Did you know that taking a moment of silence in between statements is actually an important skill to mindful communication? Children (and adults) who don’t have the skills to control their impulsive behaviors tend to be more reactive (immediate and without conscious thought) than responsive (longer, thoughtful action) in a stressful situation. So when kids…
Read More
We usually post bite-size tips and tools for busy parents, often with the opportunity to “Deep Dive” (look for the pineapple!) for people who want to learn more. Today, however, we are posting this broadcast from Life Kit for Parents as part of NPR.org. This listen is a little more time-consuming than our normal posts…
Read More
Are you curious to how your child is feeling but he or she struggles with communication? This can be very frustrating to parents and caregivers to not know how their child is feeling during difficult times such as experiencing a loss in the family, stay-at-home orders due to the pandemics, or even bullying situations. That…
Read More
National Prevention Week incorporates daily themes to focus on substance abuse topics and today, we will be talking about preventing illicit drug use and youth marijuana use. Did you know individuals between the ages of 12-25 years who use marijuana could potentially experience opioid misuse, heavy alcohol use, and major depressive episodes (SAMHSA 2019)? As…
Read More
This week is the perfect week to cultivate communication with a teacher because it’s Teacher Appreciation Week! Not only does this help your child keep connection with an important adult in their life, but it also fosters gratitude. We’ve talked about the science of gratitude before: https://okptacultivate.com/2019/11/28/cultivate-knowledge-by-understanding-the-science-of-gratitude/ If you need some ideas for how to…
Read More
Everyone knows that self-care is important and having a self-care routine can reduce our anxiety and restore our energy (physically and mentally). But sometimes, we lack the motivation to practice self-care. So what do we do if once we lose motivation and energy to continue our self-care routines? The answer: positive self-talk. We’ve mentioned before…
Read More
Art has many benefits to our mental health using art in a therapeutic way can help us develop self-awareness and self-confidence. In fact, art therapy is also used to help children develop social skills and achieve their sense of well-being. No matter how creative or experienced you are, there are many art therapy practices which…
Read More
Supportive adults such as parents, caregivers, and teachers have an important role in communicating with children and providing them with support to help them manage their responses to COVID-19. The Substance Abused Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recently released their talking tips to help parents and other supportive adults to communicate effectively with children and…
Read More
More than ever, there is a need to have important conversations and make important decisions with family members concerning changes to routine and other life adjustments. At the same time, one or more family members may be experiencing elevated levels of stress on a given day. Talk about a recipe for potential conflict! If you…
Read More
Social distancing can cause feelings of isolation, even if you are surrounded by others living in the same home as you. This is why it is important to stay connected with friends and family living outside of the home and to maintain those relationships during these unprecedented times. And honestly, “social distancing” should really be…
Read More
OKPTA Cultivate 