www.womanthismonth.com November 2020 13 LIFESTYLE | opinion MINDFULNESS BRAIN BREAKS To help a child who has been struggling emotionally consider activities that help build them up. You can do mindfulness exercises where you encourage your child to be present in the moment, focus on their surroundings and feel some mental clarity. Sometimes chores for kids, like folding laundry or preparing snacks, can be restorative breaks and simultaneously facilitate fine motor skill development, provide sensory play and knock out some of a parent's work. Other more everyday activities like a snuggle on the sofa while reading a favorite book, listening to music or making some artwork may also fill your child's cup. BRAIN BREAKS THAT TEACH SKILLS If your child is struggling academically to grasp key concepts, it's important to still allow academic breaks. Children need time off to learn, just like adults do. But you can find ways to reinforce literacy or math skills in your play. Choose board games with number concepts. Send your child on a flashlight guided hunt to find letters or words in the house. SCREEN-FREE BRAIN BREAKS If children are negatively reacting to all the screen time of virtual school, they may be under- or overstimulated. Being bored or overwhelmed undermines learning. Some children may experience eye strain and complain of headaches, excessive blinking or rub their eyes. For all of these screen-associated problems, getting unplugged and outdoors is really critical. Going for a walk or bike ride, or gardening, can all be cures for too much screen time. If you're stuck indoors, a sensory experience like working with playdough, kinetic sand or water play can help children recalibrate their level of stimulation. Finally, let's not forget that kids should be encouraged to have ideas and opinions about how they spend their off time, too. If you can, find a compromise where some of the breaks are used towards goals you think are important and some allow your children to choose. For example, if you want your child to get energy out, write down four active ideas and let them pick. When children get to decide, the activity will be more engaging and fun for everybody involved.
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