Connecting for Healing

These activities are to help us connect with children in ways where they feel seen and heard. Children looking for attention in ways that we find undesirable is a way of telling us "WE NEED YOU NOW" because they feel disconnected from themselves and from us. Children use the tools available to them and it is up to us to teach them how to connect in healthy ways.

Using breathing technique to cope with big emotions and stressors support the parasympathetic nervous system (this is our rest and digest). Our parasympathetic nervous system helps us regulate our thoughts, emotions, and behavior. 

These games help children learn the value of playing in ways that are intentionally healthy, promoting prosocial behaviors. Children who are intrinsically motivated to connect with others feel socially and emotionally secure, promoting prosocial behaviors, and becoming cooperative and important members of society. 

Proprioception is the awareness of where our bodies are in the environment. Understanding the relationship between body movement, space, and the environment is enriching to the brain and mind. One of the most important lessons learned about the body is the neuroscience of our sense of ourselves is anchored in a vital connection to our bodies. Being aware of our body needs helps us to take care of it.