Welcome to our Parent Resources Center
We understand your world has changed dramatically because of the COVID-19 pandemic. You are learning as you go, navigating new guidelines, and above all, striving to do the best for your little ones to keep them safe. With hot summer temperatures and social distancing, finding ways to organize the days with your children is an additional challenge.
We are here to support you during these extenuating circumstances while you are social distancing.The team have created a library of resources based on the VIRTU approach, focused on Conscious Discipline and nurturing the special connections between parents and children.
Even though the “new normal” may not feel so normal, we can still spark joy and connections with our children, while taking small breaks to breathe and take it all in as well.
Remember: You’ve got this.
Welcome to our Parent Resources Center
We understand your world has changed dramatically because of the COVID-19 pandemic. You are learning as you go, navigating new guidelines, and above all, striving to do the best for your little ones to keep them safe. With hot summer temperatures and social distancing, finding ways to organize the days with your children is an additional challenge.
We are here to support you during these extenuating circumstances while you are social distancing.The team have created a library of resources based on the VIRTU approach, focused on Conscious Discipline and nurturing the special connections between parents and children.
Even though the “new normal” may not feel so normal, we can still spark joy and connections with our children, while taking small breaks to breathe and take it all in as well.
Remember: You’ve got this.
Parenting Support
Parenting Support
Resilience is the ability to bounce back after a difficult time. We build resilience in times of struggle: when we are challenged, when we don’t know something, when we have failed. These are the moments when we can improve our ability to learn and grow. And these are the same moments that we can help our children grow their resilient muscles through offering encouraging words and noticing.
Encouragement is a skill to be used at all times and not to be focused on the final product. Below, we provide you with daily strategies on how to keep encouraging your child through their ups and down, how to shift your relationship with your child from judging to noticing and how to help your child to become a helpful contributor to your family and to their larger community. Take what makes sense to you, reflect on the rest.
Building our children’s resilience muscle is a journey that starts with us being conscious of the way we talk to ourselves and others.
| Date/ Skill or Power | Ways to Implement | Additional Resources | ||||||||
| August 2, 2020 | Noticing to encourage compliance:
“You did it! You (Describe without judgement). |
Video: Noticing | ||||||||
| August 3,2020 | Noticing to encourage Kindness and helpfulness: “You (Describe action without judgement) so (Describe the impact on others). That was (Helpful, kind, thoughtful, loving, etc). | |||||||||
| August 4, 2020 | When your child struggles with something or says: “this is so hard” Try sharing: “Well then, it’s good that you’re someone who can do hard things”. | Instead of helping by making things easier to your child, help them tolerate hard things. This will help them see their capabilities, which in turn will build their resilience and grit. | ||||||||
| August 5, 2020 | Ways to respond to “I am Bored” statements.
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*Validate, Allow without judgement: “I hear you. We used to busier, less time at home. You’re allowed to feel bored. You’ll figure it out”. For younger children, you can create “I am bored jar”. You can come up with 20 activities with your child, write them down on popsicle sticks or cut out papers, and put them in a jar. Next time they tell you I am bored you can ask them to pick one activity from the “I am bored” jar. | ||||||||
| August 6, 2020 | Focus on encouraging, connecting not fixing.
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Child: “I won’t talk with Leila again, she is better than me”.
Parent: “This sounds significant to you. I am glad you’re talking to me about this.” Child: “I don’t want to go to her birthday party, because everyone will listen to her”. Parent: “She knows most games and you don’t, and that feels bad. Tell me more” Or “I know you will figure it out, you two are good friends and good at finding solutions” |
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| August July 9 2020 | Encouragement that foster Growth Mindset
“Learning happens between not- knowing and knowing”. Validate that this space can feel very uncomfortable. |
Instead of saying “Stop saying you can’t do it! I know you can!”
TRY SAYING “You haven’t figured it out yet. It’s hard to work on new things. For me, too.” |
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| August, July 10 2020 | Foster Resilience, self-confidence, and problem solving abilities among your child. | Practice saying these sentences to your child:
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| August ,11 2020 | Power of Unity: offer jobs/responsibilities/tasks
Jobs are an amazing way to teach children that every person has something to contribute. Jobs and responsibilities provide an opportunity to trigger children’s brains to release those feel- good hormones and chemicals. That helps encourage them to contribute, cooperate and connect even more. |
Webinar: Guiding the Most Challenging Children | ||||||||
| August,12, 2020 | Practice healthy way to perceive behavior |
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| August, 13 2020 | Make conscious effort describing and the effort your child is doing through noticing. | Example: “WOW! You are balancing on one foot and your arms are like this (demonstrate arm position for the child)”. | ||||||||
| August, 16 2020 | Praise the effort, not the final product.
Children need to learn that the process counts as much as the products. It is crucial to focus on the children’s effort and the small steps they take, not just on the touchdown. |
Words you can use to encourage the process: “That’s it. You are doing it. Way to go, you’re almost there. You did it!” | ||||||||
| August, 17 2020
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Encourage your child even when they do poor choices |
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| August, 18 2020 | Have a conscious connection with your child that involves eeyc contact, touch and a presence in a playful situation. | Webinar: Connecting with Your Kids with I Love You Rituals | ||||||||
| August, 19 2020 | Empower your child by noticing his strengths and let him be of service. | Parent: “I noticed you have lots of ease at organizing your room, how about you teach your sister the tips you use?” | ||||||||
| August, 20 2020 | Notice your child’s contribution to others. Highlight these contributions publicly. | “Amanda, you held the door for grandma. That was helpful”
“You played quietly and let Mom and Dad do their work. That was considerate”. |
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| August, 23 2020 | Today, during dinner time, ask each person to name one way they were helpful to the family. |  |
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| August, 24 2020 | Use tags that describe the value you would like to see more of. | That was helpful
That was thoughtful That was kind, caring, loving, etc.
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| August , 25 2020 | Use tags that describe attributes – and continue to use regularly. | That took determination.
That was gusty. You sure are organized. |
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| August, 26 2020 | Power of Unity: Encourage your child to give back or offer something for their extended family or the larger community. | |||||||||
| August ,27 2020 | Encourage your child to seek help from you, other family members and trusted adults when they need it. | Have a conversation with your child about who are the people that can offer them support when needed. What situation they might need help in? Practice phrases and scenarios about asking for help. | ||||||||
| August , 30 2020 | Encourage your child to offer help to others. | Help your child notice when others need help. “You sister is crying, go offer her a tissue and ask her if she needs help”. | ||||||||
| August, 31 2020 | See “Misbehavior” as a call for help and teach missing skills. | Vera took Ahmad’s toy. Ahmad hit Vera back.
Parent: “Vera took your toy and you wanted your toy back. You did not know the words to use, instead you hit her. Next time when you want your toy back look at vera in the eyes and say: “I want my toy back”. |
POSITIVE PHRASES TO BUILD RESILIENCE IN KIDS!
I love you
You are important
I love watching you play
You are helpful
You can do achieve hard things!
You kept trying, and never gave up!
You got good thinking
Your opinion and ideas are important
You made a good choice
What you did is very brave
You are enough
I can see you improving
Your thoughts and ideas are unique and valuable
The effort that you are doing are paying off
You are inspiring others and me
I appreciate you
I trust you
I like spending time with you
You did it! you figured it out!
You can try again tomorrow (later)
You can learn from your mistakes
I love you for who you are!