Love is a verb!
Let's bring this idea of "Love is a Verb" into this spring season! (I know it isn't "officially" spring but a girl can dream!)
We know that many of you have kids that are home for February vacation this week so we thought we'd give you an extra dose of KidPowerment content to help you intentionally connect with your kids during this time. Every day, we'll post an activity you can do with your children/family to really get into the spirit of "Love is a Verb!"
We hope you'll follow along and share your activities with us!
Love is... active listening!
When you have a good day, you want to tell people about it and have them be excited for you. Conversely, when you have a bad day, you want to tell people about it and have them empathize with you. It feels good to be heard and it is easy to tell if someone isn't fully present in your conversation.
Active listening is when the listener fully concentrates, understands, responds and then remembers what is being said. In our age of technology it is easy to "listen" to someone while being distracted by a screen.
Try this:
For at least one family meal this week, place ALL screen devices in a basket. That means grown-ups too. Go around the table and talk about one good thing that happened to you that day, one bad thing that happened to you that day, and one thing that is coming up that you are excited about. While your family members answer, actively listen to them. Show them you are invested in what they have to say and that you are fully present there for the conversation.
Love is... volunteering!
While children are naturally kind and loving, we can help them cultivate an empathetic disposition by encouraging volunteerism. Giving back in the form of volunteering brings smiles to ALL involved! There are probably many places in your area where you can volunteer so we aren't going to give you a list here. Instead, we'd like to offer some tips when choosing an organization to volunteer with. Here are our top 3 tips:
1. Check age requirements - some organizations have a minimum age a volunteer can be to participate. Be sure that you know that before you arrive at the location. It would be hard for a child to learn in that moment that they are too young to help.
2. Understand pre-requisites - Background checks and the like may be required at various volunteer locations. You'll want to know this in advance in case there is paperwork you need to bring with you.
3. Check the volunteer hours - Sometimes walk-ins are not welcome. Call or check the website for the organization you are targeting for more information about when they have volunteer duties available.
Love is... protecting our planet!
Let's face it, we live in a world that is ruled by adults. Kids and teens sometimes feel powerless but it is up to us to empower them to stand up for what they believe in and help them realize they can make a difference.
Our planet is in trouble and children and teens can do a lot to help care for it. Here are some simple actions kids can take to protect our planet:
1. Zap energy vampires - When we're at home in the living room, does our bathroom light really need to be on? If our phone isn't charging, does the cord really need to be plugged in? Shutting off lights that aren't in use or unplugging electronics that aren't in use is an easy way to save energy. Saving energy helps the planet by reducing the amount of emissions given off by big power plants and reducing the amount of natural resources used in producing energy.
2. Turn off the water when not in use - I'm reminded of a song that Barney (yes, that brilliant purple dinosaur) used to sing about brushing your teeth "And while I'm brushing my teeth and having so much fun, I never let the water run. No, I never let the water run." Having the water running while we're doing dishes or brushing our teeth is wasteful and is easy to prevent. Just turn off the tap. This is a SUPER easy task for kids to do! They can become self-appointed Water Protectors!
3. Reducing our dependence on single-use plastics - By now we've all heard that we should be refusing plastic straws but single-use plastics don't end there. The food industry is full of them: plastic utensils, to-go containers, plastic water bottles, etc. Have your child help you create a meal based sustainability kit that they can take with them when you go out to eat. You can include reusable utensils and straws, cloth napkins, reusable cups/water bottles, and reusable to-go containers. Having kids help you create this and be in charge of it will give them a sense of responsibility!
4. Bringing reusable grocery bags - I think I have about a million reusable grocery bags floating around my home and my car but almost NEVER remember to bring them into the grocery store. More and more communities are banning plastic bags in stores but for those of us who forget our bags, we often buy the studier plastic bags that they offer. To remedy this, have your child help you create a grocery shopping kit. Gather your reusable shopping bags, get yourself some cloth produce bags (reduces our dependence on the flimsy plastic bags in the produce department), and for those of you who have grocery stores that have a bulk section, gather up some empty mason jars. Keep all these items together and remind your child that they need to help you remember to bring your grocery kit whenever you go shopping! They can even decorate their own canvas bags to bring with them!
These are just a few ideas to help get the ball rolling! Children understand the importance of protecting our planet and feel like superheroes when they are able to help out.
Love is... caring for your whole self
We've acted on love for our families, our communities, and our planet but we also need to make sure we are showing love to ourselves. Self-care is more than just bubble baths and face masks. We need to make sure we are caring for our WHOLE selves and that includes our mental health.
For kids, this can be done by encouraging self-confidence and self-esteem.
Journaling is a wonderful tool for children and teens to use to foster self-esteem in themselves. Allow them to pick out a notebook or journal that they feel called to, that they can make their very own. Provide them with stickers. Get them special pens. Help them to create a journal that they are excited by and that represents them.
It can be hard to stare at a blank page and just write. If a child is intimidated to write, they will see journaling as a chore and not as a gift. Here are some journaling prompts to use with children and teens for self-esteem:
1. Write about a time when you did something you were afraid to try. How did you feel afterward?
2. What is your greatest talent?
3. What is the best compliment you’ve ever received?
4. Write about a unique quality you have that makes you special.
The possibilities are endless but these are just a few examples to get the juices flowing!
