by Jen Forristal | Sep 19, 2017 | Empathy, Umbrella Schools
Here at the Umbrella Project, we are so grateful to work with some amazing schools building big umbrellas of wellbeing for their students.
This week we want to share a story from St. Agnes School. Known as the little school with a big heart, they certainly proved themselves worthy of this title. One particular family starting at their school this fall had just moved directly from a refugee camp with very little support or resources. Noticing this, the school rallied together and filled the principal’s office with everything they could think of to help this family succeed. One parent even went to this family’s home on the weekend to set up a new crib for their infant.
Not only did this new family gain a supportive and caring community, the umbrellas of everyone at St. Agnes have grown a little bigger from using so much kindness and empathy! Thank you for showing us all what it means to use your umbrella!
by Jen Forristal | Sep 15, 2017 | Resilience, Umbrella Intro
I am so grateful to be working with Great Big Story to share the human journey in the classroom, helping students learn by example and build a big bank of role models and stories they can draw from when they experience difficulties.
I love this one. It’s such a great example of resilience and the fact that we don’t have to be the victims of life’s rain.
Take a few minutes to share the video in the featured image above with your kids, A Shark Attack Survivor Jumps Back in the Water (click here to view). Can you see the umbrella skills he is using to weather the storm?
by Jen Forristal | Sep 15, 2017 | Umbrella Intro
Parenting is a series of conversations, each one teaching and reinforcing the way our children see the world. We have a funny saying at our house “Self-regulate or be regulated” and it’s a good one to try this week.
I love this one because it’s funny, easy to throw out as challenges arise and it resonates beautifully with kids because the power resides with them first. Our job as parents is to get our kids to the point that they don’t need us at all, that they can make good decisions for their health and happiness all on their own. Growing up therefore is a slow power transfer from you to your child.
This conversation is great because it builds your child’s autonomy and empowers then while still recognizing that their is a journey to independence and you will step in when needed to teach and guide them. It frames their good choices like a balanced diet and getting homework done as a sign of moving up the maturity scale and can make them a point of pride.
by Jen Forristal | Sep 13, 2017 | Cognitive Flexibility, Empathy
Much like a vaccine stimulating our immune system, learning to cope with manageable threats to our physical and social well-being is critical for the development of resilience. As parents, we need to be actively looking for opportunities for our children to get a little outside their comfort zones. This builds confidence in their ability to handle these challenges.
When you watch your child in a difficult situation, try to pick out the skills they are using and help them see their coping strengths. Maybe it was kindness, empathy, or cognitive flexibility.
The more children can see their strengths, the more likely they are to use them again when faced with the next challenge.
![[Infographic] A Guide to Umbrella Parenting: Helping Your Children Thrive in all of Life’s Weather](https://umbrellaproject.co/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/INTROVERSION_updated.png)
by Jen Forristal | Sep 12, 2017 | Umbrella Intro
Download a PDF copy of this infographic here, or learn more by viewing the video here.
