Happy Early Childhood Educator and Child Care Worker Appreciation Day!

BUT...Press Pause for a moment, 

            Let's take a moment to pause and reflect. 2020 has been different! New years resolutions such as being more organized, utilizing the 100+ pins on your Pinterest board, and being more active, quickly fell to the wayside of all things "COVID-19". 

​This morning, I listened to a favorite science podcast of mine while driving back from my daughter's 6:00 am gymnastics practice (it's an ungodly time of the day to be functioning). They were discussing the impacts of COVID-19 on individuals and how these impacts affect communities and businesses. 

To paraphrase,

​"our brains have been telling our bodies to run away from a proverbial tiger since March."

​           The areas of our brain associated with Fight, Flight, and Freeze (the limbic system if you want to get sciency) have been triggered almost continuously since March. This increased level of cortisol and adrenaline, not surprisingly, is quite draining. The effects can be felt in many ways, and their impact can include:

• anxiety
• depression
• digestive problems
• headaches
• sleep problems
• weight gain
• memory and concentration impairment

​As a self-proclaimed recovering procrastinator, this is a struggle for me right now! 

We all deal with and handle stress in different ways. The important take away is the need to "handle stress." Especially when caring for children. As parents and caregivers, we can see first hand how our actions and non-actions, as well as our behaviour, can affect children's daily lives. We transmit our own stress, most of the time, unknowingly. When kids feel stressed, we can see these changes:

Behaviour and Emotional

• behaviour changes, such as moodiness, aggression, a short temper, or clinginess
• development of a nervous habit, such as nail-biting
• difficulty concentrating
• fears (such as fear of the dark, being alone, or of strangers)
• hoarding items of seeming insignificance
• withdrawal 

Physical

• bedwetting
• complaints of stomachaches or headaches
• decreased or increased appetite
• sleeping problems or nightmares 

Our children need us, and our daily well-being affects them. Being mindful that we're living through a stressful chapter is the first step. Acknowledging that the old adage of "buck up" is highly inappropriate, we can move towards meaningful daily practices to support our mental health. By taking care of ourselves, we won't be pouring from an empty cup.

Hygge (pronounced hue-guh) has become a trendy word for the past couple of years. Most references to Hygge are directed towards Christmas and home decorating. However, Hygge is so much more than that. The danish word is used when acknowledging a feeling or moment, whether alone or with friends, at home or out, ordinary or extraordinary as cozy, charming, or special. Simply put, Hygge is a feeling, not something you can buy. Demark has been ranked as one of the happiest countries in the world. So let's take a hint and add a little more Hygge to our lives.   

Practicing Hygge, by being present in the moment, enjoying the simple things, and cherishing time with others builds an environment to combat stress. Even better, we can bring this feeling of Hygge into our homes and child care programs. 

Hygge inducing ways to destress can include: 

• reading
• nature walks
• soft lighting
• be present (stop thinking about the to-do list)
• warm comfort food 
• writing/journaling 
• drawing
• telling stories
• talking on the phone with a loved one/friend (the old fashioned way, not texting)
• hobbies 
• create simple rituals (bedtime routines are a great example)
• de-clutter 
• be grateful
• self-reflect on what you're grateful for (big and small)

There are a lot of things we simply can't control right now. Trying to control tomorrow is impossible. Practice a little more Hygge by enjoying the everyday simple moments. We'll get through this, but in the meantime lets ensure we're raising resilient kids. 

Happy ECE and Child Care Worker Appreciation Day! 
Take care of yourselves, 
xoxo
​Kristina