We Are All Connected

In times like these, when current events are more unsettling than usual, and things generally seem chaotic around us, it is important for us to be able to speak to our children in a way that will reach them, calm them, and maybe even give them some wisdom that they can put to use in their lives.

There is a universal concept that we are all connected. Some will say that we are all connected because we are all human beings, and we all live on earth and enjoy mother nature. Others will say that we are all connected because we all have a heart, and lungs, and blood running through our veins.

The way I choose to explain our connection to each other, is the way I've come to describe it throughout the years. We are all connected by the light we carry within us and share outside of us. The actions we take in our own lives can and do affect the world around us.

This concept, can help us understand both sides of the coin.

The negative side, If we choose negative actions, we can hurt others close to us, far from us, and even those we don’t know and might not ever meet.

The positive side, Every positive choice I make, creates a ripple effect that nourishes the people close to us, far from us, and even those we might not ever meet.

We may not ever find out the true reason why negative things occur in our surroundings. This is true both on a large scale, such as yesterday’s terrible tragedy, or on a small scale, such as an argument with a friend or a bad day at school. What we do have an opportunity to do though, is choose our reaction to these situations and helping our kids explore their reactions to these situations so we can assist them in coming to place of seeing them as an opportunity to be proactive, even in the toughest of challenges.

The concept of We are All Connected can help children understand that although many people are in pain and hurting, we are all connected by the light inside, and their daily actions of tolerance, human dignity, and sharing, can make a difference in the world around them.

Here are some activities that you can do with your kids to help them exercise this:

• Care for someone by thinking of a classmate that might have a hard time making friends and practice sharing with them by planning a playdate or spending some time with them during school time.

• Sit with the family or a close group of friends, list some ways everyone may have not been so tolerant of others lately and make a commitment to do things differently. (Adults share first so children will feel more at ease to be honest)

• Find ways to connect with people that have had a challenging time lately, write them a letter of encouragement and send it in the mail.

• Look for volunteer opportunities in your neighborhood and plan an hour out of the week to volunteer together.

Interested in private or group workshops for your kids based on concepts like these? Email me.

Kid with a Vision

Childhood is great practice for adulthood. Many of the habits that we create in our early years, whether they are physical habits such as how we eat, to belief systems of how we interact with the world through our thoughts, become our inner guide throughout our adult life.

Creating a vision is a great way to get kids on a path of making great things happen for themselves through learning about themselves, who they truly are, and how they want to show up in the world. Without a vision, children may often flow through life, letting life just happen to them, often unfortunately letting other people choose for them. A vision sets up a set of values and goals that can serve as an internal GPS throughout life, even assisting them in making difficult choices.

The following activities can be done by your child or as a family, to boost the magic of creating a vision.

First, we recommend that kids create a vision about who they want to be. This is the most important step because even if they aren’t sure what they want to do or what they want to experience, who they want to be – their morals and values – is at the core of who they are, regardless of their circumstances.

For this part of the exercise, have them write down vision statements about how they want to live their life. Some examples include:

• “I live my life with integrity – I make the most positive choice, even when no one else is looking”

• “I look for the good in others – we all have special things we bring to this world.”

The next step is to look at each area of their lives and think about what they want to experience. As part of the exercise, have them use the “Balance Wheel”. The Balance Wheel is a coaching tool that is used to assess various areas of a person’s life for balance – emotional, social/community, spiritual, occupational/school/financial, mental, physical, family, and recreational.

Note…it is important when putting together this list that kids create their vision based on what they truly want to experience in life – not based on current circumstances and challenges. For example, if they want to become a doctor, but aren’t making good grades, they should still hold the vision of becoming a doctor. Low grades are just a challenge that can be managed away. It is important to teach kids not to whittle down their dreams based on their current situation.

Finally, have your kids create a vision board or write down their vision and put it someplace where they can see it every day. This serves as a constant reminder to follow their vision on a daily basis.

Managing Disapointment

Remember going to class after having studied for a test, feeling very or somewhat prepared, to later learn that your grade wasn’t as high as you had expected or would have liked? Maybe academics wasn't your challenge but sports were challenging for you? Or making friends? Sitting in your seat quietly?

Although the types of challenges children face today may be different than the ones we faced as children, kids today still experience them to varying degrees.

Failure is often recognized as a shameful experience, something to avoid at all costs.

But the truth is, that it’s just a part of learning, which is why it’s a game changer in a child’s life when we can support them in seeing failure as a part of learning instead of a reflection of who they are.

Remember this next time your child isn’t doing as well as they’d like…

First

Attempt

In

Learning

Some of the greatest athletes and CEO’s failed over and over again before becoming who they are today, and it’s OK for our kids to have the same experience.

A positive attitude in the face of a challenge + a plan = greater success next time around.

Wishing you a week of success!