Happy first week back to school! Need a new approach to the morning routine? I’m going to try this with my little guy.
Thanks, CBC Kids!

http://www.cbc.ca/parents/play/view/easy-morning-routine-jar-printable

Parents have a lot of influence on how their kids think about body image. Read on for some great suggestions from Dr. Jillian Roberts around promoting healthy body image in children.
“Despite the gains made with ‘body positive’ messaging, and a general move as a society toward embracing diversity and celebrating differences, we still have a long way to go. Supporting your child's development while modeling body-positive behaviour will help mitigate against negative body image influences as they progress into their teens. And what better time to start than the new year?”

https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/jillian-roberts/make-your-new-years-goal-raising-kids-with-a-healthy-body-image_a_23325297/

How can we help children develop kindness and emotional intelligence?
Check out this article from Hey Sigmund to learn more about ways to build perspective taking, empathy, and problem solving skills. Spoiler alert: a great way to start is to read with your kids every day!

https://www.heysigmund.com/building-social-emotional-intelligence-connection-civility/

Start talking to kids about their bodies in the preschool years! Kids are naturally curious about body science, boundaries, and relationships. Here are a few books to get the discussion going:

https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=11069

A few good resources on grief and loss:
https://kidshelpphone.ca/article/living-loss-ways-help-you-grieve-death-0

I love this piece about winter play, written by Marlene Power, Executive Director of the Child and Nature Alliance of Canada (www.childnature.ca).
One of the things I appreciate most about my son’s daycare is that the kids play outside every single day, no matter what the weather. On rainy days, my son comes home a bit wet and muddy, but those days are often the most fun! On family days, we try to get outside as much as we can. The beach is always exciting on wild west coast days! Whether you live in a city or a rural area, winter offers lots of great opportunities to get outside and have adventures.
“As caregivers, we can help children make these decisions and problem solve, but we must first open the door to outdoor play and give them the opportunity to navigate this wintry terrain. In doing so, children don’t just learn about the climate and nature, they don’t ‘just play’, they also begin to learn about themselves and they begin to see themselves as a part of the natural world.”

http://childnature.ca/cold-toes-runny-nose-embracing-the-elements-kind-of-play/

Happy Friday!
Need a great gift for a child? Make a DIY play kit! These kits encourage creativity and imagination, and they are not expensive to put together. Thanks for the inspiration, CBC Kids.

http://www.cbc.ca/parents/play/view/gift-ideas-12-diy-play-kits-for-kids

Music offers fantastic opportunities for kids to learn about language, emotion, identity, and self-regulation. When kids need an outlet, a calm place, a dance party, or a way to transition, turn on the music! Thanks for these great suggestions, Will Stroet of Will's Jams.

http://www.cbc.ca/parents/learning/view/6-easy-ways-to-encourage-a-love-of-music-in-kids

The holidays can create stress in families, particularly around gift-giving. How can parents balance presents with presence? How do we help our kids navigate the mixed messages of the holidays?
If you are a parent who struggles with the materialism of the holidays, check out these great suggestions from AhaParenting.com!
One example from the article:
Manage Expectations. Ask your child to carefully consider his desires and tell you four gift ideas:

- A store-bought gift that is within your means (this may take some back and forth discussion).
- A book he wants to read.
- A "together" present that you will do with him, like going to the zoo.
- A "giving" present that he can gift to someone else, like making cookies for the senior citizen home or stuffing stockings for kids in a shelter.

http://www.ahaparenting.com/blog/What_Every_Child_Wants_for_the_Holidays

Children need play!
#kidsplay #yyjcounsellor #yyj #kidsmentalhealth #victoriacounsellor #calmkidscounselling