Weekly Days

Happy Monday! We are excited to introduce you to #MindfulMondays with Dr. Kim Dwyer. I had to laugh when I read the first post and it referenced 'One Word'. I have been using the ONE WORD concept for years and that is the topic of today's Parent Conversations! Great minds . . . !?!

So here goes the first #MindfulMonday post, with many more to come . . .

Set an intention as a family. As we move into a new year, how will you move forward mindfully as a family? Have a family conversation and perhaps pick a word that resonates with you for how you’d like to approach 2022 as a family. Use your word to create a piece of artwork, a sign, or a painted rock as a reminder of your family’s commitment to move through 2022 with this guiding principle in mind.

¡Feliz lunes! Nos complace presentarles #MindfulMondays con el Dr. Kim Dwyer. Tuve que reírme cuando leí la primera publicación y hacía referencia a 'Una palabra'. He estado usando el concepto de UNA PALABRA durante años.

Así que aquí va la primera publicación de #MindfulMonday, con muchas más por venir. . .

Establezca una intención como familia. A medida que avanzamos hacia un nuevo año, ¿cómo avanzarán conscientemente como familia? Tenga una conversación familiar y tal vez elija una palabra que le resuene sobre cómo le gustaría abordar el 2022 como familia. Use su palabra para crear una obra de arte, un letrero o una roca pintada como recordatorio del compromiso de su familia de avanzar hasta el 2022 con este principio rector en mente.

It's Monday-- time for #MindfulMonday with Dr. Kim Dwyer

Mindfulness is often defined as directing attention to the present moment, without judgment. Being mindful is experiencing life as it unfolds, without layers of judgment from past experiences. This may seem like an abstract concept for children, but, in fact, they are often much better at it than adults because a lot of their experiences are brand new! This week practice mindfulness by asking your child(ren) to share a brand new experience with you. Try to be very present and listen, and imagine yourself experiencing that situation for the first time, while resisting the urge to draw on your own similar experiences. Really see it through your child’s eyes.

¡Feliz #MindfulMonday!

La atención plena se define a menudo como dirigir la atención al momento presente, sin juzgar. Ser consciente es experimentar la vida a medida que se desarrolla, sin niveles de juicio de experiencias pasadas. Esto puede parecer un concepto abstracto para los niños, pero, de hecho, a menudo lo hacen mucho mejor que los adultos porque muchas de sus experiencias son completamente nuevas. Esta semana practique la atención plena pidiéndole a sus hijos que compartan una nueva experiencia con usted. Trate de estar muy presente y escuchar, e imagínese experimentando esa situación por primera vez, mientras resiste el impulso de recurrir a sus propias experiencias similares. Véalo realmente a través de los ojos de su hijo.

It's Monday-- time for #MindfulMonday with Dr. Kim Dwyer

This week, use the weather as a chance to connect mindfully with the moment. Winter weather brings the opportunity to explore our senses in the present moment. Weather permitting, go outside with your child(ren) and notice what you see, hear, smell, feel, and even the way the air tastes. Can you notice that sensory information without judgment--without labeling “cold”, “wet”, “good or bad”? What does cold feel like--if you were describing it to someone who never experienced cold weather, how would you help them understand what you feel right now?

Es hora de #MindfulMonday

Esta semana, use el clima como una oportunidad para conectarse conscientemente con el momento. El clima invernal brinda la oportunidad de explorar nuestros sentidos en el momento presente. Si el clima lo permite, salga con su (s) hijo (s) y observe lo que ve, oye, huele, siente e incluso el sabor del aire. ¿Puedes notar esa información sensorial sin juzgar, sin etiquetar "fría", "húmeda", "buena o mala"? ¿Cómo se siente el frío? Si lo estuvieras describiendo a alguien que nunca ha experimentado el frío, ¿cómo le ayudarías a entender lo que sientes ahora?

It's Monday-- time for #MindfulMonday with Dr. Kim Dwyer

This week, I am struck by the concept of Scandinavian of hygge: feeling completely relaxed and present in the moment. Scandinavian families have hygge time, a chance for families to reconnect at home. To me, it brings to mind a sense of coziness and togetherness. January is a great time to embrace hygge and have some hygge time in your family. Ask your child(ren) to join you for some unstructured time, perhaps around a cup of cocoa or by the fireside, and enjoy being in the moment together without the interruption of electronics.

Es lunes, hora de #MindfulMonday con el Dr. Kim Dwyer

Esta semana, me llama la atención el concepto escandinavo de hygge: sentirme completamente relajado y presente en el momento. Las familias escandinavas tienen tiempo higiénico, una oportunidad para que las familias se vuelvan a conectar en casa. Para mí, me trae a la mente una sensación de comodidad y unión. Enero es un buen momento para abrazar el hygge y pasar un rato higiénico en tu familia. Pídale a su (s) hijo (s) que se unan a usted durante un tiempo no estructurado, tal vez alrededor de una taza de chocolate o junto a la chimenea, y disfruten el momento juntos sin la interrupción de la electrónica.

Happy Monday! Time for #MindfulMonday

What is the taste of a snowflake?  Can you bring your awareness fully to the experience of snow?  How does it look, smell, feel, sound, and taste?

This week, if the weather cooperates, be fully aware of snow.  If the weather doesn’t cooperate, perhaps make some “snow” by crushing ice in a blender to taste. Ask your child(ren) to describe the experience of snow as if they are talking to someone who lives in a tropical place and has never experienced snow in real life.

This is a great way to practice paying attention to our senses with mindful awareness.

¡Feliz lunes! Es hora de #MindfulMonday

¿Cuál es el sabor de un copo de nieve? ¿Puedes llevar tu conciencia completamente a la experiencia de la nieve? ¿Cómo se ve, huele, siente, suena y sabe?

Esta semana, si el clima coopera, tenga cuidado con la nieve. Si el clima no coopera, tal vez haga un poco de "nieve" triturando hielo en una licuadora al gusto. Pida a sus hijos que describan la experiencia de la nieve como si estuvieran hablando con alguien que vive en un lugar tropical y nunca ha experimentado la nieve en la vida real.

Esta es una excelente manera de practicar el prestar atención a nuestros sentidos con atención plena.

Heading into Valentine’s day, this is a great week to bring attention to gratitude for all the special people in our lives. Intentionally focusing our awareness to moments of gratitude is one way to bring mindfulness into daily life.

Pay attention each day to the people who make life a little sunnier, for whom you feel grateful. You might consider a special thank you or making a Valentine’s card for them.

De cara al día de San Valentín, esta es una gran semana para llamar la atención sobre la gratitud por todas las personas especiales en nuestras vidas. Centrar intencionalmente nuestra conciencia en momentos de gratitud es una forma de llevar la atención plena a la vida diaria.

Presta atención cada día a las personas que hacen la vida un poco más soleada, por las que te sientes agradecido. Podría considerar un agradecimiento especial o hacer una tarjeta de San Valentín para ellos.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Try this mindfulness practice with your child(ren) to focus on feelings of compassion and love. Close your eyes and bring to mind someone you love, or someone who loves you. Try to imagine how you feel when you are with this person, and focus your attention on all the gratitude you have for them. Notice where you feel this and what you notice, in your body, in your thoughts, and in your emotions. Bring your attention to these feelings of love and rest for a moment in how this feels.

¡Feliz día de San Valentín!

Pruebe esta práctica de atención plena con su(s) hijo(s) para concentrarse en los sentimientos de compasión y amor. Cierra los ojos y recuerda a alguien que amas, o alguien que te ama. Trata de imaginar cómo te sientes cuando estás con esa persona y enfoca tu atención en toda la gratitud que le tienes. Fíjate dónde sientes esto y qué notas, en tu cuerpo, en tus pensamientos y en tus emociones. Traiga su atención a estos sentimientos de amor y descanse por un momento en cómo se siente.

MIndfulness of the breath is a great practice because wherever you go, your breath goes with you. Bringing your attention to your breath is also a great practice because a good deep breath can reset your nervous system and remind your brain that you are ok.

This week, teach your child(ren) to focus on their breath by laying down and putting a favorite stuffed animal or even a small pillow on your belly. As you breathe in, watch the animal rise up, and as you breathe out, watch the animal sink back down with your belly. Take several breaths this way, just focusing on the gentle up and down of your belly and stuffed animal.

La atención plena de la respiración es una gran práctica porque dondequiera que vayas, tu respiración te acompaña. Llevar tu atención a tu respiración también es una gran práctica porque una buena respiración profunda puede restablecer tu sistema nervioso y recordarle a tu cerebro que estás bien. Esta semana, enséñele a su(s) hijo(s) a concentrarse en su respiración recostándose y colocando su animal de peluche favorito o incluso una pequeña almohada sobre su vientre. Al inhalar, observe cómo se eleva el animal y, al exhalar, observe cómo el animal se hunde con su barriga. Tome varias respiraciones de esta manera, solo concentrándose en el movimiento suave hacia arriba y hacia abajo de su barriga y su animal de peluche.

Be mindful of sounds. Focusing attention on sounds is a great way to bring ourselves back to the moment, and an accessible way for children to experience mindfulness. Sit quietly and notice all the sounds. Perhaps set a timer for a short period, like a minute and use that time to listen, and then share what sounds you noticed when you were still and focused on the acoustic world.

Sea consciente de los sonidos. Centrar la atención en los sonidos es una excelente manera de volver al momento y una forma accesible para que los niños experimenten la atención plena. Siéntate en silencio y presta atención a todos los sonidos. Tal vez configure un temporizador para un período corto, como un minuto y use ese tiempo para escuchar, y luego comparta qué sonidos notó cuando estaba quieto y concentrado en el mundo acústico.

March is said to come in like a lion and go out like a lamb. In many parts of the northern hemisphere, this is our introduction to spring, with windy and stormy days early in the month. Bring your attention this week to the feel of the wind. You might notice it on your face, in your hair, or on other parts of your body. You might notice it visually by watching wind whip through tree branches or rustle tall grasses. You might notice it by the sound that it makes as it whistles through your world. This week, use wind as a teaching moment to share mindfulness with your child.

Se dice que marzo entra como un león y sale como un cordero. En muchas partes del hemisferio norte, esta es nuestra introducción a la primavera, con días ventosos y tormentosos a principios de mes. Lleva tu atención esta semana a la sensación del viento. Puede notarlo en su cara, en su cabello o en otras partes de su cuerpo. Es posible que lo notes visualmente al ver el viento azotar las ramas de los árboles o el susurro de la hierba alta. Puedes notarlo por el sonido que hace mientras silba a través de tu mundo. Esta semana, use el viento como un momento de enseñanza para compartir la atención plena con su hijo.

Your flower garden is a great place to practice mindfulness. This week, start a seed on its path to flowering and use this experience to teach mindful awareness to your child. You can easily start a large seed (like a sunflower, pumpkin, or bean) by placing it in some damp, folded paper towels and then sealing it in a zipper bag. Try a few seeds as an insurance policy. Tape the bag to a window and check in on the seed daily. Be like a scientist and observe what’s happening to the seed, right now. Observing in the present moment without judgment is a key mindfulness skill.

Tu jardín de flores es un gran lugar para practicar la atención plena. Esta semana, comience una semilla en su camino hacia la floración y use esta experiencia para enseñarle a su hijo la conciencia plena. Puede comenzar fácilmente una semilla grande (como un girasol, calabaza o frijol) colocándola en toallas de papel dobladas y húmedas y luego sellándolas en una bolsa con cierre. Prueba algunas semillas como póliza de seguro. Pega la bolsa a una ventana y revisa la semilla diariamente. Sea como un científico y observe lo que le está pasando a la semilla, ahora mismo. Observar en el momento presente sin juzgar es una habilidad clave de atención plena.

In many parts of the world the month of March is known for rain. This week make a rain stick with your child. It’s a fun craft to share together. You can then bring mindful awareness to the sounds it makes as well as experiment with ways to create new sounds. Gather up a cardboard tube, some dried beans or rice, and then search online for “rain stick craft” to find easy instructions. Here’s one that we found: https://www.giftofcuriosity.com/diy-rain-stick-craft/

En muchas partes del mundo, el mes de marzo es conocido por la lluvia. Esta semana haga un palo de lluvia con su hijo. Es una manualidad divertida para compartir juntos. A continuación, puede prestar atención plena a los sonidos que produce, así como experimentar con formas de crear nuevos sonidos. Reúna un tubo de cartón, algunos frijoles secos o arroz, y luego busque en línea "manualidades con palos de lluvia" para encontrar instrucciones sencillas. Aquí hay uno que encontramos: https://www.giftofcuriosity.com/diy-rain-stick-craft/

Last week we said March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. This week let’s pay mindful attention to how things feel under our finger tips by making a soft lamb to pet. Draw or print out a lamb shape and then color and glue on cotton balls. Close your eyes and pay attention to how the cotton-y lamb feels on your fingers. Notice how that feeling changes if you move your fingers or rub the cotton on the back of your hand or arm

La semana pasada dijimos que marzo entra como león y sale como cordero. Esta semana, prestemos atención a cómo se sienten las cosas bajo las yemas de los dedos al hacer un cordero suave para acariciar. Dibuja o imprime una forma de cordero y luego colorea y pega bolas de algodón. Cierra los ojos y presta atención a cómo se siente el cordero algodonoso en tus dedos. Observe cómo cambia esa sensación si mueve los dedos o frota el algodón en el dorso de la mano o el brazo.

A classical mindfulness exercise that is as easy as it is fun for children is mindfulness of a raisin. We’ve all probably popped handfuls of these little treats in our mouth without much thought. Let’s experience a raisin using all of our senses. Take one raisin. Hold it in your fingers and notice how it feels. Look at it closely and really examine its texture. Move it close to your ear and rub it with your fingers and notice if it creates a sound, and what it smells like. Now eat the raisin, noticing the taste and feel in your mouth before chewing and swallowing.

Un ejercicio clásico de atención plena que es tan fácil como divertido para los niños es la atención plena de una pasa. Probablemente todos nos hemos metido puñados de estas pequeñas golosinas en la boca sin pensarlo mucho. Experimentemos una pasa usando todos nuestros sentidos. Toma una pasa. Sosténgalo en sus dedos y observe cómo se siente. Míralo de cerca y examina realmente su textura. Acérquelo a su oído y frótelo con los dedos y observe si crea un sonido y a qué huele. Ahora coma la pasa, notando el sabor y sintiéndola en su boca antes de masticarla y tragarla.

Feelings can be hard for little ones to express.  When we talk about being mindful of our feelings, we are referring to noticing our emotions before we use those emotions to direct behavior.  For instance, noticing that we are upset and having a moment to reflect on this before choosing what we do (yell at someone, try to calm ourselves down, ask for help appropriately, etc.). The first step is giving words to feelings.

This week, work on building a feelings vocabulary.  Talk about feelings–glad, mad, sad, and scared make up the “primary colors” of emotions, but, like crayons, we can combine these to make all kinds of emotion words.  Excited- Disappointed-  Frustrated- Ecstatic-  Work at an age appropriate level to help your child broaden their emotions vocabulary and then use these words to communicate how they feel.

Los sentimientos pueden ser difíciles de expresar para los pequeños. Cuando hablamos de ser conscientes de nuestros sentimientos, nos referimos a darnos cuenta de nuestras emociones antes de usar esas emociones para dirigir el comportamiento. Por ejemplo, notar que estamos molestos y tener un momento para reflexionar sobre esto antes de elegir lo que hacemos (gritar a alguien, tratar de calmarnos, pedir ayuda apropiadamente, etc.). El primer paso es dar palabras a los sentimientos.

Esta semana, trabaja en la construcción de un vocabulario de sentimientos. Hable acerca de los sentimientos: alegría, enojo, tristeza y miedo constituyen los "colores primarios" de las emociones, pero, como los crayones, podemos combinarlos para formar todo tipo de palabras de emociones. Emocionado- Decepcionado- Frustrado- Eufórico- Trabaje en un nivel apropiado para su edad para ayudar a su hijo a ampliar su vocabulario de emociones y luego use estas palabras para comunicar cómo se siente.

Let’s make a raindrop painting to notice how things change and transform in real time.  You’ll need powdered tempera paints or broken up pan watercolor paints.  Protect your outdoor surface with newspaper and then place heavy white paper on the newspaper. Sprinkle your powdered paints and then let the raindrops transform them.  Pay attention to what is happening, visually, as the rain combines with the paint.  Notice what sounds you hear.  If it’s not raining, you can have a similar effect using a spray water bottle held above the paper.  

Hagamos una pintura de gotas de lluvia para notar cómo las cosas cambian y se transforman en tiempo real. Necesitarás pinturas al temple en polvo o pinturas de acuarela en cacerolas rotas. Proteja su superficie exterior con periódico y luego coloque papel blanco grueso sobre el periódico. Espolvorea tus pinturas en polvo y luego deja que las gotas de lluvia las transformen. Preste atención a lo que sucede, visualmente, mientras la lluvia se combina con la pintura. Fíjate en los sonidos que escuchas. Si no está lloviendo, puede tener un efecto similar usando una botella de agua con atomizador sostenida sobre el papel.

Time for #DigitalWellnessWednesday

Happy New Year! It's a time of year when it's common to stop and reflect more on who you want to be and how you want to live this coming year.

Digital Wellness really starts here. It's easy to think that Digital Wellness is about managing technology, but it's really about aligning technology use with values and goals. About using technology in ways that magnify the kind of person you want to be.

So we'll start the year with the invitation to write about one of your values -- a word that describes a character trait you want to develop this year, or how you want to show up in your life, in your home, and in the world.

If you want some prompts to engage in this exercise, see this values-writing activity.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BF-DGhWoSzQIQns-V3KpkW64CMvmBvr9cMr4k8_Ddmg/edit?usp=sharing

This could be a meaningful family activity as well. And if you want to take it a step further, you can do a craft together where each member of the family creates something that can help him/her remember the character trait they want to keep in mind as we start a new year.

¡Feliz año nuevo! Es una época del año en la que es común detenerse y reflexionar más sobre quién quiere ser y cómo quiere vivir el próximo año.

El bienestar digital realmente comienza aquí. Es fácil pensar que el bienestar digital se trata de administrar la tecnología, pero en realidad se trata de alinear el uso de la tecnología con valores y objetivos. Acerca del uso de la tecnología de manera que magnifique el tipo de persona que quiere ser.

Entonces, comenzaremos el año con la invitación a escribir sobre uno de sus valores: una palabra que describa un rasgo de carácter que desea desarrollar este año, o cómo desea aparecer en su vida, en su hogar y en el mundo.

Si desea algunas indicaciones para participar en este ejercicio, consulte esta actividad de escritura de valores.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BF-DGhWoSzQIQns-V3KpkW64CMvmBvr9cMr4k8_Ddmg/edit?usp=sharing

Esta también podría ser una actividad familiar significativa. Y si quieres ir un paso más allá, puedes hacer una manualidad juntos en la que cada miembro de la familia cree algo que pueda ayudarlo a recordar el rasgo de carácter que quieren tener en cuenta al comenzar un nuevo año.

Time for #DigitalWellnessWednesday

Last week, we talked about the power of writing about our values. To be able to practice Digital Wellness, it's essential to stay centered in who we want to be and how we want to show up in our lives, relationships, and the larger community (real-life and digital).

It's also extremely important to build self-awareness about distractions that can pull us off center.

Of course that means considering what tools or apps or devices tend to be our weak spot(s). However, non-digital distractions can also interfere with centeredness. Building awareness around all types of distractions can build our "awareness muscle." The invitation this week is to practice paying attention to what gets and keeps your attention.

You can start by taking a few minutes to write about things that take more of your attention than you would like. Name your distractions.

This could be a great family activity as well. If you start off by being vulnerable with your kids about distractions you struggle with, you can model this simple principle of Digital Wellness for them.

Es hora de #DigitalWellnessWednesday

La semana pasada, hablamos sobre el poder de escribir sobre nuestros valores. Para poder practicar el Bienestar Digital, es esencial mantenerse centrado en quiénes queremos ser y cómo queremos mostrarnos en nuestras vidas, relaciones y la comunidad en general (vida real y digital).

También es extremadamente importante desarrollar la autoconciencia sobre las distracciones que pueden desviarnos del centro.

Por supuesto, eso significa considerar qué herramientas, aplicaciones o dispositivos tienden a ser nuestros puntos débiles. Sin embargo, las distracciones no digitales también pueden interferir con el centrado. Crear conciencia sobre todo tipo de distracciones puede desarrollar nuestro "músculo de la conciencia". La invitación de esta semana es que practiques prestar atención a lo que capta y mantiene tu atención.

Puedes empezar por tomarte unos minutos para escribir sobre las cosas que requieren más atención de la que te gustaría. Nombra tus distracciones.

Esta podría ser una gran actividad familiar también. Si comienza siendo vulnerable con sus hijos acerca de las distracciones con las que lucha, puede modelar este simple principio de bienestar digital para ellos.

Time for #DigitalWellnessWednesday! Let's go back to week 1 of our Digital Wellness posts for 2022. We talked about how Digital Wellness is first and foremost about aligning digital (and other) media use with our values.

But how do we come into our values? Whether we realize it or not, most of us have found and clarified our values (and keep clarifying our values), by engaging in media. Our values help us make decisions about media use, but media use also shapes our values.

Today we want to invite you to think about what your core media are. These core media can also be called your compass media or touchstones.

Consider the following questions that can help you define your touchstone media.

-What stories or fables were you told as a child that helped shape who you are and want to be? What music, art, etc. shaped you as a child and still influence you today?

-What media do you return to on a regular basis to help you stay centered in who you want to be, how you want to show up in the world, how you want to spend your time and energy, etc.?

-What kind of media do you have in your home -- on your bedside table, on your bookshelves, on your walls, in your entertainment collection?

-What stories, art, music, etc. do you desire to share with your children in hopes that you can help them develop a sense of centeredness, build the skill of discernment, and nurture their own internal compass to help them navigate our complex world?

We'll explore core/touchstone media a little more next week. Between now and then, we invite you to watch this video clip that touches on some characteristics of core/ compass /touchstone media.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHxLd_9xLKU&t=7s

Time for #DigitalWellnessWednesday

Last week we talked about compass, core, or touchstone media.

One way to stay centered in a digital world is to be sure that on a regular basis, daily if possible, you are engaging with your touchstone/compass/core media every day in some way. That can mean having a quote from core media on your phone, or on your wall, or on your mirror, or on your computer on a sticky note. It can mean having visual arts that remind you of your compass media around your home. Etc. It can mean reading from or viewing or listening to something from your core media every day.

If your media use on any given day doesn't include bringing you back to your compass, you can use that as a guide to help you stay centered. We call this digital centeredness, where you use your values, as well as principles and artifacts from your core media, as your compass or touchstone points to help you remember to use digital media well. Our touchstones, if we let them, can guide the who (and with whom), what, where, when, why, and how of our digital media use.

Also, an honest look at browser history, chat history, apps on our phones/computers, our emails, or comments we've left in various places can be worth looking at to see if how we are using our devices aligns with who we want to be and how we want to show up in the world. If someone were to look at your digital devices, what would they find on your tabs list, your reading list, your music playlist, and so forth? Do these media align with who you are and how you want to show up in the world?

Time for #DigitalWellnessWednesday! February's theme is media literacy.

These days, media literacy is often equated to news literacy or being able to detect mis/disinformation. While these are definitely elements of media literacy, the realm of media literacy is actually much more broad and deep.

Today, we'd like to briefly touch on how media literacy can enrich our lives and learning.

There are almost always stories behind the art, literature, music, film and other media forms that we enjoy as viewers, listeners, patrons of various creative forms. We can become more media literate when we take time to learn more about the story behind whatever art form we might be enjoying. For example, we can take the time to read an artist statement when looking at a painting or sculpture. We can read the historical background or learn more about the story behind a piece of music or the life of the composer or a display in a museum.

We can also become more media literate when we take time to learn about the art form itself. For example, think about how is stage position used in theater. Consider how indentation, capitalization, and punctuation are used in poetry. Think also about how light and spacing are used in photography. One more thing to think about are the ways volume or point and counterpoint are used in music.

There are endless questions we can ask when engaging media for learning or enjoyment, questions that might begin with: Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How. These are questions people who want to build media literacy skills practice asking. And then practice asking again.

Next time you listen to some music, or read a book, or enjoy a photo or sculpture or poem or musical, take some time to understand more about the story behind what you are experiencing by finding answers to some questions. You might also consider sharing with someone what you learned...and what you may hear, see, feel, or think differently after spending some time to deepen your understanding.

Time for #DigitalWellnessWednesday!

Media literacy, is, at its heart, about taking a pause and asking questions as you engage with different forms of media, whether digital or not. In fact, the principles of Media Literacy can even apply for verbal messages and conversations. It's about slowing down. It's a practice of taking on the role of a deliberate, objective observer. In general brain science terms, we might say it's about inviting the prefrontal cortex to come on board.

Viktor Frankl said, “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”

Taking a pause and asking questions is one way to create such a space within.

One question you can ask when a message or input of some sort crosses your path is, "How does this make me feel."

This week, our simple invitation is to ask that question as you engage with any kind of message, whether it be through a digital delivery medium or any other way. Pay attention to what you notice.

Time for #DigitalWellnessWednesday!

 Due to a glitch with Facebook, this post has no question marks. Please forgive us for our incorrect punctuation. Thanks in advance!

Last week, we talked about asking questions when we encounter media, particularly about what is going on inside us. "How does this make me feel."

We can also ask questions like "Who is the creator of this message. Who might make money or benefit if I engage with or act on or share this message. What might the content creator want me to think or do."

The questions many of us learned in school can be a good guide: Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How. We can use these kinds of questions with content that is shared via any medium, whether digital or not.

For examples of questions you can ask when you engage media, see the Parent Conversations slides on Media Literacy. https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/17eDZy0aRwgKormzmo4D5k6dLPQ6ErVci

Time for #DigitalWellnessWednesday!

One of the best ways to understand Media Literacy is to practice it. And, we've made that easy. EPIK ( https://www.epik.org/) and My Discovery Destination! ( http://MyDiscoveryDestination.com) have worked together to create a Media Literacy Discovery Hunt. The Hunt is called 'A MEDIA LITERACY Hunt with Wattson'. Use the game code 'MEDIALIT' to find it on your GooseChase app (full instructions in the graphic below).

If you have ideas for activities you would like to see added to the collection, submit them through the "MIssing Gems" Adventure. We plan to expand the hunt and would love your input.

When we talk of the Attention Economy, we're talking about all the many ways that tech companies, media companies, advertisers, politicians, activists, entertainers and many others are trying to get, compete for, and keep our attention...often on things we haven't originally intended to engage with. This is, as we sometimes like to say, the water we swim in. And the water we swim in can impact our brains and our mental wellness.

This month, we'll be talking about how to reclaim some of our agency and attention. We'll share some simple tips for Mental Wellness that we hope might be helpful.

Today, we wanted to invite you to reflect on what tends to "hook" you the most in the Attention Economy. You can use the images below for some ideas, or just write whatever comes to mind.

We encourage you to find a notebook or something similar that you can use for the next few months for your Digital Wellness journal. There is power in writing by hand. It's good for the brain.

*Quote is from David Foster Wallace, "This is Water."

Cuando hablamos de la economía de la atención, nos referimos a todas las formas en que las empresas tecnológicas, las empresas de medios, los anunciantes, los políticos, los activistas, los artistas y muchos otros intentan captar, competir y mantener nuestra atención... a menudo en cosas con las que originalmente no teníamos la intención de involucrarnos. Esta es, como a veces nos gusta decir, el agua en la que nadamos. Y el agua en la que nadamos puede afectar nuestro cerebro y nuestro bienestar mental.

Este mes, hablaremos sobre cómo reclamar parte de nuestro albedrío y atención. Compartiremos algunos consejos simples para el Bienestar Mental que esperamos puedan ser útiles.

Hoy queríamos invitarte a reflexionar sobre lo que más suele "engancharte" en la Economía de la Atención. Puede usar las imágenes a continuación para obtener algunas ideas, o simplemente escribir lo que se le ocurra.

Lo alentamos a que busque un cuaderno o algo similar que pueda usar durante los próximos meses para su diario de bienestar digital. Hay poder en escribir a mano. Es bueno para el cerebro.

*La cita es de David Foster Wallace, "Esto es agua".

So much of Mental Wellness in a digital world is understanding how human attention works. Concepts like selective attention, inattentional blindness, and cognitive load are relevant here.

For example, as explored in this video (in Spanish!), Dr. Marian Rojas-Estapé from Spain talks about how light, sound, and movement are three things that tend to get an infant's attention. The brain is wired to respond to these things. You can understand why she then encourages keeping screens to a minimum for little ones, because of that combination of light, sound, and movement. If you can understand Spanish, she shares many other powerful insights about Mental Wellness in a digital world. https://youtu.be/-OmgQEpP7R0

But we adults -- all humans -- are easily distracted. It's just part of what it means to be human.

There are some fun ways to explore this reality with your family. For example, this is a great video.

Also, magic illustrates how easy it is for our attention to be misdirected. Below, we share some fun magic links from Utah's youngest professional magician, John Linford. He's created a video explaining how he does one of his tricks and how that can relate to why our brains are so easily distracted by technology.

Exploring inattentional blindness in the context of magic can also remind us to be gentle with ourselves and our kids. Tech tools and algorithms are deliberately designed to exploit the limits of our attention, but again, those limitations are part of our humanity.

We are in this together. We can all be fooled by magic, and we can all be distracted by smart technology. We can help each other practice being more aware of where our attention is going. But we will never be foolproof at it.

If we could be foolproof, there would be no magic in magic. :) But knowing about inattentional blindness can help us practice more Digital Wellness.

Magic trick video #1:

The ambitious card routine. Be sure to watch John's friends' faces. (Their reactions are priceless.) Try to imagine being there.

https://bit.ly/3JaHgIk

Magic trick video #2:

John does the trick again (watch his hands and see if you can see what he does to trick you), and then he explains the trick.

https://bit.ly/3sYyeZE

https://bit.ly/34ye8Mo

https://bit.ly/3hUVUYs

Bonus 2: For more activities around inattentional blindness, see the MDD Mental Wellness slide deck https://bit.ly/3tJOqgg ... or the Mental Wellness Parent Conversations from last fall.

Bonus 3: If you would like to hear John talk more about the connections between inattentional blindness, magic, and technology, he recently shared some thoughts here. This video includes the first two magic tricks shared above. (Spoiler alert! He talks about the selective attention video shared earlier). https://bit.ly/35YDWBz

Find Michelle, our #DigitalWellnessWednesday blogger at epik.org

Happy #DigitalWellnessWednesday

When it comes to improving habits with technology, our instincts as individuals or as parents is sometimes to start with a pact or a contract. But Nir Eyal, an expert on intersection points between behavior and technology, shares that in order to guard ourselves from distraction, we need to start first with other things, like looking at what he calls "internal triggers." (This is a true concept in both addiction recovery and addiction prevention. Addictive patterns can emerge when we repeatedly use substances or behaviors to escape hard emotions or situations. Even productive behaviors can have a negative impact on Mental Wellness if repeatedly used as an escape or avoidance technique.)

Nir has some great tips for addressing internal triggers here: https://www.nirandfar.com/internal-triggers/

The Digital Wellness Institute's (DWI's) self-assessment is another tool you can use to practice looking inward regarding your technology use. It has six sections covering a variety of topics. ( https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/5504604/b153c792d361)

Here are some of the topics covered in the Mental Wellness section.

- It's all too easy to use our devices as a way to avoid or distract ourselves from hard tasks, situations, or emotions. This can hinder Mental Wellness. Stopping to name those emotions can help. Giving oureslves 10 minutes to get curious about them can help. Reaching out to someone can help. There are other ideas you can find in the MDD Mental Wellness slide deck. https://bit.ly/3tJOqgg]

- Consider if you feel anxious when you're not around your device or have forgotten it. FOMO [fear of missing out] can be a thing for adults, not just youth! Also, our brains can just get used to mindlessly turning to our phones when we have a minute or two here or there. (Those minutes can add up, especially when we often end up using our devices for more than a minute or two!) Give yourself opportunities to be away from devices so your brain doesn't build dependence on them.)

- Consider if you feel motivated to improve, or discouraged or depressed when you see stories of successful people online. (DWI has another self-assessment that explores more of these social comparison dynamics: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/6226945/Digital-Flourishing-Survey-PositiveMediatedSocialInteractions)

When we can practice awareness of what is going on inside of us (our thoughts and emotions) as we use technology -- when we pause and ask questions (PAQ) -- we can build more Mental Wellness. Awareness and self-accountability can increase the chance we will use technology more deliberately. As a bonus, we can also build more emotional literacy if we learn to ask ourselves what we are thinking and feeling as (or before) we use technology.

Earlier this year, we shared the attached Viktor Frankl quote. We're sharing it again this month, and you will see it again in future posts. The concept is not just related to media literacy, but also to mental and physical health.

Some research shows that when we can name our emotions, it can help calm parts of our brain that may make us more reactive. (See, for example, https://www.scn.ucla.edu/pdf/AL(2007).pdf)

We can pause and ask ourselves questions about how we are feeling, both before we engage with technology, or as something on technology brings up emotion. And we can invite our children to do the same.

Next time you reach for your phone or sit down to your computer or feel compelled to comment on social media, ask yourself, "How am I feeling right now?" Write the answer down on a piece of paper, and then ask yourself if now's a good time to be using tech.

Perhaps you could even make a practice of inviting in the family with a device to check in with themselves and someone else before using tech, just as an exercise.

Practice the pause. Look inward. Name your emotions. Share with someone. And then see if or how your tech use is impacted.

Michelle is with epik.org

There are many facets to mental wellness, and many different things we can try to improve mental wellness (and awareness). We're only touching on a few ideas here.

We recommend this presentation by Dr. Jacob Hess (at a recent Davis County Resilience Symposium: https://youtu.be/RQj-nRw4TNQ?t=862**). Dr. Hess invites us to think about mental health with a broad view. Science shows us that there is no One Right Way to foster mental wellness -- and this is good news. There are myriad tools, ideas, and principles that one can try. So please don't limit yourself to ideas shared here.

Last week, we talked about naming our emotions. This week, we'll add to that by mentioning the practice of identifying thoughts or beliefs.

I've heard mental wellness experts use language like "internal marketing" or "internal propaganda" or "inner narratives" when talking about the dynamics happening in our brains. To me, that reminds me that Media Literacy skills aren't only valuable for messages we get from external sources!

Often our thoughts are running without our awareness, and yet are having an impact on our state of wellness.

Take a moment in the coming week to stop and identify one thing that is pressing on your mind. In addition, write the thoughts or beliefs you have around that concern. Once you have done that, read each thought you have written and say, "and that's just a thought." Being able to be an observer of our thoughts (rather than a passenger in a bus driven by our thoughts), is a simple but powerful tool for wellness...one that is even more useful when used in conjunction with other tools, some of which we will explore next month.

**Dr. Hess gave a presentation similar to this one for a Latter-day Saint audience, for those who are interested. https://mhs.leadingsaints.org/live-summit-page-free1619214159537

Digital Wellness Wednesday is brought to you by Michelle at Epik Deliberate Digital (epik.org).

Time for #HealthyHabitsThursday. Let's look at some ways to increase our brain health.

This week's TIP: Make weekly exercise dates. You can easily talk yourself out of a workout, but it's more difficult to do when you have a standing commitment to work out with a friend. Overall, aim for 150-plus minutes of weekly moderate-intensity aerobic exercise. Exercisers are 45 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease, the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation reports.

Hora del #JuevesDeHábitosSaludables

CONSEJO de esta semana: Haga fechas de ejercicio semanales. Puedes disuadirte fácilmente de hacer ejercicio, pero es más difícil hacerlo cuando tienes un compromiso permanente de hacer ejercicio con un amigo. En general, apunte a más de 150 minutos de ejercicio aeróbico de intensidad moderada semanalmente. Las personas que hacen ejercicio tienen un 45 por ciento menos de probabilidades de desarrollar la enfermedad de Alzheimer, informa la Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation.

Time for #HealthyHabitsThursday. Another focused on improving your brain health:

Once a week, try something new. Listen to new music, learn some words in another language or sign up for a lecture. Lifelong learning is associated with improved brain health, and staying mentally active is linked to delayed onset of cognitive decline.

Hora del #JuevesDeHábitosSaludables. Otro para mejorar la salud de tu cerebro:

Una vez a la semana, prueba algo nuevo. Escucha música nueva, aprende algunas palabras en otro idioma o inscríbete en una conferencia. El aprendizaje de por vida está asociado con una mejor salud cerebral, y mantenerse mentalmente activo está relacionado con la aparición tardía del deterioro cognitivo.

Time for #HealthyHabitsThursday. Today's brain health TIP is YUMMY!

Have a superberry dessert. Dark-colored berries like blueberries and blackberries contain compounds that fight inflammation and help protect your brain. One cup of blueberries consumed daily for six months can also lower your risk of cardiovascular disease by 12 to 15 percent, according to 2019 research in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Try berries and plain yogurt as your go-to after-dinner treat.

Hora del #JuevesDeHábitosSaludables. ¡El CONSEJO de salud cerebral de hoy es DELICIOSO!

Toma un postre de superberry. Las bayas de color oscuro, como los arándanos y las moras, contienen compuestos que combaten la inflamación y ayudan a proteger el cerebro. Una taza de arándanos consumida diariamente durante seis meses también puede reducir el riesgo de enfermedad cardiovascular en un 12 a 15 por ciento, según una investigación de 2019 en el American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Pruebe las bayas y el yogur natural como su golosina después de la cena.

Time for #HealthyHabitsThursday. This week's TIP will be a favorite among book lover's!

Join a book club. Those who engage their mind most often through intellectual activities such as playing games or reading were 29 percent less likely to develop dementia during a five-year follow-up period, reports a 2018 Hong Kong study of adults 65 and older that was published in JAMA Psychiatry.

Hora del #JuevesDeHábitosSaludables. ¡El TIP de esta semana será uno de los favoritos entre los amantes de los libros!

Únete a un club de lectura. Aquellos que involucran su mente con mayor frecuencia a través de actividades intelectuales, como jugar juegos o leer, tenían un 29 por ciento menos de probabilidades de desarrollar demencia durante un período de seguimiento de cinco años, informa un estudio de Hong Kong de 2018 de adultos de 65 años o más que se publicó en JAMA. Psiquiatría.

Today's #HealthyHabitsThursday Tip:

Eat a daily salad. Just one serving of leafy greens a day was associated with slower cognitive decline, a 2017 study by Rush University Medical Center showed.

Consejo de #HábitosSaludablesJueves de hoy:

Come una ensalada diaria. Solo una porción de verduras de hoja verde al día se asoció con un deterioro cognitivo más lento, mostró un estudio de 2017 realizado por el Centro Médico de la Universidad Rush.