reflections

Kindness is SUPER good for others and for our own mental health. Have you heard about random acts of kindness? At Grow Your Mind we like this idea but we much prefer being kind on purpose.

So - make a plan right now. Who can you be kind to this day? And how will you do it?

Put names in a hat for every person in the classroom. Draw out a name. Write down 3 kind things about this person. When the teacher signals stand up, find your person and read out what you have said.

Everyone up on their feet. Find your pulse. Count it over 30 seconds. Now run on the spot as fast as you can for 30 seconds. Find your pulse and count for 30. Write down the two numbers.

Play full body rock paper scissors. Agree on the whole body shapes and GO! e.g. scissors might be a star jump. 

Go outside and run around the playground. Come back in lie down and put your hand on your heart. It is good to be alive!!

All answers will be revealed on Friday.

I am thinking of a strength. This strength will help you to manage your emotions when something is taking longer than expected:

I am thinking of a strength. This strength will help you to read other people's emotions and possibly imagine how they are feeling:

I am thinking of a strength. This strength will help you to not boast when you win and instead keep things in perspective:

I am thinking of a strength. This strength will help you to politely tell someone that you don't like the dinner they are serving you:

The strengths were:

Monday: patience

Tuesday: empathy

Wednesday: humility

Thursday: tact

Write your own definition for one of the above strengths and a plan of when it might be helpful to use it

Listen to the song:  Jealousy - fill in the gap while you do.  (Or just lie down and listen to the lyrics)

What is something helpful you can do the next time you feel jealous?

Listen to the song: Generous Assumptions and fill in the gap while you do (or just lie down and listen to the lyrics)

What is a generous assumption you could make about someone not including you in their game?

Listen to the song: Ouch and fill in the gap while you do (or just lie down and listen to the lyrics)

What helps you when you miss out on something?

Listen to the song: values and fill in the gap while you do (or lie down down and listen to the lyrics)

What are the 4 values that are important to you?

What song always lifts your mood?

Listen to: the Resilience rap

Write down 3 reliable people you could turn to if you faced a problem:

What is step 1 in the resilience rap?

and

What is 1 thing you are truly thankful for today?

What is step 2 in the resilience rap?

And

Who do you admire in life that has experienced a set back?

What is step 3 in the rap?

And

What is something you truly love to do (that doesn't involve a screen?!)?

What is step 4 in the rap?

And

What is one way you could look at making a mistake that would be helpful?

Take a look at: When I have a fight with my friend

What are 3 helpful things you can do when you have a fight with a friend?

It is time to say sorry to a friend. Listen to the 'sorry' song. What are 3 key things you need to remember when saying sorry to a friend?

Listen to this bite size audio (2 mins) on boundaries. What are some warnings your body might give you that a boundary is being crossed for you?

Fights with friends is a normal part of every friendship. However, sometimes we can avoid unnecessary conflict by challenging the way we think about things. This tool is called 'positive reappraisal'. 

Here is an example: Friends are laughing as they walk past you.

First thought: They are laughing at me. They are awful friends

Positive reappraisal: Something must be funny, why don't I ask them what it is?

Now you try: My friend is having 2 friends over on the weekend but not me

First thought:

Positive reappraisal:

Listen to the song: boundaries

Try and fill in the missing words using this doc

A definition of consent is this: An agreement between people. It is enthusiastic permission for something to happen or an agreement to do something that has been made without force, fear or threat. You also can’t give consent if you’re being pressured or forced into doing something you don’t actually want to do. Why do you think consent isn't as simple as saying yes or not saying no?

Consent is all about communication. Some people believe that the absence of a ‘no’ means consent has been given. But it needs to be 'active' consent for it to be truly consent. Anything less than an active ‘yes’ isn’t consent. Saying 'no' to a friend can be hard. Write down 3 ways you could say 'no' to a play date that you don't want to go on.

You ask your friend if they want to play a certain game at lunch time. What signs in their body language can you look for to know they are keen to play? And what signs can you look for in their body language to know that they are not wanting to play at all?

Sometimes it is hard to know whether you want to do something or not. Using the traffic light analogy write next to each light what you could say to yourself when asked to do something. E.g. Breathe - notice am I breathing comfortably, do I feel ok about this? Think - is this something I would be proud to do, what would my parents say or think? Act - knowing I am doing this or choosing NOT to because I want to and it is in line with my values

Giving consent requires you to know how you are feeling. Tap in right now. Give yourself an internal weather report. Are you stormy with a chance of rain, cloudy with the sun peeking through? All rainbows and sunshine? Remember - feelings come and go. Naming them can help you make good decisions.

What do you think makes a good friend? (trust, respect, honesty, humour, empathy etc)

“Sticks and Stones may break my bones but names can ALSO hurt me” Do you agree or disagree and why?

What are some signs that your friendship is unhealthy and what can you do about it?

“Treat people the way you want to be treated.” With this in mind, how would you treat people around you?

Who is someone you trust and feel good around that you can spend time with this weekend?

NB. The fear we are talking about this week is not the fear when you are in actual danger. The thing is, your amygdala can't always tell the difference between real and imagined danger. We are talking about the fear that gets in the way of trying something new, that whispers in your war to give up otherwise you will look silly. We are talking about the fear that keeps you at the bottom of the growth mindset tree, where you don't even begin because you are too scared of failing.

There is no need to reflect this morning, simply write this down. "My Guard Dog (amygdala) asks the question: is this a threat, a challenge or  an opportunity?"

Today, you have a challenge. When you feel like shouting or avoiding something hard because you may fail, ask yourself whether this is a threat, a challenge or an opportunity? Is it an opportunity to grow patience and not yell? Is it a challenge that requires you to persevere and learn something new? Is it an opportunity to progress further?

Out of these 3 options, which one are you most afraid of: (if none of them, come up with your own)

1. Making a mistake and looking silly in front of others

2. My friends not hanging out with me during break time

3. Not understanding a lesson

Now apply opportunity and challenge to your fear. e.g.

Is this an opportunity to learn from my mistakes?

Is this an opportunity for me to hang out with different people at break time?

Is this a challenge for me to ask for help and maybe an opportunity to learn that it is ok to ask for help too?

Courage and fear live side by side. You aren't courageous if you aren't also a little bit afraid. What can you tell yourself the next time you feel afraid to remind yourself you are capable of being courageous?

What character strengths do you think might help you when you next feel afraid?

Take a moment to reflect on your internal weather, as in how you feel inside today? Angry? Sad? Jealous? Stressed? Happy? Overwhelmed? Whatever it is, draw a few weather symbols. Now draw near it what your internal weather looks like when you are feeling afraid. When we do this exercise we are removing ourselves slightly from what we are feeling. This gives us space to ask, hang on: is this a threat, challenge or opportunity?

What helps you to calm down when you feel anxious, mad, jealous or super sad? Make a plan for trying one of these positive strategies this week. E.g. If I feel frustrated by my friends this week I can.... (walk away, move my body, take deep breaths)

What strategy will you use this week to stop you from saying something unkind to someone today? (e.g. take 3 deep breaths, walk away, shake the amygdala jar and breathe, tell myself: "If I have nothing nice to say, don't say it", call on the character strength self-control or compassion

move my body to distract yourself)

During playtime if you get out during a game and you think it is unfair what positive coping strategy can you use?

What breathing exercise can you practice today? When will you practice it?

Place your two index fingers together. One finger represents anger, the other your reaction. Now slowly separate them so there is a space between them. What can you do this weekend to create space between how you feel and how you react? E.g. move your body, surround yourself with kind friends and family, be of benefit.

Write down 1 learning goal you would like to achieve this week. Next to it write down an obstacle to achieving it AND a plan to overcome it

e.g. I want to concentrate in Maths more. A potential obstacle is sitting with my friends during the class. I will overcome this by sitting away from those people I am easily distracted by.

Lightning writing the things you think you can't do, or are not good at. Now add YET to the end of each sentence

What hard thing can you do today?

What is something you usually find easy? How can you make it more challenging?

 What did you get stuck on this week? What did you find tricky? What strategies can you try next to help you when you are next stuck?

Monday - Thursday try all of these 4 questions at the end of each day:

Question 1: What went well today?

Question 2: How could you have made today even better?

Question 3: How could a family or teacher help you make it better?

Question 4: What is something you can do to make tomorrow even better?

If you had the opportunity to meet one person you haven't met, who would it be, why, and what would you talk about?

If you could communicate with animals (other than humans) which one would you want to talk to? What would you ask that animal?

“We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.”  Epictetus. Write down four questions you can ask someone today/tonight.

What did you most enjoy learning about in school this week? Why? What can you try and learn this weekend?

Describe one positive experience that happened over the weekend. What were you doing? Who were you with?

How are you feeling right now? Where do you feel it in your body? If you gave this feeling a colour, what would it be? Is it a comfortable or uncomfortable feeling?

Right now, what are you feeling thankful for? Why?

What is something that brings you joy? Or makes you laugh? Write about it. What does it feel like when you are doing this thing?

How do you feel right now? Why do you think you are feeling that way? Is it a comfortable or uncomfortable feeling? Do you want to stay or shift it? If stay, right down why. If shift, what could you try doing?

What were three great things that happened on the weekend?

Name two people in this school you are thankful for. Why do you appreciate them?

Right now, what are you feeling thankful for? Why?

What was your feel good moment yesterday? When did you laugh? 

Write a note to someone you feel thankful for and why, right now. Send/give it to them this weekend.

How can I be of benefit at school this week?

Name three people you can help today? How?

How can you benefit the planet today?

Describe a time you helped someone. What did you do? How did you feel after?

How are you going to be of benefit this weekend?

What are some ways I can be kind this week:

"A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees" Father Faber. In your own words describe what this means and if you believe it to be true:

Whose world can you light up today? How?

What is something kind you can do for yourself today?

Over the weekend, how can you show kindness to your family?

Who did I enjoy spending time with on the weekend and why?

Who in this school do I feel most thankful for and why?

Write down three people you appreciate being in your life. Why are you thankful for them?

Write down four people you could turn to if you had a problem. 

Who did I help this week? How?

What is one brave thing you plan on doing this week?

Describe a mistake you made recently. What have you learnt from it?

Name three ways you can calm your nerves down before doing something scary. Next write a saying to remind yourself you can be brave e.g. I can do hard things... I can, I will, I am

Do something (safe) that scares you today. What is it going to be?

"Courage is resistance to fear, master of fear, not absence of fear" Mark Twain. In your own words explain what this means:

Write down 2 goals you have for learning  this week. Describe the obstacles for each and how you plan to overcome them:

What am I most looking forward to tomorrow?

Who is someone I feel grateful for today? Why?

What are three things that went well for me today?

What am I most proud of doing this week?

What brought you joy over the weekend? Describe the feeling during and after it. N.B challenge yourself for all responses this week to not include technology!

Name three people you feel fantastic to be around. Why do you feel good with them?

What are you going to do today that brings you joy?

Think about your favourite song. How do you feel when you listen to it? Can you listen to it today?

How are you going to give joy to others and make joy for yourself this weekend?

How can I use my three top character strengths this week at school?

Reflect on a time you used your character strengths to help you bounce back after things did not go your way:

What famous person do you admire that has character strengths you can identify? How do you think they use these strengths?

Look around the room. Spot three people and name their character strengths:

Think about a book you have read lately or are reading now. Name a character, their strength and how they have used it:

How can you practice being mindful this week? (breathing, eating, smelling, pausing, gratitude etc)

Describe one thing you can see, taste, smell, hear and touch right now:

Who are you thankful for right now, at this moment, in this room. Why?

Close your eyes and be silent for a full minute. At the end of this minute write a list of the things you heard and any thoughts that kept coming up.

This weekend, when can you go slow, do nothing and be still?

"We don't stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing." George Bernard Shaw. In your own words describe the meaning of this quote. Do you agree/disagree and why?

How do you plan to bring play into your day today?

What did you love playing when your were little? Why did you enjoy it?

Close your eyes and be silent for a full minute. While you sit imagine yourself 'playing', are you drawing/singing/dressing up, throwing a ball, catching a wave, going down a water slide? Whatever you imagine, at the end of the minute, write about it.

This weekend, how are you planning to make time for playing?

"A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures for anything." Irish Proverb. Do you agree/disagree and why?  

Sleep hygiene means habits that help you have a good night's sleep. Do you think you have good or bad habits and why? Is there anything you could change to create better habits?

Studies show people who are sleep deprived report increases in anger, frustration, poor focus and anxiety. Have you ever felt horrible after a bad sleep? Describe how it can impact you.

Describe your bed time routine and if you don't have one - now is the time to create one:

How can you set things up over one night this weekend so that you have the best chances of sleeping well?

"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." Albert Einstein. How do you think being 'passionately curious' may have helped Einstein achieve so much in his life?  

If you had the opportunity to meet one person you haven't met, who would it be, why, and what would you talk about?

If you could communicate with animals (other than humans) which one would you want to talk to? What would you ask that animal?

“We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.”  Epictetus. Write down four questions you can ask someone today/tonight.

What did you most enjoy learning about in school this week? Why? What can you try and learn this weekend?