Strengthen your family and community by Elevating E.S.T.E.E.M.

(Equity, Self-Appreciation, Time, Empowerment, Engage, Meaningful Connections)Self-Care
Nurture your soul

1. Family Self-Care. Use these 5 tips from the Mental Health First Aid curriculum
to practice self-care as a family: https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/2020/07/
tips-to-practice-self-care-as-a-family/
2. Four Pillars of Self-Care. https://sportpsych.unt.edu/four-pillars-self-care :Understanding that the Four Pillars of Self-Care can help set a foundation for every
member of a family, click here to identify ways 1) nutrition; 2) *sleep hygiene; 3)social support; and 4) physical activity can elevate everyone in your family.
*Sleep Hygiene. In case you’re wondering what sleep hygiene is, click here to findout: https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/sleep-apnea/what-is-sleephygiene
3. Self-Care in an Overscheduled Family. How to make self-care a family priority…
because busy families need self-care too: https://parents.au.reachout.com/skillsto-build/wellbeing/things-to-try-self-care/how-to-make-self-care-a-familypriority
4. 8 Types of Self-Care…Take Your Pick. Self-care takes many forms and is a key
piece of mental wellness. Because “self-care” can mean so many different things, it
can be helpful to think of the 8 types of self-care as flavors or food groups: it’s niceto have some variety and each type can deliver different benefits: https://www.
willowstone.org/news/8-types-of-self-care
5. The Great Wellness Challenge. Challenge your family to a 30-day commitment
to nurturing your physical and mental health, whereby you do one family self-care
activity every day for the next month. Chances are you’ll want to keep going longafter the 30 days are over. These 30 family self-care activities can get you started:
https://parents-together.org/30-day-family-self-care-challenge/

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6) The Healing Power of Trauma-informed Parenting. Children who haveexperienced traumatic events need to feel safe and loved. All parents want toprovide this kind of nurturing home for their children. However, when parents don’t
understand the effects of trauma, they may misinterpret their child’s behavior andend up feeling frustrated or resentful. Their attempts to address troubling behavior
may be ineffective or, in some cases, even harmful.
This factsheet discusses the nature of trauma, its effects on children and youth,and ways to help your child. By increasing your understanding of trauma, you canhelp support your child’s healing, your relationship with them, and your family as awhole: https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubpdfs/child-trauma.pdf
7) Yoga for the Health of You and Your Family. Kids and teens can do yoga for thesame reasons grown-ups do: because it feels good to stretch out your body, slow
down your breathing, and relax your mind. Yoga can help you feel calmer when life
is busy and stressful.
Aaahh…Go here to learn more about yoga for lowering stress in tweens and teens:
https://kidshealth.org/en/kids/yoga-stress.html
8) Should Children Practice Mindfulness? YESSSS! Here are 7 tips to help
your child focus on the present and build lifelong coping skills: https://health.
clevelandclinic.org/how-to-talk-to-your-kids-about-mindfulness/
9) Meditation and Yoga. This powerful duo can help you and your family promote
focus and collaborative learning — particularly for people with ADHD. Learn
how to introduce mindfulness exercises to your child whether they face generallife stressors or more serious barriers to total wellness. Here are 10 Mindfulness
Exercises for Stronger School/Life Focus: https://www.additudemag.com/tenmindfulness-exercises/
10) Ever heard the rainbow? Ever thought of healing through the sound of colors
like brown, green, white, red, or pink? Color sound may be something to try forchildren, teens, and adults that can shape your mood, calm your mind, energize
you, and help your focus. It’s free and can be a wonderful alternative to medicationand psychotherapy: How To Improve Your Child’s Mood With Colors: https://www.
parent.com/blogs/conversations/how-to-improve-your-childs-mood-with-colors
The Scientific Method: Can ‘color sound’ help us get things done? https://the1a.org/
segments/the-scientific-method-can-color-sound-help-us-get-things-done/

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