from the mindfulness series
Taking time out for reflection reaps huge rewards in student self awareness while creating a daily positive outlook
Start with this Simple Gratitude Practice
additional content & lesson plans
Gratitude:
GOOD VIBES: Gratitude Journal
The author, Julia Rivers, created a ready made journal with engaging writing prompts.
Grades 3 -8
A daily gratitude practice has been consistently shown to decrease anxiety and stress as well as increase self esteem, general health and academic success. In addition, this daily practice can re-wire the brain’s conditioned inclination toward “worse case scenario” thinking in daily challenges. Quick inventories of positive events and what author and renowned psychologist, Deb Dana LCSW, calls “daily glimmers” bring our children’s mindsets into a more balanced view and appreciation of their world. A “glimmer” is what Deb calls “small moments that spark joy or peace, which can help cue our nervous system to feel safe or calm” Experts, who have studied her work, say that this shift away from unbalanced thought processes can make a significant positive impact on our children’s mental health.
In this lesson, children are set off on a daily hunt for “glimmers”. As they collect their own “glimmers” for one week, the children add a color to their Mandala Art Graphic for a final visual representation of a week of gratitude.
“Imagine a world in which children grew up being present with their feelings, less at the mercy of stressful thoughts, and with a sense of gratitude humming in the background of their daily lives”
Susan Stiffelman, MFTPARENTING WITH PRESENCE: Practices for Raising Conscious, Confident, Caring Kids. The author, Stiffelman offers practical advice to parents who want to raise conscious children but are stuck in old family patterns that don’t seem to work.
Visit our website for more content: https://www.ConsciousChildhood.org
1. Encourage students to find seemingly “small” and “insignificant” daily gifts (glimmers).
2. Share your own daily “glimmers”.
3. At the end of the week, ask students to reflect on how a collection of glimmers add up to a week of gifts for which to be grateful
4. Encourage students to continue the practice at home every week by providing additional Mandalas worksheets or coloring pages.
Mandala
Student Name: _______________________
The word means “circle” in Sanskrit. Traditionally it is a geometric design or pattern that represents wholeness, unity, peace and symmetry in the universe. It’s not a surprise that children love the calming affect of coloring. This activity is especially enjoyable as children delight in filling in one color every day until the Mandala is complete. At the end of the week, each child will have a visual representation of their own week of gratitude.
Directions: Read the prompt. Write a sentence describing the glimmer you found today. Then fill in the Mandala space that has the same number as the day of the week. At the end of the week you can see all your glimmers and reflect on your feelings throughout the week. OptionalActivity : Write a few sentences, on the back of this page, describing your week of gratitude and how this might help you accept future challenges.
1. Monday - Think of something today that felt good, smelled good, tasted good or looked good.
2. Tuesday – Write down an act of kindness that you witness toward yourself or someone else.
3. Wednesday – Describe something new that you discovered today that you didn’t know before.
4. Thursday – Who made you smile or laugh today? Write down what happened.
5. Friday – Describe someone you enjoy seeing every day. Describe how they make you feel.
