I have started this week's blog a few times now...and each time I was interrupted. I wanted to share about mindfulness and the brain. I wanted to talk about some students I've been working with this week and review how mindfulness helped one and how mindfulness could have helped the other. Each interruption this morning has frustrated me. I needed to step back and take some deep breaths. My dear friend in 4th grade has sent me a few more of her mindfulness videos. Leila and I just took five minutes to watch one and breathe deep. Leila did a great job. My 4th grade friend did an excellent job. And I now feel calm and more focused. I have also decided to change this week's blog.
This week I am going to get a little personal with you to share about my reasons for mindfulness. I hope that it helps you to see both sides of me.
At school I try my best to always practice the peace I find from mindfulness. I don't simple tell students to practice, I practice with them. I show them and then we practice together.
At home, this past month, I have needed my mindfulness. If I could give a reason to practice mindfulness, it would my month of October.
The end of September hit my family with some challenges we are facing in October.
Our sweet cat (not our bad cat...) has cancer and we have to figure out what is best for her and if we have to say goodbye (she is only 10 and seriously the best cat).
Our daycare has closed down due to the owner's husband having cancer. That C word, again! We were told it would be for the month of October so we quickly enlisted grandmothers for all the days we could and with great compassion my wonderful dean and principal let me change up schedule to ensure my sweet Leila is cared for daily. Now as we near the end of October I have concerns. What if they can't reopen in November? What if...? So now I reluctantly have called daycare after daycare in the hopes one will have an opening.
My 9-year-old step-daughter was recently diagnosed with a seizure disorder, most likely Sunflower Syndrome. When we were at the beach late August a stranger noticed Madison's tic and shared that she has seen that before in children with this syndrome. Today Madison has her EEG and tomorrow will meet with the Neurologist. I have been in Madison's life since she was 3, she lives primarily with my husband (her dad) and me. I carry the medical insurance. I do all of the appointment scheduling....but today when I called regarding the e-checkin system I was told I couldn't have any information. I am not a "parent". In between Google Meets I am calling my husband to have him check his email (while he also tries to work) and I then do what I can from his email, and pass information between him and Madison's mom to ensure it's all set up and ready for this evening.
Over the summer our plans to build a home fell through. That is a long and complicated family drama story, but it's relevant to know as background. My husband is understandably upset with his father and step-mother. Then came August and my husbands (new...of less than 3 years) step-father asked if we would like to purchase his home. We jumped at the opportunity. Everything was going well until October. No joke, October has been a challenge and has presented the biggest need for mindfulness. Due to Covid, the company we were working with .... after weeks of paper work... informed us that there were BIG restrictions for us. With Covid, if you are 1099 (self-employed), this company has very strict and RIDICULOUS requirements. Now we are back to square one with the loan. Thankfully, my husband's step-dad is letting us renovate while the loan is processed. But that in itself is another stress that requires mindfulness.
If you are still will me, thank you for listening. I share all of this for nothing more than to give you a picture of the importance of mindfulness. How could I possible process all of this, get up and work, and ensure family is cared for, if I don't slow down and take a good deep breath? I mean it. 100% mean that remembering to focus on the here and now, taking deep breaths, meditating, and prioritizing sleep (this one is HARD...my dear husband wants to talk about everything listed above while getting ready for bed, I have to be firm and say no, so I can sleep).
Mindfulness must become a priority for us, for our students, for every day. If you take 10 minutes every morning to practice mindfulness, you could be help a student learn to process what is going on for them at home.
We have students dealing with cancer in their homes. We have students dealing with hungry. We have students dealing with abuse. We have students dealing with loneliness. We have students dealing with isolation. We have students dealing with Covid fear.
What if the 10 minutes a day you give them for mindfulness could help change their lives?
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