September flew by and October is looking to be a full month!
October is National Bully Prevention Month. Later this month, lessons with all students will showcase how we can treat others with kindness, work to get along even if we disagree, and celebrate our differences instead of casting judgment. Students will also learn about the different types of bullying and what to do if bullying occurs.
This week in counseling lessons students were re-introduced to the term regulation and what happens in our brain when we become dysregulated. Students reflected on strategies they use to regulate when they have strong emotions of sadness, anger, and worry. Students were challenged to think of a different strategy for each emotion as different feelings call for different regulation. The more strategies we have and the more we practice them, the easier they are to use in times of need.
I am out of the building at the Community Response To Child Abuse Conference in Sioux Falls today. The conference kicked off with a great Keynote on The Digital Child from Warren Binford. Binford spoke about how our society's emphasis on technology has made us all less engaged in the real world which influences our children to seek stimuli in technology. While technology is an impressive wonder, too much use can negatively impact social skills, ability to regulate, and academics to list a few. To help reconnect, Binford encourages us to focus on the Positive Childhood Experiences:
The ability to talk with family about feelings
The sense that family is supportive during difficult times
The enjoyment of participation in community traditions
Feeling a sense of belonging in high school
Feeling supported by friends
Having at least two non-parent adults who genuinely care
Feeling safe and protected by an adult in the home
