H.A.L.T.

Recently on a knitting podcast, the host talked about using the acronym HALT when making decisions. You shouldn’t make decisions when you are Hungry (H), Angry (A), Lonely (L), or Tired (T). You might run into obstacles if you feel this way also.

Usually, when I keep making the same mistakes over and over which results in frustration, the cause is usually tiredness (T). I know my husband tends to overdo a task because he wants to get it done but his blood sugar drops when he misses a meal (H). This causes mistakes and/or frustration with whatever he is working on. We always laugh and say he is hangry (hungry + angry). It’s a real thing!

This can happen with my students. Some of them don’t eat breakfast so by mid-morning they can’t concentrate and tend to make a lot of mistakes. When this happens, I try to get them to take a break and have a cookie and some water. You would be amazed at how this little thing can make a difference. Sometimes I make them go on to a different task and come back to the one that frustrated them later. They usually can accomplish things easier then.

Sometimes they are so afraid of making a mistake, that they are paralyzed with fear. Then I try to find them a buddy to help them. This usually works better than if I try to help them. When I help them, they see it as a sign of failure or weakness.

Many students come from dysfunctional homes and may not get enough sleep the night before. If they are really tired, I may let them put their heads down for 10 minutes. There is no use in trying to badger them into working on assignments when they are too exhausted to focus. If this occurs so much that it interferes a lot with their progress, I have to call home or set up a meeting.

Sometimes just these little adjustments can make a world of difference!

How do you handle situations like this? Please share.

Photo by Artur Kornakov on Unsplash

Be Sensitive During the Holidays

The holiday season has arrived, and all the stores are decked out with decorations. Many ads on TV and the radio are trying to sell all of their holiday stuff. Radio stations are playing Christmas music. It is a time of joy and happiness…for most people.

Keep in mind that this season may be a tough time for some students.

Many people with mental illness or stress disorders have a tough time during holidays. The excitement and holiday spirit can be overwhelming and overstimulating. They may need a quieter environment. You can still show you care about these people but understand that they may need periods of quietness. They may seem withdrawn and you can acknowledge this and be there for them but don’t try to force them to join in the festivities.

This has been a tough year for many during the pandemic. Some may have lost a loved one or has a loved one who is hospitalized or sick. They may not feel so joyful so try not to keep reminding them through your joy and actions how much they have lost or are in danger of losing. You might spend some time with them and encourage them to talk about their loved ones. Ask them to share good memories.

Businesses may have had to shut down. Students may have parents who have lost their jobs. They are uncertain about their living conditions or even the food they will have to eat. You might contact the parents and ask if there is anything you can do to help the family, even if it is just to show you care. Students may worry about Christmas gifts so you can help them by doing class activities where they can make handmade gifts. Encourage these students to share their worries with you privately. Sometimes you can’t do anything else but listen and it can help the students to share their feelings with someone. They may not want to do this with their parents and add more worries to them.

This year has been a year full of changes and sometimes changes can happen weekly. Many of my students hated holidays out of school because they needed the structure and routine every day. They may start misbehaving or acting out of character. Have a class discussion about how changes during the holiday can affect our moods. Sometimes it helps to bring this out in the open. Have students offer suggestions about how to deal with this because these suggestions might help their peers.

What other situations have I left off that might cause the holiday season to be stressful? Please share.

Photo by Roberto Nickson on Unsplash

Emotional Support

Recently I attended a stress webinar that was excellent. Even though I knew a lot of the things shared, I was reminded that I don’t always do the things I need to do in order to help myself. Like being on an airplane where you put the oxygen mask on yourself before you help others, I need to make sure I’m dealing with my own stress before I can help others.

One question asked was:

How many people are plugged into you?

This means - How many people do you support emotionally? Sometimes when you have too many people plugged into you, they are sucking out the energy and it is important that you replace this energy before you get depleted.

Giving occupations such as teachers, cops, firefighters, and medical personnel usually attract people who are very giving. They give so much that over time it can affect their health if they don’t practice self-care habits. When I was growing up, I was always taught that practicing self-care habits are selfish, I don’t think that people realize how detrimental that was, but I know that they hoped to teach children that giving was more important than taking.

I think we still can teach children the importance of giving but we need to teach them also about balancing with self-care. This is not being selfish. I think this will help people be more giving because they will have more energy and not feel overwhelmed.

I think it is important to find an outlet that you can do on a regular basis in order to recharge yourself. It may be a hobby or exercise, but you need to plan for it in your schedule and stick to it. It doesn’t have to be huge amounts of time and can be as short as 30 minutes every day or every other day. There may be times that you skip it but make sure these times are rare and your special time is not set aside for other things. Your special time is as important or even more important than anything else. When you set aside these times, don’t feel guilty about taking “me” time and when you do feel guilty, remind yourself that you are just recharging your battery so others can plug into you.

I try to take time every morning to write in my bullet journal. I include at least one thing that happened the day before that I’m grateful for. I also have a prayer book and will add a few things that I’m praying for today. I try to exercise for an hour at least 4 times a week and if I do more, I’m ahead of the game. I also knit which I find very relaxing.

What do you do to recharge your battery? Please share.

Photo by Clint Patterson on Unsplash

Keeping a Good Attitude

I saw on the news that this health crisis is affecting people’s emotional health. People are tired of being cooped up inside and being in close quarters can make people cranky.

Here are some things you can share with students that may help them keep a good attitude:

Exercise

There are a lot of YouTube videos that have workout routines. I do a walking routine at home every morning to get my heart going. I feel pretty good after I exercise.

Sunlight

Go outside in the sun and get at least 20 minutes of sunlight. People who stay inside do not get enough Vitamin D. This can affect your moods.

Connect

Connect with others either through video chats (Skype, Zoom, Facetime), or call people you don’t normally call. I have a hard time with calling but now I would rather do that then feel isolated.

Letters

Mail a letter to someone and let them know that you are thinking of them. Before the internet, we used to mail a lot of letters. Maybe students can become penpals with another student and regularly communicate this way. This would help handwriting, spelling, sentence writing, and letter writing.

Cooking

Food is always comforting. Trying a new recipe can be exciting.

Reading

Reading can be a great way to escape the real world. Reading outside in the sun can be doubly beneficial.

Gratitude Journal

Keep a daily journal with what you are grateful for. This helps to focus on the positive instead of the negative.

What would you suggest would help others keep a good attitude? Please share.

Photo by Gian Cescon on Unsplash

Using Restraints

In this article 3 California school employees to be charged with manslaughter in death of special needs student,  the school staff retrained a student with autism face down and he stopped breathing.

First, I need to make sure that using restraints on a student is legal. Does the state allow it? Does my school district allow it? If it is allowed, I won’t restrain a student unless I’m trained properly. No one else should do this either.

When my student becomes violent enough to need restraint, I need to look at placement. Is this the right placement for my students? Is this the least restrictive environment as required by federal law?

I can understand if they are a small child and need to be restrained if they are hurting themselves or others. But before you restrain a child, there needs to be intense training on the proper way to do this. If the student is as big as the adult, it is time to call in professionals such as law enforcement to handle the situation. They are properly trained to restrain people if needed.

Whenever a person puts hands on another person, it could be construed as a battery on a person which is against the law. Before I would ever put my hands on a student, I would make sure it is the proper plan of action. Otherwise, I could end up like the three people in the article.

Restraint should be an act of last resort and only by properly trained personnel.

Does your school allow restraint on a student? Does it offer training? Please share.

Photo by David Clode on Unsplash

9/11/2001

On September 11, 2001, thousands of people were killed during four terrorist attacks on the United States. It is a day I will never forget. I will remember where I was and what I was doing at the time. When I talk to people about major events in history, they say this is the same way they felt when The Challenger space shuttle exploded or when John F. Kennedy was killed. I’m sure others remember other events that had affected them in this way.

It is a day that I will never forget because for many hours, I didn’t know if a few of my family members were safe. It is also not something we really ever talk about. It is not a topic that we want to discuss or relive.

To this day, I can’t watch any movies about this day. I have tried to watch a couple but usually can’t make it through the whole movie.

One day a couple of years ago, I had to take a state test for my teaching license and I was horrified when I realized that I had to take it on 9/11. I was deeply upset and anxious until a good friend reminded me that before 2001, September 11th was just another day on the calendar. This really helped me focus on my goal and not the date.

I feel a little ambivalent about this day.

Part of me wants to remember that all those people died and should not be forgotten. First responders, emergency personnel, and volunteers who risked their lives and many who died from this are remembered. I understand that all across the country, there are memorial services and remembrances to make sure they are not forgotten.

Part of me wants to put my head under a blanket and hurry this day along. I don’t want to remember the day I feel so anxious and alarmed. I don’t want to remember all the families finding out that they lost a loved one in the attacks. I don’t want to relive that day and my heart hurts for families who feel the same way I do.

To all the people out there who were affected by this day in history, you are in my thoughts and prayers.

Photo by Aidan Bartos on Unsplash