social emotional learning

Why does a bad diet impact the child’s growth?

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According to an UNICEF 2019 research, one in three children is not growing appropriately because of malnutrition.

“In many countries, and even within households, these three forms of malnutrition – undernutrition, hidden hunger and overweight – co-exist. This means that a single country may face the challenge of addressing high rates of stunting, micronutrient deficiencies, and obesity. Or a family may have an overweight mother and a stunted child. These trends reflect what is known as the triple burden of malnutrition, a burden that threatens the survival, growth and development of children, economies and societies.”

“This burden is only expected to grow. Strikingly, not a single country has made progress in decreasing levels of overweight and obesity in the past 20 years.”

Today, more than half of the world’s population lives in cities. Urbanization caused a rapid change in diet and lifestyle, with more ultra-processed foods and less physical activity.

The question remains: “why are so many children eating too little of what they need, while an increasing number of children are eating too much of what they don’t need?”

Reference and full article on the link:
https://features.unicef.org/state-of-the-worlds-children-2019-nutrition/

How’s your listening?

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Have you ever stopped to observe the way you listen? It can be either listening to yourself, your child or your partner? And how are you heard by others?

When we try to listen, we find it extremely difficult as we are always projecting our opinions and ideas. When these factors dominate, we hardly hear what the other is saying to us.

In the book “You’re not listening: what you’re missing and why it matters” the author of the book Kate Murphy says that her research has led to the conclusion that “Listening goes beyond simply hearing what people say. It also involves paying attention to how they say it and what they do while they are saying it, in what context, and how what they say resonates within you.” It continues: “Good listeners ask good questions. One of the most valuable lessons I learned as a journalist is that anyone can be interesting if you ask the right questions. That is, if you ask really curious questions that do not have the hidden agenda to correct, save, advise, convince or correct.”

Active listening is the way we work our listening to enhance the way we act with more awareness using the maximum of our emotional intelligence. Do you believe that this is a skill that needs to be developed by many of us these days?

Source: NY Times

Children and emotions: How to teach children about the importance of expressing their feelings?

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Expressing feelings can often be difficult for us adults, imagine teaching them to children? The best way for children to learn about emotions is to talk about them. So here are some tips on how to help you with this type of conversation.

Teaching about feelings through cartoon characters and movies:

Discuss how the various characters from cartoons, books and movies might be feeling. Pause to ask, “How do you think he feels now?”

Create opportunities to talk about feelings:

Every day, ask your child, “How are you today?” Show them that it’s okay to feel what they feel. You can help your child acknowledge feelings by sharing how you are feeling. Say, “I feel sad that you are not obeying me when I speak to you.”

Practice what you want to teach your child:

If you ask your child to use words to express their feelings while he is angry, but he testifies that you yell to express yours, your words will not be effective. Now, if you instead of shouting, indicate that you are angry and take a deep breath, your child will learn to recognize the skills you use when you are upset.

How has this daily practice been with your child?

How can I ensure that my child’s screen time is healthy and educational?

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In 2016, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommended no more than two hours of screen time per day for children and adolescents, one hour only for children between 2 and 3 years of age and absolutely no screen time for children under 2 years.

However, they have updated their guidelines to reflect the realities of today’s digital world. Due to the moment we are living, children need to access computers and tablets to take classes, do their homework and also be entertained. With that in mind, we have gathered up a few tips to help parents!

1. Use screen time as a chance to interact with your child and teach lessons about the life.

2. Take steps to make your child’s media usage a positive experience. Read books, practice physical activities and spend time outdoors.

3. Establish rules about the sites your child visits, the games he/she plays, and the movies he/she watches.

4. Interact and engage in your child’s digital world. Learn to play the games he/she likes, ask questions about the content he/she watches and explore the Internet together.

5. Set aside time without technology. Even a short digital detox can improve your child’s behavior and emotional well-being.

Based on what we have brought here, do tell us: “What content have you been encouraging your child to watch?”

The importance and power of naming emotions

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Emotions are intense. They can strenghten or weaken us if we don’t understand the power they have. The truth is that we cannot change what we do not perceive. Denying or avoiding emotions will not make feelings disappear, on the contrary, they will outgrow and consume all of our vital energy.

Children do not always have the vocabulary of emotions. In schools they aren’t usually taught and at home if us, parents, don’t understand the importance of it, will teach them either. Science explains that naming emotions initiates a process of self-knowledge and understanding about what a person is feeling, and the is the first step towards developing our social and emotional intelligence.

When someone asks, “How are you?”, we often answer if we are fine or not. Being good or not being well, are not emotions, they are moods. So with this, we see that defining emotions is not only a problem for children, but also for us adults.

If we understand emotions as a “moving energy” that always seeks to be expressed in some way, we understand how naming them gives us the opportunity to take a step forward. Only then, we are able to welcome what we are feeling and make conscious choices about how we are going to react to it.

What is social distance teaching us about relationships?

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Social isolation made us stop to rethink our relationships. In this time when all relationships in life have changed, whether it’s work, with children, family, friends, we understand how important the relationship with others is in order for us to construct, deconstruct and reconstruct ourselves. This relationship of teaching and learning, of exchanging experiences. These relationships become the fuel of life. That’s why we have such a need to share. In the film “Into the Wild” the great lesson transmitted is that happiness is only real when shared. Would you agree with that too?

Since the way we relate to others will not be the same anytime soon, this is a good time to take a closer look into the relationship with ourselves. This way, we begin to understand how the universe of others work. Because the relation you have with yourself, usually reflects your relation with the whole. And how is that relationship with yourself? Has it been with self-care, self-love, self-responsibility? Or has it been filled with guilt, fear, victimization and sadness?

As we saw on a previous post, our emotions can become feelings, when we keep thinking about them and let them absorb. So, are we going to start noticing our emotions and what they are causing us? When we understand that emotions matter, then we will be able to live a healthier, and more respectful relationship with, not only ourselves, but others too.