Quote #16
"Follow your heart, but take your brain with you."
July 7, 2017                                        Twenty-Fourth Edition
Greetings!

Summer is here! Woohooo!

Which means school is out and your kiddos are home during the day. This can be a challenging time for families as they never seem to get a break from their child with RAD. BUT - it is also a prime time to ramp up the playtime in your home and do some extensive bonding with you kids.

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"Children don't need more things. The best toys a child can have is a parent who gets down on the floor and plays with them."
-- Bruce Perry 

“Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning.
But for children, play is serious learning.
Play is really the work of childhood.”
--Fred Rogers 'Mister Rogers'

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Hopefully you are having beautiful, sunny, stay-outside-all-day kind of weather.

Enjoy!

Love, Karen

P.S. Be sure to check out our new Summer Therapeutic Respite Program listed below!
♥ Watermelon seed spitting contest.  Buy a watermelon with seeds in it next time you go to the store, and have a watermelon party in your backyard! Practice spitting seeds and then have a final round of spitting to see who can spit a seed the farthest.

♥ Blow bubbles.  Make bubble soap my mixing 6 cups of water and 1 cup of dish soap. For extra strong bubbles add 1 tablespoon glycerin or 1/4 cup light corn syrup.

♥ Jump rope together while singing rhymes.  For some great jump rope rhymes and chants, check out this website!

♥ Hopscotch.  Outside on the sidewalk, or inside on the living room floor, there are many, many funky variations you can add to this game:
  • Hop on one foot through the whole path
  • Count backwards as you go
  • Name a family member (desserts, colours, etc.) for every square
  • Sing a loud and goofy song while hopping on one foot and going as fast as you can

♥ Water Balloons. Always, always a summer hit. They're just as much fun to fill up as to toss around!

Outdoor Summer Family Olympics. Plan a whole afternoon for this activity! Download the Official-Unofficial Guidelines HERE!

♥ Un-organized Play. Kids need time just to be kids. Let them play in the sandbox, climb the jungle gym, toss or kick a ball, or make dandelion chains while you sit nearby and relax.
Games that are parent-lead and give your child the opportunity to speak and make some noise are a great addition to the day.

Try playing:
  • Mother May I
  • Simon Says
  • We're going on a Camping Trip and I'm Going to Take...
  • I Spy
  • Action Songs

♥ Bruce Perry's 6 R program is still one of the best-ever parenting techniques for healing trauma in the brain and building a parent-child attachment. 

Are you exhausted and looking for a break this summer? Check out our
Email Karen at karen@nextgenerationattachment.org to check availablility and to grab your spot!
"For I know the plans I have for you",  declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you HOPE and a FUTURE."

Jeremiah 29:11