Let Spring SPRING!

During the cold, grey days of winter, we usually don’t see anything in bloom.  We know that it is not the time or the season.  But we still believe that Spring is coming and that Mother Nature knows just what she is doing in that dark earth. 

With the arrival of spring, blossoms gently open in their own time and at their own pace.  But imagine trying to pry a bud open with your fingers so that it would bloom sooner!  Instead of speeding up the process, it destroys the bud….

What a powerful lesson for parents.  There are so many areas we may want to help our children to grow:  for example, socially, emotionally, intellectually, physically and spiritually.   And yet we can easily lose sight of the quiet growth that is already occurring in our child at this moment.   We may want to hurry it up.  It is often hard to be patient. 

Here are a few questions to help:

1)    In the last year, what capabilities has my child shown in different areas of her life that were not there before? 

2)    Is it easier for me to see my child’s weaknesses or my child’s strengths?

3)    Have I taken the time to let my child know of her personal growth? 

A book you can read with your kids focusing on strengths is:

How Full Is Your Bucket? For Kids

by Tom Rath and Mary Reckmeyer

A book for parents is:

Your Child's Strengths: A Guide for Parents and Teachers

 by Jenifer Fox

 

Family Activity for the Month:  Have everyone bring paper, markers and their creativity outside to the front yard or in the neighborhood.  Invite everyone to draw something they see blossoming.  Bring the pictures inside and hang them at your children’s eye level so they can admire what they made!

Written by Laura Thieman, LCSW.  Laura is a social worker at Crossroads Family Counseling Center.   She brings over 15 years of experience across numerous settings and populations to her clinical work, and her areas of focus include play and expressive therapies with children.  She has four young children of her own and can be found swinging at area parks, writing, and blowing bubbles.

PLAYFUL MARCH HOLIDAYS TO CELEBRATE WITH KIDS!

There are several unofficial days in March that you can celebrate with your kids and family.  

March 15- INCREDIBLE KID DAY!  It’s easy as a parent to forget how incredible our kids are.  This is a day to set aside your worries, concerns, frustrations about your child not putting their shoes away, cleaning up their room, or doing their homework.  It’s a day to just say “You’re an incredible kid!”  Kids thrive on positive reinforcement.  It’s easy to forget this and concentrate on the things our children aren’t doing well.   Julie A. Ross, M.A. suggests in, HOW TO HUG A PORCUPINE Negotiating the Prickly Points of the Tween Years, occasionally leaving your child a “LOVE TICKET” with something you appreciate that they did or something you like about them.  Today is the day to leave a note saying….”I think you are an Incredible kid because…”  If you’re having trouble thinking of something ask another family member or a teacher. For a free download of this stationary go to:  http://ehernandezdesigns.blogspot.com/2012/03/absolutely-incredible-kid-dday.html

March 22-NATIONAL GOOF OFF DAY:  This is on a Monday so it might be hard to actually take off work or school.  However, after school is a great time to set aside some time with your kids and family and just “GOOF OFF”.    You’ll discover that goofing off is actually good for you. Experts share goofing off every day—at home and at work can be good for you. Kenneth Ginsburg, MD, from the American Pediatrics Assoc. states, “Free time has been markedly reduced for most children.  Play is essential to development because it contributes to the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being of children and youth. Play also offers an ideal opportunity for parents to engage fully with their children.”   So, take the time today and “goof off”, play and have fun.   As the saying goes, “A family that plays together stays together.”

March 30^-TAKE A WALK IN THE PARK DAY:   Kids love to go for walks especially with their parents. And, if you have a dog the dog will appreciate it too!  Why not take a walk enjoying the new sights of Spring-the flowers blooming, the new buds on trees, the sounds of nature coming back to life. Did you know? Walking is good exercise.  (http://www.nhs.uk/change4life/Pages/walk-for-life.aspx)

• Walking is good for bones and muscles: helping your kids grow up big and strong.
• It burns calories: in fact a brisk walk burns the same amount of calories as a run over the same distance!
• It builds stamina.
• It helps beat stress: walking can make you feel good and more relaxed.
• It can cut your risk of heart disease by up to 50%, reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and the risk of some cancers
• It boosts your immune system for 24 hours
• It can even lower your blood pressure.
• It’s FREE!

Crossroads Family Counseling Center, LLC hope you have a wonderful March celebrating some of these unofficial days with your kids and family! 

Written by:  Sheri Mitschelen, LCSW, RPT/S, Owner and Director of Crossroads Family Counseling Center, LLC  a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in the State of Virginia and a Registered Play Therapy-Supervisor (RPT-S).

Read more at Suite101: Fun, Odd March Holidays to Celebrate with Kids | Suite101 http://suite101.com/article/fun-odd-march-holidays-to-celebrate-with-kids-a187088#ixzz2L0YMX0I5

Nurturing Relationships

Healthy relationships are essential to our happiness and emotional health. They also have a positive effect on our physical health.  Research shows that people who have satisfying relationships have been shown to be happier, have fewer health problems, and live longer.  For these reasons, it is important to take care of and nurture the relationships we have in life.  Because life is so busy with work, school, appointments, etc (and depending on what life stage you are in, it can be even more challenging) there is rarely enough time left over to “nurture” our relationships.  Of course, there is the “I love you” as you run out the door, the quick kiss hello as you return, but for relationships to sustain time, they need more intentional love and care.  

Little ways to nurture relationships with our significant other:

-     Leaving a little note/card that simply says “I love you” that let’s your partner know  you 

      are thinking of him/her

-     Taking a few brief moments to actually look in your partners eyes when they walk in the 

      door and greet them with warmth.

-     Giving them a hug or kiss just because

-     Spending a few minutes snuggling before you fall asleep

-     Cooking your partner’s favorite meal.

-     It's designating one night a week, “your night”, whether you

have a babysitter or not, to eat dinner together (alone), sit on the couch and talk, or  work   on a project  together; to connect and interact on a deeper level than thepracticalities of life and parenting.

Little ways to nurture relationships with children:

-     Putting a little I love you note in their lunch box

-     Spending at least 15 minutes to just listen to them about their day. 

-     Hugs and kisses

-     Reading a bedtime story

-     Designating time to have a special date with each child individually at least once a month

-     Baking cookies together

-         

So, as Valentine’s Day approaches it is important to remember that showing love and appreciation for the special people in your life is a gift that can be given every day and not just on the one day a year that represents “love”.  

Crossroads Family Counseling Center, LLC wants to wish you a very Happy Valentines Day!

 Written by Denise Booth who  is a Virginia Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with over 10 years experience working with children and families. She has experience providing individual, family and group therapy to court-involved adolescents and families. She specializes in providing therapy to adolescents dealing with trauma and PTSD, behavioral issues at home and school, as well as anxiety, depression, self-esteem and substance abuse. In her work with parents, she strives to enhance parent-child relationships and strengthen parenting skills.

WINTER BLUES?

With the excitement of the holiday season coming to a close, you may notice the post-holiday blues beginning to settle in.  Weeks of holiday planning and preparation, parties and family entertaining, shopping and gift giving can lead to January and subsequent winter months feeling dreary, empty, and lonely.  Children are not immune to these same feelings as they struggle to resume their regular routine. 
So what can you do to help your child combat the winter blues? 

~ Let your child express their disappointment and/or sadness and empathize 
          with their feelings.       

~ Share your own feelings, experiences, and memories about feeling sad after the

 holidays.

~ Life may have resumed its busy schedule, but make sure you structure

family time together.  Play those board games they received as

Christmas gifts! Find time for a movie night complete with popcorn!

Plan ahead so the children have something for which to look forward too. 

~ The often frigid outside temperatures of the winter months can force children

          to remain inside.  Create fun, physical activities that help children release 

          excess energy.  A parent/child jumping jack competition?  Yoga animal 

          poses?

~ Help them to focus on the positives.  What do they love about winter?   

         What are they thankful for when it is cold and dreary outside?

~ Maintain a consistent sleep schedule. Children do best when there are

        consistent routines, expectations, and schedules.   

The post holiday blues may feel intense, but tend to be short lived.  If your child’s mood and behavior remain persistent, begin to affect school, social activities, interests, appetite, and familial relationships, he or she may need some additional support.  Please do not hesitate to reach out to Crossroads Family Counseling in order to determine how your child’s need can best be met. 

FAMILY FUN ACTIVITY:   Watch a Family Movie at Home

Why spend a small fortune taking the families to the movies when you can stay at home for an even better theater experience? Host an unforgettable family movie night that's more than a couple of hours sitting on the couch together. Let the kids create movie tickets, make snacks and open their own concession stand. After the movie's over, let their inner critics write movie reviews. Winter Fun for Kids-12 Activities to Beat the Cabin Fever Blues, By Apryl Duncan, About.com Guide

The staff at Crossroads would like to wish you each of you a joyful 2013!!!!!!

Darah Curran is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in the State of Virginia with 15 years experience working with children, adolescents and families. Darah has provided support for pediatric and adult individuals and families in outpatient and inpatient medical settings. Her areas of focus include adjustment and behavioral issues, social skills development, chronic illness, grief and trauma work. Darah believes in the strength of the family and encourages each member's involvement in making positive change for the child or family system.