Week #7: Problem Solving and
Managing Conflict
Even with the joy and closeness of family during the stay at home order, we all have moments when being cooped up takes its toll. Even if kids are cooperative and getting along most of the time, what sticks out sometimes is the fighting, the meanness, the tears, the stress. It's even harder right now because adults are more stressed, and kids pick up on that. That is why this week, we have decided to focus on problem solving and managing conflict as a family. The goal is not to be conflict free, but to have the tools to deal with it when it does arise. Below are some links and resources for problem solving as a family.
We will also hold "lunch bunch" groups again next week! Scroll down for the sign up link!
Second Step Resources
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The social skills curriculum we use at school has released a program called "The Imagine Neighborhood Daily Adventures: Second Step Problem Solving Activities for Grades K-5." This is a special and timely program based on the Second Step Problem Solving Unit. It is designed specifically for remote learning. There are research-based, family-friendly activities for every day of the week! "Play, listen, move, and practice mindfulness while learning important social-emotional skills that will help make staying home a little more manageable and a lot more fun."
Week one focuses on calming down when conflicts arise. In the link below, you can find all the activities broken down by each day of the week! You can start it today, tomorrow, or next week!
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Family Meetings
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Family meetings are a great way to connect and solve problems. They can be used to discuss problems and prevent conflicts from occurring. Kids can learn skills such as compromise and cooperation. Watch the video below for more information on how to run family meetings.
Sibling Conflict
Sibling conflict is not new to stay-at-home order times. Even before school closures, there were probably moments of sibling conflict in your family. Sibling conflict is normal and even healthy part of family life. Below you will find resources for how to coach your children through it in ways that teach crucial life skills.
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Click here for sibling fight recommendations:
https://www.besproutable.com/post/2017/03/21/siblings-get-them-in-the-ring
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Click here for printable rules for siblings:
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HAVE "LUNCH" WITH FRIENDS!
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Mrs. Chapman and Mrs. Fernstrom would like to invite you to have virtual lunch with us and other students from your grade. This will give us all a chance to "hang out" together and learn a little bit more about each other. Each "lunch" will start out with a quick overview of our expectations (just like in the classroom or lunchroom at school) and a question of the day that we will send out beforehand. This will be followed by a time for sharing. Each week we will have a different topic for sharing. The first week it will be "What have you been making at home?". We would love to see your art masterpieces, building creations, something amazing from your kitchen, or anything you have made that you would like to share!
Some details:
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there will be a limited number of spaces available through a sign up form
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we will try to accommodate anyone who is interested by adding more sessions as needed
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sessions will be by grade level
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once each session is organized, we will send out the link to a Zoom meeting to a guardian email address along with the question of the day and the topic for sharing time
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we will be using common zoom classroom expectations around respect, responsibility, and safety
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the link to sign up will be sent out each week in our newsletter for lunches the following week
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