Maybe it’s just because I’m a Floridian, but who’s already reached the point of summer where they’re sweating buckets just by loading the family in the car? 🥵 Not to be that person who starts out a conversation (or a weekly newsletter 🐦) about the weather, but does it already feel hotter than most summers? It seems like this season decided to turn up the heat a notch—or ten. Here’s hoping for a breeze that’s cool and crisp, minus the humidity, am I right?

Speaking of taking a break from the heat, we’ll be pausing next week’s newsletters for the Fourth of July holiday. Enjoy the celebrations, stay cool, and we’ll catch up after the holiday!

• Crafting Calm: Knitting and crocheting unravel mental health benefits.

• Teach, Don’t Tell: Unlocking parenting success with thoughtful guidance.

• Page Turners: Smart tips to keep kids sharp and engaged all summer.

HEALTH

Crafting calm.

Exploring hobbies like knitting, crocheting, and other goal-directed crafts can offer significant benefits to mental health. Research shows that engaging in manual tasks not only boosts mood and attentiveness but also combats cognitive decline, especially in older adults. Here's how these activities can improve your mental well-being.

Benefits of Crafting

• A Sense of Control. According to Dr. Ashley Matskevich, a Boston-based psychiatrist, having a "third thing"—a hobby separate from work or family—provides a crucial sense of control. Crafts like knitting and crocheting are ideal because they are reliable and manageable, making them perfect for those with limited time.

• Achieve a Mindful State. Crafting can help calm the mind by channeling nervous energy into productive movements. The repetitive nature of knitting or crocheting can act like a form of meditation, reducing stress and promoting relaxation.

• Embrace Imperfection. Taking up a new hobby as an adult can be daunting, but the beauty of crafts like knitting is that they are done for personal satisfaction, not for perfection or a paycheck. This helps to alleviate the pressure of always needing to succeed.

Why Knitting Reduces Anxiety

• Calm Through Repetition. Engaging in rhythmic movements, similar to those used in therapies like EMDR, helps reprocess stress and trauma. Knitting and crocheting can lead to greater relaxation and reduced ruminative thoughts.

• Pleasure and Achievement. Crafting provides a sense of accomplishment and pleasure. These activities can be done in small, manageable sessions, making it easy to see progress and feel a sense of achievement.

• Tangible Progress. Unlike many modern activities, crafting results in a physical product that you can see and touch, boosting your sense of achievement through sensory feedback.

🧶Accessibility and community. Knitting is affordable, portable, and doesn’t require a dedicated space. It also offers social benefits by connecting you with others through groups or online communities.

The Broader Impact of Crafting

• Improved Mental Agility. Crafting enhances both gross and fine motor skills and reduces cognitive decline. It acts as a natural antidepressant by stimulating dopamine production, which contributes to pleasure and enjoyment.

• Meditative Effects. The focus required for crafting helps you live in the moment, providing a mental break from daily stressors and encouraging a mindful state.

• Health Benefits. The soothing nature of crafting can lower blood pressure and improve cardiovascular health, offering both mental and physical benefits.

Self-Expression. Crafting allows for creative self-expression. Completing a project boosts self-esteem and provides a sense of pride and accomplishment.

PARENTING

Teach, don’t tell.

Parenting often involves a lot of telling and lecturing, but shifting to a teaching approach can yield better results. Here's why teaching, rather than simply telling, is the secret to raising responsible, well-rounded kids.

Understanding the “Why” Behind Rules

Teaching kids the reasons behind rules helps them understand and internalize expectations. Instead of demanding obedience, parents should explain the consequences of actions. This approach fosters a deeper understanding and long-term responsible behavior.

Key Benefits:

• Children understand the purpose of rules.

• Reduces repetitive reminders and frustrations.

• Encourages kids to care about outcomes and consequences.

🔗For more on this, check out Baby Chick.

📌Proactive parenting focuses on preventing misbehavior by teaching kids to think about their actions and consequences. This method engages their prefrontal cortex, the brain region responsible for logic and reasoning.

Strategies Include:

• Identifying situations where misbehavior is likely.

• Discussing expectations beforehand.

• Encouraging kids to reflect on rules and consequences.

This method moves parenting from reactive to proactive, helping children learn to assess risks and make thoughtful decisions.

📌Letting children experience natural consequences teaches them responsibility. Instead of constant warnings, parents can allow kids to see the results of their actions in safe environments.

How to Apply This:

• Encourage exploration of outcomes (“I wonder what will happen if...?”).

• Allow safe mistakes for learning.

• Foster problem-solving and self-correction.

Tips to Teach (Not Tell)

1. Identify Misbehavior Triggers: Observe and plan for common misbehavior scenarios.

2. Discuss Expectations: Explain rules before entering situations where misbehavior occurs.

3. Engage in Dialogue: Have children repeat back the expectations to ensure understanding.

4. Use Natural Consequences: Let kids face safe consequences to learn from their actions.

Alternatives to Lecturing

Studies show children tune out long lectures, as the brain can only hold a few pieces of information at once. Here are some practical alternatives:

1. Make a List: Create checklists for tasks to avoid constant reminders.

2. Show, Don’t Tell: Demonstrate rather than lecture, like teachers do with visual examples.

3. Be Brief: Use calm, concise reminders instead of lengthy explanations.

4. Let It Go: Avoid over-correcting on minor issues; let natural consequences teach lessons.

5. Use Stories: Leverage children's literature to illustrate points and teach values.

🔗For further reading, explore A Fine Parent.

CALENDAR

WEEKEND

Page turners.

Summer reading offers numerous benefits, from improving cognitive skills to fostering a love for learning. Here are some fun ways to keep your kids engaged in reading during the summer months:

Fun Activities

• Write a Script and Perform a Play: This activity enhances creativity, writing skills, and fluency.

• Change It Up!: Rewrite story endings, add new characters, or change settings to spark imagination.

• Design a Genre Challenge: Encourage exploration of different genres to expand their horizons.

Interactive Ideas

• Daily or Weekly Reading Time: Establish a routine to build consistency.

• Create a Cozy Reading Space: Make a special spot for reading to make it more inviting.

• Visit the Library Frequently: Let kids choose their own books to foster independence.

• Read Books and Watch Movies: Pair books with their movie adaptations for a multimedia experience.

• Book Stack Challenge: Stack-read books to see if they can be taller than your child by summer’s end.

Rewards and Goals

• Create a Summer Reading Challenge: Set goals and track progress to motivate kids.

• Reward Reading with More Reading: For each book read, let kids pick a new book from a bookstore.

• Set a Family Goal: Make reading a family affair with a collective goal and a reward, like a fancy dinner.

🔗For more tips, check out Baby Chick and Everyday Reading. Also, explore various kids' summer reading programs for additional incentives and rewards.

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