Leo Buscaglia
“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”
In only a month’s time, our worlds have changed. Plans have been altered and routines deviated – all at a pace that has felt like a whirlwind. We have all had to adapt and grow as we have collectively learned to adjust to this temporary new normal.
One thing, however, has remained a constant, and that is our ability to lead with heart. First, this must begin with ourselves – be kind and patient with yourself as you learn to regulate emotions, cope with anxiety and stress, and create new schedules and routines. Managing your own mental health, practicing self-care, and asking for help when needed are all ways to show compassion to yourself. Extend this support and warmth to your family and friends – a phone call to check in on a loved one, a care package left at someone’s door, a listening ear to their worries, or an extra story at bedtime to your children – there are so many opportunities to make your love known. Finally, share your kindness with the members of your community – donating to food banks, writing an online review for a local business, thanking frontline workers at grocery stores and pharmacies, ordering takeout from a favourite restaurant, and more. There is so much potential for us to show compassion to others during these difficult times. Even the smallest of gestures can make the biggest of impacts.
Remember, we are all in this together and it is by standing together and supporting one another that we will all get through this.
Be well,
Sandra Bosnar-Dale & Isabelle Kunicki
Co-Founders & Directors of The Clover School
MAKE
Kids love being in the kitchen, and having your children be a part of preparing and cooking meals is a wonderful practical life activity. Children as young as toddlers can participate with this week’s easy to make recipes. Both are yummy, very customizable, and sure to please even the pickiest of eaters! Your whole family will be sure to love them! Tag us @thecloverschool on your posts or stories – we would love to see what you’re making!
ENGLISH MUFFIN PIZZAS – CLICK HERE FOR RECIPE
PANCAKE MUFFINS – CLICK HERE FOR RECIPE
LISTEN
Smash Boom Best is a debate show for kids and families from the makers of the award-winning podcast, Brains On! Every episode takes two cool things, smashes them together, and lets you decide which is best. Cats versus Dogs. Pizza versus Tacos. Super Speed versus Super Strength. Who will be crowned the Smash Boom Best? Our debaters use facts and passion to make their case, teaching listeners how to defend their opinions along the way.
PLAY
Credit of photo to photographer/author
Family game nights are a great way to connect during this time at home. You could use favourite board games from your closet, bust out a deck of cards and teach your children a new card game from the link below, or play a classic like charades or Pictionary. This will be a night of fun and laughter for your family!
15 SIMPLE, EASY, AND FUN CARD GAMES FOR KIDS
GIVE
The Clover Community gives back! One of our Clover School parents needs your help. She is looking to support the collective fight against Covid-19. Hospitals are asking for donations of baby monitors, as doctors and nurses are able to use them in hazardous areas while in their protective gear.
Our Clover School mom, Irene, who is leading this effort, would love to arrange a contactless pick-up or drop-off this week so that she can donate to a few local hospitals, such as St. Joseph’s Hospital and Mount Sinai Hospital. If you are able to donate a baby monitor – with or without video capabilities – please click the link below to email and connect with Irene to make arrangements.
Please note that the monitors will not be returned to you after, but they will be put to very good use by our city’s frontline workers. Thank you for your support.
WEDNESDAY WEBINAR
This week, Christina of Mindful Little Things will be joining us to facilitate a 30-minute family yoga movement + mindfulness workshop, followed by 15 minutes of discussion on our tips to bring mindfulness into your home. Christina is one of the founders of Mindful Little Things, and is a Registered Early Childhood Educator, Children’s Yoga Instructor, and student of the 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training Program. Mindful Little Things is an enrichment program that offers yoga movement, creative expression, and mindfulness playful learning workshops for children. Additionally, Mindful Little Things supports parents and educators by creating resources and workshops to help encourage mindful play at home or in the classroom.
What you will need for this workshop:
– a yoga mat (if you have one. If not, creating an open space on a carpet area of your home would work as well.)
– a water bottle
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR OUR WEBINAR
Offered by the University of Toronto, and developed by one of their researchers at U of T Scarborough, Mind Control: Managing Your Mental Health During Covid-19 is a course aimed to help individuals manage stress and mental health during this unprecedented global crisis. It is a free online resource and takes approximately three hours to complete.
Never in the history of humanity have so many people been feeling intense anxiety related to Covid-19 and the world it will leave in its wake. The intent of this course is to give you a deeper understanding of the anxiety reaction as it relates to various aspects of our current life, ranging from our consumption of news to the way we talk to our children about this.
