Do you know about the growing body of research on laughter? Turns out the old saying, “laughter is the best medicine” has some truth to it when it comes to physical AND mental health. Short-term benefits include: Stimulate many organs. Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles, and increases the…
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OKPTA Cultivate wants to remind you that your job is hard, and you are doing your best! Let’s prioritize joy over perfection during this time…and always! We want to share this comic for parents. It’s called, “How To Turn Your Home Into A School Without Losing Your Sanity”, and it’s a quick and easy read…
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Most of us are new to homeschooling our children, but even if we’re not, it can be a challenge. What if instead of putting a lot of pressure on ourselves to be perfect, we focused on setting realistic goals and even finding small daily joys in this opportunity to teach our children? In a recent…
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We’ve been taking measures to flatten the curve for a while now. Anyone experiencing weariness? If so, your friends in the OKPTA are feeling it too. In the beginning our adrenaline was high, helping us attack problems head on, but we didn’t know if we were in for a sprint or a marathon. Some time…
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The timeline of the pandemic is uncertain and families across the nation are experiencing stress and irritability. April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month and child welfare experts were asked what they were most concerned about during these unprecedented times. Here are their top three concerns: Since schools and daycares closed down for the remainder…
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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…
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It is no secret that parents and caregivers are struggling to adjust their schedules and routines due to COVID-19. We are well aware how much stress the pandemic is causing so we’ve created a COVID-19 Resources page with hotlines and guides to help families get through this tough time. Our goal is to equip families…
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Looking for a reading or science activity for your kiddos this week? Why not something to help them learn to cherish their amazing brain? Check out this resource: https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/science/your-amazing-brain/ Extra Credit: Talk about how using alcohol and other drugs can damage the brain, which isn’t finished developing until around age 25! Effects of Alcohol on…
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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…
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Teens are already going through important years of their lives and during this time, they cherish their friendships more than anything. COVID-19 is impacting our teens’ mental health and social connectedness. During this time of physical distancing, teens may start to feel sad and isolated as their connection with friends is limited. First, it is…
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