Copy
Lutz Preparatory School: Helpful Tips for Self Care During this Stressful Time
Hello Lutz Prep families,
 
During this time of crisis we have reached out to utilize the genius of one of our mental health partners, so that we can send you some positive tips, encouragement, and reassurance. We know, as parents, you are suddenly faced with working from home, with some new co-workers who need your undivided attention and constant snacks. We understand the anxious feelings trying to figure out how you are supposed to share a family computer with the kids and work from home. The best part about all this, you do not have to be perfect at it. Every interaction with your kids is a learning experience, we just haven’t looked at it this way, and instead we have just called it parenting. We wanted to provide you all with some helpful tips of self-care and coping skills.
 
Create a routine:
 
We know many of you are juggling homeschooling your own children, as well as, working from home. Come up with a schedule that works best for your family. 
 
An example of a routine could be (please know you do not need to follow this schedule, just used as an example):
 
 
8:00: Wake up and eat breakfast
9:00: Get ready for the day
10:00-12:00: Academic Time
12:00: Lunch (change the scenery of where you eat lunch, have a picnic       outside, eat on the front or back porch or any other place that brings you          joy).
12:30: outside playtime (Family walk, Yoga, outside basketball, etc.)
1:00 Rest time (read a book, take a nap, puzzles, also great time for parents to      catch up on work and emails)
2:30: Wrap up Academic time if needed
3:00: Creative time (crafts, cooking, puzzles and board games)
4:00: Fresh air (Evening walk/bike ride, play outside)
5:00: Dinner
6:00: Housekeeping (Bath, brush teeth, clean up house)
7:00: Free time (Electronics, TV or movie)
8:00: Bedtime
 
 
Exercise to release stress:
 
When we are stressed it is important to find ways to release that stress. One great way is to get your body moving in some way, whether it’s a family walk outside (keeping appropriate social distancing), bike ride, yoga/ chair yoga, and so much more. Many small businesses are offering free offers on home workouts if you prefer to stay inside. YouTube is one many websites that offers in home workouts for adults and children. It is important that you know your body’s limits and do what is best for you.
 
Connect with others:
 
During this time, it is hard to connect with others due to the social distancing. The beauty of technology is that we can still stay connected. Set up Zoom or Facetime sessions with your family and friends. Have your children Facetime their best friend or a cousin they miss. Its important to still keep connected with our community.
 
Take care of your body:
 
Take deep breathes, stretch or meditate. Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, exercise, and get plenty of sleep.
 
Deep breathing technique:
1.   Sit comfortably and place one hand on your abdomen.
2.   Breathe in through your nose, deeply enough that the hand on your abdomen rises.
3.   Hold the air in your lungs, and then exhale slowly through your mouth, with your lips puckered as if you are blowing through a straw.
4.   The secret is to go slow: Time the inhalation (4s), pause (4s), and exhalation (6s). Practice for 3 to 5 minutes.
 
Take breaks from social media:
Parents it is okay to take breaks away from reading, watching, and listening to the news. Constantly hearing about the pandemic can be upsetting. Taking breaks can help relieve anxiety and stress of the news and social media. Also, limit the exposure to what your children see. Of course answer questions as they ask, but limiting the news could help decrease some anxious feelings that they might feel as they adjust to this new normal.
 
 
Worrying coping skills for your children:
 
What can I do if I am feeling worried:
1.   Talk about how you are feeling with someone at home.
2.   If you have questions, ask someone you trust at home to help you understand more about why you feel worried and what is going on.
3.   Keep in touch with friends by Zoom calls, Facetime, letters, and phone calls.
4.   Practice positive coping skills like the breathing techniques below: deep breathing, box breaking and lazy 8 breathing.
 
 
Breathe it out techniques:

 
 
Set goals:
Setting goals are important. When we set goals, we feel like we accomplished something. Here are some examples of some goals that you can set while your at home.
1.   Set a goal for how much you can read each day.
2.   How many nice things you can say to family member’s each day.
3.   How soccer kicks can you kick or free throws you can throw.
4.   Be creative and come up with something you enjoy
 

Do something fun instead of worrying:
Here are some examples:
1.    Play a board game with a family member
2.    Do a craft
3.    Dance party
4.    Bake a cake
5.    Call or facetime a friend
6.    Read a book
7.    Plant a garden
8.    Do yoga
9.     Color or draw
 
Let the worries go:
It is okay to be worried, but it is important that we handle our worries appropriately. Here are a few different strategies.
1.   Set a timer for 3 minutes. In those 3 minutes you can think about all the things you are worrying about. When the timer goes off, worry time is over. Get up, move to a new place and start thinking about something else.
2.   Write your worries on a piece of paper. Tear or wad the paper up and throw those those worries away.
3.   Worry jar: Ask a parent if there is a jar or cup with a lid that you can borrow. Write out your worries and place them in the jar. When you feel worried, pull the jar out and read through the worries. Once you’ve read through them place the worry jar back on the shelf till you need it again. Limit to reading the worry jar multiple times a day if you can.
 
                                                           
 
Please stay connected with your teachers and administration.  Reach out to us with any questions.

Sincerely,
 
LP Administration
Copyright © 2020 Lutz Preparatory School K-8, All rights reserved.


Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list

Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp