Each week, members of the Student Support Team at Lowell are here to provide you with resources that can help bring steadiness to your lives during these uncertain times. Each edition of The Calming Corner will have information for the whole family that can provide balance, social-emotional support, and entertainment into your home.

Your house has now turned into a classroom, an office, a gym, but most importantly, still remains your home. Each day may look different and routines are shifting but that is okay. We hope that the resources provided in this newsletter will give you an alternative to academic content and support learning beyond the “classroom.”

"If you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely."

-Roald Dahl

We know this is a strange time for everyone. We're all learning together how to work, learn, and spend much more time at home and indoors than before. Hopefully, everyone is settling into a new normal routine, whatever that might look like for your family.

Feeling like you might need a little more support lately? The BRYT Family Engagement Team at Brookline Center for Community Health is offering free Parent to Parent virtual support groups during COVID 19. This is a great opportunity for parents to give and receive support to each other.

Parent Trapped by Common Sense is here.

Common Sense Media is introducing their latest podcast for parents aimed at capturing candid stories, recommendations, and tips for maintaining some semblance of "normal" in these very not-normal times. Each episode will feature interviews with experts and tips on everything from making learning at home more fun to finding movies and shows the whole family can enjoy.

Wearing a mask when you and your children are outside your home is now required in Massachusetts. Here is a great social story you can share with your children.

Even though we're all practicing social distancing, it's important to keep active and do something inside or outside each day especially as the weather gets warmer! Whether it's taking a walk in your neighborhood, doing yoga, or just having a dance party!

DIY: Peanut Butter Bird Feeder: This fun DIY project will get you and your kids outside in the sunshine! Follow the steps below to create your homemade bird feeder!

All you will need are a few items from around the house:

1 Toilet Paper roll
1 Jar of Peanut butter
1 small bowl
1 plate
A plastic knife
Birdseed

Once you have all of your items together, start by putting the peanut butter in the small bowl. Using the plastic knife, spread the peanut butter onto the toilet paper roll. Be sure to check that the peanut butter isn’t gobbed onto the roll because it will drip off in the heat. You want a nice layer of peanut butter smoothed out over the toilet roll. Finally, spread some bird seed onto the plate. Take the toilet paper roll covered in peanut butter and roll it on the plate attaching the birdseed to the roll.

After that, take your new bird feeder outside, slide it onto a branch, and your tree is now the place to be for hungry birds!

And don't forget to check out the PE teachers' weekly Smore for fun activities.

Practicing mindfulness can be very soothing. Some apps include Mindful Powers (available for Apple and Android devices) and SOS Method (available for Apple and Android devices). Headspace is another great app.

This week, we are adding YouTube breathing exercises you can practice with your kids. Each week we will add a new clip from Mindful Moments for Kids by Kira Willey.

If you want to unplug and practice mindfulness that's a great idea too! Try utilizing the "Breathing Board" below with your kids. Use your index finger and trace the arrow up as you breathe in, and then down as you breathe out. Don't forget to breathe slowly and fill that belly with air!

And for other fun ways for kids to practice mindful breathing, we love the book "Alphabreaths" by Christopher Willard. This week, continue with Gratitude Breaths.

Here are some more conversation starters for your next family mealtime:

1. Which of the following would you like to be most of all: really strong, really fast, or really tall?

2. If you could bring to life any imaginary creature, or bring back to life any animal that is now extinct, which creature/animal would you chose?

3. If you had to choose between exploring outer space or the bottom of the deepest ocean, which one would you choose?

Make your own Calm Down Corner in your home! At school, our classrooms have Calming Corners where we can all take a break. This handy guide gives strategies to create your own!

Kelley Cochrane - School Psychologist

Brian Connors - Behavior Specialist

Melina Jacovides - Guidance Counselor

Crystal Johnson - Social Worker

Greg Roberts - Team Chair

If you have any questions and you're not sure who to ask; reach out to your guidance counselor: melina.jacovides@watertown.k12.ma.us

or school psychologist: kelley.cochrane@watertown.k12.ma.us or social worker: crystal.johnson@watertown.k12.ma.us. We're here to help:)