The Wellness Newsletter
Barrington Middle School - VOL 6
A Message from Your School Counselors and School Nurse
Dear Parents and Guardians,
I think we all knew it was coming but it is now official that we will not be back in the building this school year. We know there are mixed feelings about this decision, from sadness to relief to anger and probably everything in between. We are feeling it too! It is now more important than ever to contact us if you have concerns or need assistance in any way. We will do our best to help you and your children have a successful remainder of the school year. Whether it is a quick check-in through email, a Google Meet with some friends, or even a phone call, we are available!
We find it helpful to find "the silver lining" through all of this. One thing that all three of us have appreciated is the uninterrupted and quality family time. We have also been able to find a few minutes of time for ourselves (without kids). So whether you have a few minutes for family time or for a few minutes for yourself we hope you find something to do for fun!
We hope you enjoy this light-hearted newsletter that is sure to make you smile. We're thinking of you all!
Your School Counselors your School Nurse,
Ms. Rouleau, Ms. Doran & Ms. Faul
75+ things to do while coronavirus has you stuck at home
As cabin fever sets in, try these all-ages ideas for fun, self-improvement, and even a little stress relief.
By Meaghan O'Neill
1. Sign up for Internet access if you need it. The Internet is more crucial than ever — for news, work, and school. The coronavirus crisis, however, is foregrounding lack of access. If you are in need, you may qualify for free or discounted service. Comcast, for example, is offering 60 days of free service to new, qualifying low-income customers, as well as unlocking all public Xfinity hot spots (800-934-6489).
ENTERTAIN THE KIDS
2. Listen to children’s books read aloud by celebrities and astronauts. Betty White delivers an utterly charming rendition of Harry the Dirty Dog (find her reading and lots more examples at storylineonline.net). Dolly Parton is launching her GoodNight with Dolly readings, including of The Little Engine That Could, starting on April 2. At Story Time from Space, astronauts aboard the International Space Station read books and perform demonstrations. Lack of gravity makes it extra fun.
3. Go on a nature scavenger hunt in your backyard or in a nearby park. Make up your own, or use a premade sheet like those from DIY blog Make and Takes. Just remind kids that they must stay 6 feet away from other people in public spaces.
4. Write and mail letters to your friends and family. There’s something comforting about ink on paper, but they would surely also welcome e-mails and video chats.
5. Practice, practice, practice. Now’s a good time to brush up on ballet, saxophone, or other lessons at home. Ask your children’s coaches and extracurricular activities teachers to make practice charts, post videos online, or to suggest ones to watch.
6. Stretch out with yoga. The cheerful and inventive Cosmic Kids yoga series offers themed classes inspired by Frozen, Harry Potter, and more.
7. Smarten up with online learning platforms, many of which are offering their work for free or at deep discounts. ABCMouse.com, for ages 2-8; ReadingIQ, for 12 and under; and Adventure Academy, for upper elementary and middle school students, are granting resources free to schools. If yours isn’t signed up, you can access 30 days free; annual subscriptions are currently about half price. These fun and safe sites (no external links, no pop-up ads) use games to teach reading, math, and more.
8. Kickstart math and other skills with Khan Academy, a free online learning tool for all ages that covers subjects from grammar to calculus. The traditional tutorials are straightforward and clearly explained, and let students move at their own pace and track progress, including for SAT and Advanced Placement prep. They’ve created great scheduling templates for homebound students, too, available in multiple languages.
BOND WITH FAMILY
13. Draft a to-do list of projects you could do (but don’t have to right now), which can keep the doldrums at bay. Charades, painting, and family concerts are great go-to activities; putting together a master list upfront alleviates the pressure to come up with ideas on the fly when kiddos start to get cranky.
14. Create a Lego challenge where each competitor builds a particular type of creation — say, a truck — in a finite amount of time. Or spend several days constructing an epic Lego masterpiece as a group.
15. Host an elegant family dinner. Write up a menu and break out the fancy glassware and candles, even if it’s just a meal of chicken nuggets. Get dressed up and let the kids (or your non-cooking partner) do the serving — you’ve earned a break.
TACKLE YOUR TO-DO LIST
21. Research a dream trip. “Thinking forward to better times is an important and powerful thing,” says travel expert Scott Keyes, who runs Scott’s Cheap Flights. Airline tickets are temptingly cheap right now, but Keyes cautions to only consider flights at least three months out and opt for fares with flexible change and cancellation policies.
22. Pick a spot and deep clean it. “Start with the easy-to-complete, low-hanging fruit,” advises organization expert Stasia Steele, founder of The Little Details in Cambridge.
23. Rid the pantry of expired items, purge junk mail, toss mismatched socks (or repurpose them for puppet shows, see above). “What matters most is experiencing a high-success, low-stress activity,” Steele says, “so you don’t get burned out.”
Parents and Guardians can have fun too!
Green Eggs and Ham: Rap Version!
PODCASTS FOR PARENTS AND GUARDIANS
PODCASTS FOR KIDS!
Virtual Field Trips
Monday, Apr 20, 2020, 08:00 AM
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Your School Wellness Team
Tamrah Rouleau, School Counselor (7th/8th)
Kelly Faul, BMS School Nurse
Website: http://sau74counseling.weebly.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Barrington-Middle-School-BMS-Barrington-NH-407593242631099/