, we help them view challenges as opportunities for growth rather than obstacles to success. Instilling a sense of purpose and direction enables boys to stay focused and resilient, even when faced with setbacks.
Promote Resilience and Problem-Solving Skills: Equip boys with resilience and problem-solving skills to effectively navigate challenges in today’s culture. Encourage them to view setbacks as opportunities for growth and learning. Teach them coping strategies for managing stress, adversity, and peer pressure, such as deep breathing, positive self-talk, and seeking support from trusted adults. By fostering resilience and problem-solving skills, parents empower boys to face challenges with confidence, adaptability, and perseverance.
Raising Boys to Godly Men
Boys need a father or fatherlike figure in their lives to look up to and show them what it means to be a man. Study after study backs that up. Boys learn how to be persistent by providing supportive feedback and encouragement.
Boys need to develop determination and resilience by setting achievable goals and persistently working towards them. We guide them in breaking down larger goals into smaller, manageable tasks and celebrate their progress along the way. Encouraging a growth mindset helps them view challenges as opportunities for growth rather than obstacles to success. By instilling a sense of purpose and direction, boys learn to stay focused and resilient, even when faced with setbacks
We need to offer boys supportive feedback and encouragement to foster determination and resilience. Recognize their efforts and progress, emphasizing their strengths and resilience in overcoming obstacles. Encourage them to reflect on their experiences, identify lessons learned, and celebrate their achievements, no matter how small. By providing a nurturing and affirming environment, boys develop the confidence and resilience to persevere through difficulties and pursue their goals with determination.
About Mark Hancock
Mark T. Hancock began his career founding an advertising agency that grew to national prominence over fifteen years. His conversion to Christ led him into ministry as a Youth and College Pastor, Associate Pastor, Homeless Ministry Director, and Global Event Director for an international ministry, organizing events on five continents.
An author, award-winning writer, and conference speaker, he serves as Chief Executive Officer of Trail Life USA and lives near Greenville, SC, with his wife of over 30 years. They have two sons.
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
Have a Question or Want to Book Connie to Speak?
If you have a question about this episode or want to suggest a topic, email me here.
