Showing posts with label Monday Sparks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Monday Sparks. Show all posts

Monday, October 17, 2022

Monday Sparks and Sunday Readings


Monday, October 10, 2022

Monday Sparks from Michelle


Monday Sparks

The blogger who began this meme (Annie at McGuffy’s Reader)
is no longer blogging, but some bloggers are carrying on the tradition.
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Monday, September 26, 2022

Monday Sparks: Anger


We can all help our children understand their anger (when they are calm) with this poster. Often, children (and adults) can identify anger as their only emotion.  Their stress can become less when they learn that is not true. I want this poster up in my office. 


Monday Sparks

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Monday, September 12, 2022

Monday Sparks: The Fox and I

Have you ever thought about the use of water in healing?
Baths, spas, fountains…there are numerous ways we use it.
Now, I have to use water more to heal stress.


Yup, that's me. Known for disliking green food,
my kids rolled their eyes when I tossed this quote at them.
We all need to smile more.
Plus, I can substitute any other green stuff for "kale."


Not my parenting style,
but many species do this.
More things to ponder.

From the book I am presently reading:
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The author suffered extreme childhood trauma.
The quotes have given me ideas to seriously consider.

Winner of The PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award
Nautilus Book Awards Gold Winner
Shortlisted for the John Burroughs Medal
Finalist for the Stubbendieck Great Plains Distinguished Book Prize  
Shortlisted for a Reading the West Book Award

Monday, August 29, 2022

Monday Sparks: The Bear in the Woods

I am in the northeast corner of Vermont, near the Canadian border. We are the largest, yet the least populated, county of Vermont. There are few stores, few jobs, and bitter winters. And every child grows up knowing about bears in the woods. They are frequently sighted. Behind my house is Barton Mountain with cliffs and caves where bears, bobcats, and even lynx will stay. I am extremely careful about the bears and never go deep into the woods alone. 

Black cherry trees are the most populous tree in the northeast of the US, and I have plenty. I also have chokecherry, pin cherry, and an apple orchard. These are all the fruits bears love to fatten up on for their winter hibernation. Here are photos of bears enjoying cherries. They often just plop down on their rear, like in cartoons, with their big bellies popping out, and just pull the tree branches down to them and strip them of fruit. 




What does this all do with Monday Sparks

Every year we are required to read up-to-date research on social emotional health for our children at school. We are a trauma-centered day treatment private school that works closely with the public school districts. We have been doing trauma-centered care for at least ten years. In fact, all Vermont schools now train for trauma-centered care and are more or less familiar with this information. But we have to repeat and repeat for it to become internalized and second nature to us all and to be better for our kids. This year, we are watching for the bear not being in the woods, but coming inside with the children and with us. Monday Sparks allows me to review and digest the information and to hear feedback from you. 


"Living with the Bear: The Long-Term Impact of Childhood Difficulties"  is an article that I can refer to when days overwhelm me and I need to renew. Perhaps you can use it, too.

Thank you and have a blessed week.

Click for more Sparks
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Monday, August 22, 2022

Monday Sparks: Doing Our Best

Sunset over Barton Mountain

The directors of our schools are licensed clinical therapists. One director that we had said something that I will never forgotten.

"Children, whatever they are doing, 
are always doing their best."

Whenever I am frustrated, or want to walk away from behaviors, I remember this. If a child is cursing at me, screaming, or throwing things: that is her best. That is her strategy to survive a moment. Right or wrong, the strategy has served her well in her past. Something triggered the outburst, and as the trained professional, I need to honor that without letting her think it is acceptable. I need to help her learn new strategies and help her feel safe.

If you mumble this to yourself often enough, you begin to live it. You stop arguing with children and you have options: back off until the tension is less volatile, talk to the child . . . there are numerous ways to deal with these situations. You begin to have choices and stop reacting. 

As a personal note, I am now applying it to all interactions: with family members, strangers in a store, even my cat and dog. We all are doing our best, whether it is misguided or not. Hopefully, with somebody else's compassion, we can all learn new strategies to deal more successfully with life events. 

More Monday Sparks

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Monday, August 15, 2022

Monday Sparks: Back to School

Friday I will be returning to school. 😢

There won't be kids, it's just professional development. The kids come back August 30. We have to remind ourselves and each other constantly of strategies to help our kids in care. This poster has been making the rounds this summer, and it can help anybody with anyone who is suffering anxiety or trauma. Author unknown.


Visit Monday Sparks for more.

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