If there is one lesson we’ve collectively learned from these past grueling months of lockdowns, it’s that mental health truly is wealth. Which is why this month before you begin fumbling through all the back-to-school bookbags, pencils, and all the fun, glittery gadgets (come back, Lisa Frank!) I urge you to remember the arts. That’s right! If you want a seamless school year, you have to get your little ones into the arts. Here’s how to start.
Option 1: Ask yourself: “What does my child absolutely love doing?”
This seems like a logical step. But, oftentimes we push our children to do activities we prefer instead of letting them take the lead. Watch and learn. Every child is different. They will show you what activities spark their curiosity with that irresistible twinkling in their eyes.
How to: Here’s a guide developmental guide with some ideas to get those gears going:
If you have a mover and a shaker, maybe you can look into the performing arts: dance, theatre, and music. That should get those wiggles out.
Maybe your kiddo loves to get lost in a good story, (I know I do!) then perhaps some poetry, storytelling or literature is up their alley.
And if your little one has a keen eye for making things with their hands, then try the visual arts: drawing, painting, crafts, ceramics, sculpture, printmaking, design, textile, architecture, photography, video and filmmaking.
Woah, that was mouthful! The choices are endless!
Option 2: Teamwork makes the dream work!
If you have a Renaissance kid that likes and can do it all, then pick something that you can do together! We all yearn for more quality time with our babies, and what’s better than collaborating on a new and beautiful creation? Aside from the artistic skills you will gain collectively, you’ll also foment communication, problem solving, resiliency, determination and teamwork skills, (among others). This is that bonding time you’ve been looking for!
Option 3: “Remember that time is money.”-Benjamin Franklin
When all else fails, keep it simple. Find activities and artists in your community that are available to support your family’s artistic endeavors. It doesn’t have to be perfect. I’ll repeat that. It doesn’t have to be perfect.
Our children don’t need perfection. They need to plaster their ideas and feelings somewhere in a loving and supportive environment. So even if you’re like me, and you feel like there isn’t an artistic bone in your body, just dip into what’s available in your area and on your schedule. Learning with our kids, making mistakes together, getting messy and creative reminds them (and us) of the human connection we very much need. So, get out there! Be courageous and intentional with your family’s artistic development! And remember what our elder, the great Maya Angelou proclaimed, “You can’t use up creativity. The more you use it, the more you have.”
Nerd Out: #Trust the science!
This is where the Behavior Scientist in me gets to geek out and show you why including the arts in your family’s schedule is supported by scientific research.
But, let’s keep it real, you don’t have to be a scientist to notice how much life has changed after the pandemic we’ve all been through. Imagine how especially difficult our new normal can be for the little ones in our families. The school closures, isolation, and separation from their most cherished activities and loved ones can lead to behaviors linked to fear and anxiety. In the long term, these conditions can cause Acute Stress Disorder(ASD) or even Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
That sounds serious. And it is. Because if traumatic conditions persist for long periods of time or occur often enough, it may significantly impair our children’s learning and socialization. In the long term, chronic stress changes the make-up of our brain, impairing how we make decisions, our emotional wellbeing and our physical health. This is why we are urging you to prioritize your family’s artistic aspirations.
The Arts provide a space to release those things that our babies have bottled up inside and make sense of their world. In a liberating artistic space children can focus on the process of creating. And you’ll benefit, too! In one study, cortisol levels (aka “the stress hormone) lowered for participants who evolved through the creative process and learned about themselves.
So, go create a nice little tune, a memorable haiku or snap some pictures in nature. Your children and your future self will thank you.
Let me know what kind of art you’re getting into this back-to-school season!
-Peace.
Ms. Wendy
If you would like more resources and information contact Wendy at: info@labschoolrd.com
Resources
Kaminer, D., Seedat, S., & Stein, D. J. (2005). Post-traumatic stress disorder in children. World psychiatry : official journal of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA), 4(2), 121–125.
National Scientific Council on the Developing Child (2010). Persistent Fear and Anxiety Can Affect Young Children’s Learning and Development: Working Paper No. 9. http://www.developingchild.net
National Scientific Council on the Developing Child. (2005). Excessive stress disrupts the architecture of the developing brain (Working Paper No. 3). Retrieved from http://www.developingchild.net
Girija Kaimal, Kendra Ray & Juan Muniz (2016) Reduction of Cortisol Levels and Participants' Responses Following Art Making, Art Therapy, 33:2, 74-80, DOI: 10.1080/07421656.2016.1166832
Meet Ms. Wendy
Wendy Toribio-Baez lives and breathes for the wholesomeness of early childhood. She is a Behavior and Learning Scientist, who guides parents and teachers in providing optimal learning experiences for young children. In her personal practice, Wendy creates and implements individualized plans to help her students efficiently acquire communication, independence, learning and academic skills. With almost 10 years of experience as a Founder and Educational Director of various early childhood learning havens, Wendy has partnered with hundreds of educators, psychologists and other professionals to become a resource for the families she supports. And, she also walks the walk. A millennial mom, Wendy and her two little girls have a ton of fun homeschooling, unschooling and re-schooling; always with intent, curiosity and goodness.
Wendy Toribio-Baez is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) who earned her Masters of Science in Teaching (MST) in Early Childhood-Early Childhood Special Education from Fordham University, where she was President of Kappa Delta Pi, International Honor Society in Education. If you’d like extra support with your little one, feel free to email her at info@labschoolrd.com