It's Back to School Season
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Tips for teaching kids self-care to better handle the school year
By:
Brian Betancour, B.A.
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With the new school year upon us, it is important to prepare your children for the changes they are going to be enduring. These changes could include a new school environment, a new teacher, new friends, new and advanced topics of education, and perhaps changes within the household that have disrupted a set routine for you and your children.
It is important to teach your children the benefits of self-care and how including a self-care routine not only promotes physical well-being, but can generate a healthy mindset. An effective mindfulness-based, breathing practice to consider is the
4-7-8 breathing technique
! (Take a 4 second deep breath in, hold it for 7 seconds, slowly let the air out through your mouth for 8 seconds, and repeat as many times as preferred).
Mindfulness-based practices should not be thought of as a task or an extra chore. It can be taught individually to an adult, a child, or practiced as a family (highly recommended for bonding). Mindfulness-based practices do not need to be practiced in a particular way, because there are various ways to practice; from breathing to fun activities that promote the same outcome of stress-reduction and emotional awareness. It could potentially be the first step in a morning routine to start off the day, applied in the midst of a stress-building day, or the last step right before going to bed.
For children, many mindful-based practices have been re-imagined to grasp their attention. Some ideas include:
Superhero Yoga Posing
that allows children to breathe calmly, tense and then relax their muscles, all while mimicking the poses of their favorite superheroes. Turning on
Spidey-Senses
to redirect scattered focus, place attention towards their five senses (sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell), and describe what they are experiencing in that moment as a way to distract them from stress-inducing thoughts and situations. Mindfulness-based practices have been known to assist children in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety, increasing focus and attention, regulating mood and affect, preventing and/or decreasing temper tantrums and other maladaptive behaviors, and assist in promoting overall academic growth.
Remember, this is time spent to focus on YOU and your CHILD, to clear your/their MIND, reduce your/their STRESS, reduce your/their ANXIETIES, assists you/them in reaching a GOAL(S), and most of all, to BECOME AWARE of your/their insights, thoughts and emotions to consciously take control.
Brian Betancour is one of our Psychology Clinical Trainees supporting children through our partnerships with
Compton Unified School District & Long Beach Day Nursery
. He is
currentl
y finishing up a Master's degree in Marital and Family Therapy at California State University, Dominguez Hills.
References/Sources:
- 4-7-8 Breathing Technique was developed by Dr. Andrew Weil, founder and director of the Univ. of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine.
- Yoga/Superhero Posing ideas gathered from the authors: Lani-Rosen Gallagher (founder of Full of Joy Yoga & author of Mindful Yoga Breaks Cards) and Carolyn Clarke (founder of Bambino Yoga, yoga/meditation instructor, author of imagination books)
- Spidey Senses mindfulness-based practice-idea came from the blogging website http://kidsrelaxation.com/uncategorized/spider-man-practicing-mindfulness-and-increasing-focus/
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My Child is Starting School; a note from a first time mom
By: Sandra Cortez, M.A.
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This summer, I was struck by sudden contradicting emotions as we came closer to my child's first day of school. This would be a big day for my three year old and me as a mom. I knew to take several steps to prepare him for his big day.
The journey began about one month before with a big white board. On this board, a calendar was drawn and everyday my three year old colored a date. This, I feel, made a huge impact in his development. It gave him a visual and an expectation of what was to come. In addition to this, we attended the public library and participated in several of the children's programs, including a reading club which I feel strongly encouraged my three year old to share, verbalize, and play with other children his age.
With many kisses and hugs along the way, the big day came. He sat in his chair at his new school and I waved a "see you later pal". I have to say that all the steps we took together not only prepared him for his big day but also built a bond between us for this big step. I now have a greater sense of respect for children and parents out there. It may seem flawless but it really takes a lot of work.
*Photo credit: Sandra Cortez
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Spotlighting the amazing people that make up Children and Families, Inc.
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Meet Brian Betancour, Clinical Trainee for C & F, INC.
Brian is a graduate student with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology. He is currently pursuing his Masters degree in Marital and Family Therapy and is a therapist-in-training. He is an advocate for education and determined to continue succeeding in this field of work through his ambition and hard work. His interests revolve around watching live music, skateboarding, and traveling; whether it is to another state, another country, or journeying through camp grounds.
Here’s what Brian had to say about why he joined C & F, Inc.:
“My initial reason for choosing internship at Children and Families, Inc. was to gain the experience in working with the population of children and their respective families in lower-income and working-class communities. I felt that this internship would give me the opportunity to give back to the communities I once grew up in, positively challenge me, and assist me in acquiring the skills to apply prevention and early intervention services to those in need. Within this organization, I enjoy the opportunities to engage within my community, with surrounding communities, and continue to strengthen my passion for this field. I feel honored working with such a diverse group of children and their families of different racial backgrounds, social-class levels, and family dynamics that have allowed me to provide effective therapeutic services.”
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Introducing our new &/or incoming clinical trainees for this
school year 2019-20
In addition to the ongoing clinical training and services offered by
Brian Betancour
spotlighted above, we are proud to introduce the following individuals:
Supporting
the Early Intervention Program @ Long Beach Day Nursery
- Merve Bahtiyar (pursuing MA @ Cal State Univ, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH)
- Emilio Fernandez (pursuing MFT @ CSUDH)
- Nicole Liedike (pursuing PsyD in Clinical Psychology at Chicago School of Professional Psychology)
Supporting the Prevention & Early Intervention Pilot @ Compton Unified School District
- Janica Dabu (pursuing PsyD in Clinical Psychology at Chicago School of Professional Psychology)
- DaVonna Foy (received a MA in Clinical Psychology from Argosy University, Los Angeles & is a registered AMFT)
- Melody Ma (pursuing MFT at Cal State Univ, Dominguez Hills)
- Corey Pearson (pursuing PsyD at Chicago School of Professional Psychology)
*Brian is doing double duty at both Long Beach Day Nursery & Compton Unified School District.
Please join us in welcoming these amazing individuals. We look forward to a very meaningful training year & much needed intervention to the communities we serve!
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Check out some current projects that C & F is working on:
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Your partnership here!
Let us know if you would like to explore a partnership opportunity for an event you have coming up. Email us at:
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Seeking Board Members
We are looking for individuals who want to give back to the community by volunteering their time and sharing their unique skills and talents while serving on our Board of Directors. For more information, please visit our website at
https://www.childrenandfamiliesinc.com/contact.html and fill out the contact form.
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Website Update
We are currently working to revamp our website but need some help. Do you know how to make a website look amazing? If you are interested in volunteering your expertise as an in-kind donation to Children & Families, Inc., let us know!!
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Do you already shop at Amazon? Well now you can make your dollar go further by supporting Children and Families, Inc! Simply register at
AmazonSmile
and select Child and Families, Inc (Redondo Beach, CA) as your charitable organization. It is quick and easy with no added fees and you can use your existing Amazon account. Buy with AmazonSmile and make a difference in the future of a child or family in need. Click
HERE
to sign up today.
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HELP US EXPAND AND BETTER SERVE OUR COMMUNITY!
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www.childrenandfamiliesinc.com
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Your tax-deductible contribution to our non-profit 501(c)(3) organization is instrumental in helping us
GROW
our staff, clinical trainees, and services to better serve our future young leaders and their families!
[Tax ID:
45-2434803]
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For more information about our mental health services for young children and families, please contact us at:
info@childrenandfamiliesinc.com
(424) 254-8128
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