kidsLink

By Linda S. With all the media coverage on mental health in the last week, I hope we are beginning to normalize the term ‘mental health’. I think of mental health as a spectrum, much like other labels that we carry that helps others, and sometimes ourselves, define who we are. If you are familiar [...]

We have been overwhelmed, in my opinion, with the media encouraging us to ensure our children are physically active.  Our federal government provides a tax break for families that enroll their children in sports activities.  Yes, we need to ensure that each child’s basic needs are being met, nutritious food, adequate shelter, sleep, a healthy [...]

“The Ministry of Education has declared that students with ADHD/ADD and other neurological disorders that may impede or affect learning, are now entitled to specialized support and education at school. Ontario has been one of the few provinces in Canada lagging behind in the recognition of ADHD/ADD as requiring additional support.” http://blue-balloon.com/news/news-coverage.html The memorandum explains [...]

According to Moises Roman from UCLA Early Care and Education, “a teachable moment is a learning opportunity for a child to acquire new information, values, morals, a new behavior or a new skill, or a new way of expressing and coping with an emotion.” (http://aplaceofourown.org/question_detail.php?id=599) There are things we as parents and professionals can do [...]

I enjoy taking a teachable moment when the opportunity presents itself, as it did in a small group of grade 3 students last week. A young man was standing with his arms crossed across his chest. I asked him what it meant when someone crosses his arms in front of his body like he was. [...]

As part of our Tools for Life® lessons, we have been learning about our body clues and what they tell us. For those who have not been introduced to body clues, body clues are our bodies’ way of telling us that our feelings are changing or a problem is coming. To transfer our learning of [...]

As I get older, the significant events of what I remember from my elementary school years are usually positive memories of special events, genuine friendships and often something a teacher said to me. Why after so many years, do I recall vividly what comments teachers made to me or about me to my parents? Perhaps [...]

Country Hills Public School is located in Kitchener, Ontario and is part of the Waterloo Region District School Board. This little school is filled to capacity and only recently received the support of a Vice Principle and Child and Youth Worker. Country Hills has had an Early Intervention Consultant from kidsLINK linked to their school [...]

I’ve discovered an amazing game that kids love and doesn’t involve the computer or a gaming system. I first introduced this game to a group of grade 3 children that met weekly to strengthen social skills. Proud to Be ME!™ (http://webhome.idirect.com/~kidgames/) is a “Feel good about yourself and others” family game. Each player is required [...]

I often see kids sitting outside the school office. Other kids are quick to point out that they are sitting there because “that kid is bad”. This week, a little boy was sitting outside the office and asked 5 teachers the same question, “How much longer do I have to sit here?” One teacher asked [...]