Spotlight on: Self-Care
What is “self-care”?
One of the biggest “buzz words” of 2019/2020 has been: self-care. There are entire blogs dedicated to it. Drug stores and big box stores are creating entire sections of face masks and bath bombs. There are even subscription services that will send you a box full of products designed to soothe and calm. Don’t get me wrong, these pampering self-care ideas and products are great to get the ball rolling but self-care is MORE than all that. We should be engaging in self-care to care for our WHOLE selves - mind, body, and soul. Often, self-care is marketed towards women but it is an important exercise for everyone to take part in, including children!
Children and teens experience the world in a big way. Because of this they particularly need ways to care for themselves. That’s why we included fitness/self-care time into our daily schedule. We want to share some ways to help yourselves and your children care for your whole selves, calm your nervous system, and connect with your emotions.
The first thing we are going to suggest is to take a break from screens. The magic of technology is allowing us to have some “normalcy” in our lives by bringing work and school to us at home. This is wonderful in terms of adding a sense of structure and familiarity to the day but the constant staring at screens isn’t the best for our bodies. Even when we aren’t working or learning, we are still on our screen devices consuming media. It’s important to stay up-to-date on the latest guidance from the CDC but that doesn’t mean constantly monitoring the news. Our teens are seeing it as well on their social media. This time for self-care is a time to step away from our devices and connect to ourselves.
Now that those devices are charging, laptops are shut, and TVs are off, it’s time to get to work! The following activities are just suggestions. You don’t HAVE to do them. That’s what’s great about self-care - it’s about YOU! Let your children and teens decide what they want to do. It’s ok if you all aren’t doing things together. This self-care time is a time to take care of yourselves!
Love Notes to Yourself
I’m a huge fan of daily affirmations and love notes to myself. Sometimes this comes in the form of a sticky note on my mirror that says “You got this!”. Sometimes it’s me writing out a list of things I’m good at. You could write a list of things you're proud of. Young children may need help writing but ask them to come up with reasons why they like themselves or what they are good at. It’s more genuine for them and allows you to get a different perspective on your child. For tweens and teens, you can set up an affirmation station. Fill it with colored paper, writing utensils, stickers, washi tape, etc. They can write out affirmations, mantras, or even create a vision board for themselves. Encourage your teen to not limit themselves to their physical appearance. We are a lot more than what we look like on the outside!
Time with Nature
Spending time outside in nature is always a good idea but it is even more important in this time. We are all feeling like we are “stuck” inside due to the various levels of “stay inside” orders that we are experiencing in our states. The benefits of being outdoors have been studied and published for years now. Growing evidence shows that being out in nature has a significant positive impact on both our physical and mental health. Time outdoors or with nature can counteract all the time we are spending in front of our screens.
If you don’t have a ton of time to be outside, may we suggest doing some quick “grounding.” Have you ever noticed how kids love to be barefoot outside?! Without knowing it, they are engaging in this grounding practice. And it’s a practice we adults could also benefit from! I’ll spare you the scientific and “woo-woo” talk but just know that having your bare feet on the earth has enormous health and well-being benefits. If nothing else, it gives us a chance to press pause on our busy lives and be present in the moment.
Another way to enjoy the outdoors is to take a walk. You can do it as a family or split up in groups for some special bonding time. While on your walk take some time to really take deeeeeeep breaths of that fresh air - it’s good for the lungs and good for the soul. One of the wonderful things about springtime is that nature is coming alive again! Look for sprouting flowers. Notice which trees are budding. Listen for the birds. Smell the wet earth. Take a moment and enjoy the beauty around you.
If you are unable to get all the way outside because of where you live, may I suggest a bird feeder! You can either buy one online or make your own. There are SO many DIY bird feeder activities out there. One of the easiest is peanut butter on a toilet paper roll sprinkled with bird seed. Hang them on a tree near a window in your home and get to watching! Kids can take notes on what they observe or they can just watch. Christyn has a bird feeder in her backyard and loves to sit in her kitchen and watch.
Yoga and Meditation
As a yoga organization, we would be remiss if we didn’t mention that yoga and meditation are both excellent self-care activities. Yoga is the art, and science of self-regulation. Kids, when equipped with simple tools, can better respond to situations. They are able to metabolize their big feelings, and make more sense of their often overwhelming world. Physically students work on building strength, gaining flexibility, enhancing their sense of balance, while calming their nervous systems. This leads to more comfort and stability in their bodies. When kids are more comfortable and stable, they are capable of longer periods of concentration and focus. If you are a regular follower of KidPowerment Yoga you know that we try to post some simple mini-flows to use at home. You can find this info on our Facebook page! We also have been posting helpful videos on our YouTube page - check it out!
For some meditation can seem like a scary word. How am I supposed to completely clear my mind?! I have good news for you: meditation is not about “clearing” your mind. It’s the practice of acknowledging the mind’s content without identifying with that content or in plain terms “quieting” the mind. There is a lot of brain science behind the benefits of meditation. In general it helps practitioners (including children) to have breath awareness and regulation, which activates
the parasympathetic nervous system, leading to relaxation; increase self-awareness, both physically and emotionally; cultivate social-emotional intelligence and imagination through mindfulness; and have better rest and sleep. There are so many ways to practice meditation and mindfulness. In fact we have a whole training about teaching meditation and mindfulness to children and teens. If you’re looking for a video to try meditation with your children, may we suggest the Bluebird Meditation For Children by our very good friend and KidPowerment master teacher Checka Antifonario.
Other Ideas
The possibilities for self-care activities are really endless. As long as you or your child are able to feel a sense of calm you are doing it right. Just a pause in the day is helpful to process all the emotions that have come up during the day. In this time of what feels like constant screen time, I would suggest making your self-care time “screen free”. Here are some more suggestions for screen-free self-care activities:
Build a blanket fort and cuddle up with a book or coloring book
Deep breathing
Listen to music
Color, draw, paint, create
Write a story
Take a nap
Have a “spa day”
Cook a meal
Listen to a podcast
Blow bubbles
Play a game/do a puzzle
Can you think of any other ideas? Let us know! Email them over to admin@kidpowerment.com or tag us on social media!