FB Live with Maryellen, “My Day Is Ruined” Kick-Offs, Feelings, Thoughts & Plans

Dear Parents and Viewers:

Each day is its own special day. Today, it is sunny in western Massachusetts. The temperature is in the sixties! That weather is what is special about today, for me. Each day also has its not so special moments and happenings.

The sunny day as well as the not-so-special moments within a day are kick-offs for us as human beings of all ages no matter where we live .

During the past three weeks, we, as citizens of the world, have read about and talked about a serious and life changing event termed: the COVID19 Pandemic. Schools are not in session indefinitely. Students have “packets” or virtual assignments to complete on a daily basis. Parents, grandparents or older children are assisting in this process…especially the task of completing the work. During a “home day” many things don’t go “as planned” and may create misunderstandings or conflicts. Many times reading books or listening to /viewing stories about others in unexpected or difficult situations and how they dealt with them, helps us to help our children and sow the seeds of calm and resilience!

Maryellen’s life work, as a speech/language pathologist, is in the area of communication disorders…helping children and adults who experience problems communicating their thoughts and ideas through listening and speaking. Speaking, also termed “oral language, or talking,” is vital to both academic and social success. It is especially important during these uncertain times, and the aftermath.

In our daily mini-lessons during these uncertain times, we, at MindWing Concepts, Inc., are providing book titles, many available online, to read to children about the not-so-huge situations that make us feel “not so great,” as well as those that contribute to feelings of well-being. We have provided “feeling bookmarks” for talking about the names of feelings to help us talk about some of these big and smaller situations that we call “kick-offs.”

There are many ideas in the handouts provided during these mini-lessons that will help to show relationships of characters’ feelings to kick-offs and the thinking and planning necessary to deal with them. Using the icons to bolster listening comprehension will spur and organize our discussions. Everyone needs to talk! We just have to think about how to do it during these times!

Our materials and approach at MindWing Concepts, Inc. are used by professionals in, speech/language pathology, general and special education as well as and counseling throughout the world for academic and social purposes. Special populations such as those individuals with autism, those individuals who have experienced trauma and those individuals who are learning new languages benefit greatly from our work. These particular lessons presented during the COVID19 pandemic are an introduction for parents and those at home assisting children during and through these uncertain and difficult times. Thank you for watching and for your emails and comments.