This week's featured resource

Less stress more peace

As I was planning this new year episode, I wanted to harness the energy around a new year, but without the pressure to set an unrealistic goal, only to feel badly about yourself in a few days because you 'messed up'. Setting new year's resolutions is for the birds, in my humble opinion. I like themes or words instead that I can return to on repeat throughout the year.

In previous years, I've had themes like "Honesty", and "Growth", and this year my theme is "Simplify"

Instead of doing all the things, I'm committed to intentionally spending my time doing less and leaving more time for simple things that matter most.

So, as a middle school parent I recommend a holistic, gentle approach, starting with leaning into how you want to feel and who you want to become as a parent. And, with that, knowing that you will mess up, no one will be perfect at any of this, and this is simply an opportunity to learn, pivot, and try again.

There's no better way to practice this process than by diving into learning about ways you can and must decrease stress in your daily lives, and why this matters so much to your middle schooler and their developing brain in ways that will impact them for the rest of their life.

In this week's episode we talk about:

• The stress-mind-body connection
• What stress does to the brain (and the impacts on your middle schooler's developing brain)
• And, Essential stress reduction strategies to practice so when stress builds during this next term of the school year, you have simple practices in place.

I've created a FREE PDF List with suggestions for de-stressing that you can print and easily hang on your fridge or in a room you'll see it regularly. DOWNLOAD IT HERE

People, places, and things mentioned in the episode:

• Statistics on stress from The American Institute of Stress

•  How Stress Affects Brain Health for you and your middle schooler

• Free Class: Executive Function Essentials for Middle schoolers and Caregivers
  www.elevatedadolescence.com/efclass 
   
   

Like what you hear? Keep listening to the Elevated Adolescence Podcast