Month: January 2024

It has been said that children hear more negative comments than positive ones.  Praise and positive affirmations are important to help restore this balance.

Send your child to a fun weekly class where they learn skills for life!

Our classes incorporate the unique 7-step system devised by Marneta Viegas – founder of Relax Kids.  

The system takes children from a high energy to a low energy where they are able to lie down on the floor and completely let go and relax.  

Parents are always amazed that it really does work!

Sessions include movement and dance, fun and relaxation games, stretching, peer massage, breathing, affirmations and visualisations.

Each week, children go on a magical adventure which engages their mind as well as body.  

Although they are learning valuable relaxation skills, the key focus is on having fun whilst calming down.

This month, children are going on Winter Wonderland adventures – where they get to be snowflakes and melting snow.  They love playing the Snow Queen game and riding snow leopards.  They really do have so much fun.

‘My Mum said It was the best thing ever to send me to relax Kids.’  Belinda Age 7

‘It makes me feel as if I am floating on a cloud.’ Georgie Age 6

Sign your child up for one of our magical classes today!

Find a Relax Kids coach in your area.

Lynn Knapp, the powerhouse Head of Windmill Primary School in Oxford proudly showed me around her incredible values-based school today.

As soon as you walk in you can see and feel how the values of care, creativity and community are deeply embedded. Each month the whole school focuses on a value and explore it in a number of ways through assembly, plays, stories and children’s experiences. This month is HOPE.

Lynn (a keen dancer) makes sure she stands outside school with her music each morning for 30 mins to welcome pupils with a smile and dance and say goodbye at the end of the school day. She does this rain and shine. She knows each of her 600 pupil’s names and takes an active interest in what they are doing and encourages conversation as she does her rounds during the breaks.

Clearly the children are happy in school and each child is being nurtured and encouraged to grow. There are pictures of the brain in every classroom and even Year 1 understand their emotional brain and what they need to do to self-regulate.

But what makes Windmill School really special is how Lynn and her staff have put values at the core of the curriculum. They made a decision not to drop other subjects in favour of extended Literacy and Numeracy as they recognise all children are different and some will excel at sports and the arts. No child is left behind but encouraged to grow and bloom.

There is a gym that is used for dance practice in the lunch breaks and the music and cookery rooms are used regularly. At the end of each year Year 6 pupils cook a 3 course meal for their parents.

Alongside various projects, the highlight of the year is the day all pupils swap roles with the teachers. They choose which teacher they want to be and even can dress up as them and plan sessions.

What a wonderful community school!

We are SO delighted to be partnering with Windmill school as they use our Calmaclass toolkit throughout the school. Each pupil will have the opportunity to have regular brain-breaks throughout the school day which we hope will further enhance their learning.

I am so looking forward to seeing how Relax Kids further impacts the school and supports their emotional wellbeing.

https://relaxkids.com/for-schools/

#schoolleadership #schools #childrensmentalhealth #classroommanagement #schoollife

Believe and Achieve CD

It’s a brand New Year – a great time to think about what you really want and how you are going to achieve it! What better way to motivate your little ones than with our Believe and Achieve CD, full of great tracks to keep the kids inspired through the month.

The CD includes affirmations to help with positive thinking, get those creative energies going and improve confidence and self belief.

Believe in yourself and your personal qualities with our Relax Kids CD of the month!

THIS CD COMES FREE WITH THE PURCHASE OF THE MAGIC BOX BOOK
– VISIT OUR SHOP TO SEE ALL OUR JANUARY OFFERS!

Positive statements are a great way of inspiring children to be positive.

Here are some thoughts to share with your child.

I am unique. I am special. I think about all the things that make me special. I choose to think thoughts that make me feel good about myself. I deserve to have good in my life I know that I am special. I love the fact that I am different and unique – I am not afraid to be different. I am not afraid to be special. I know that I am loved and respected. I love and respect myself. I believe in myself I know that I make a difference to those around me. I can make a valuable contribution to my community.

I know that I am wonderful. I feel good about myself. I believe in myself.

I feel confident I can do whatever I want. I think I have to think confident thoughts I fill my mind with positive thoughts about myself. I only have good thoughts about myself – everyday I think of more and more reasons why I am amazing.

I will make a list of why I am so special. I am proud of the things I have achieved. I congratulate myself. I love myself. I am unique and wonderful. I am individual and one of a kind. There is no one in the world quite like me. I am magnificent – I think about all the reasons why I am magnificent. I refuse to think negative thoughts.

I refuse to listen to any negative words from others, No matter what anyone says, I know inside that I am OK. No matter what happens, I know that I am unique and amazing.

I am proud to be different. I will now start to appreciate how amazing I am. I am starting to love myself I accept myself just the way that I am. I love and accept myself.

If you liked this blog,  tell your friends, colleagues, local schools and nurseries and help us help others! Thank you.

A relaxed home is a happy home!

Here are some suggestions to help you integrate relaxation into your daily routine. A relaxed home is a happy home!

Waking up – Encourage children to lie in bed for 3 mins before getting up while they listen to their Relax Kids CD https://relaxkids.com/product/quiet-spaces/ Quiet Spaces’s CD is a good one for this time.

Breakfast – Try and introduce a moments quiet as you sit together at breakfast. Our digestion works best when we are relaxed. Believe and Achieve CD has positive affirmations and is great to play in the background to give them some positive thoughts for the day. https://relaxkids.com/product/believe-and-achieve/ 

Travelling to and from School – Many children listen the the Relax Kids CDs in the car. Superheroes CD or Princesses CD is a lovely way to start the day as they have beautiful story meditations.https://relaxkids.com/store/product-category/mp3s/fairytale/ 

Home time – Children are often tired at this time and a few moments quiet can refresh them. Listen to a track from the Nature CD for a few moments calm before the TV is turned on or homework is brought out. Relaxing before homework will also increase their concentration and learning. https://relaxkids.com/product/nature/ 

Chill out time – If you are keen to introduce relaxation to the whole family, we recommend a weekly or nightly Chill out. You can lie on the floor or sofas and relax together listening to a CD.  Relax and Destress https://relaxkids.com/product/relax-and-de-stress/  is great for older children and adults, Quiet Spaces https://relaxkids.com/product/quiet-spaces/ for younger children. Spend some time talking about how your feel and what you saw in your imagination after listening to CDs.

Time out – You could put a CD such as Nature or Quiet Spaces on a CD with personal headphones and children could listen to a track as an alternative to the naughty step. Often children just need time out to relax and refocus. Increase the amount of time according to their age.

Bedtime – This is the best time to listen to the CDs. Read a story and then put on the Relax Kids CD. The https://relaxkids.com/store/product-category/mp3s/fairytale/ are great for the under 8s as they can imagine they are drifting off to fantasy lands which will improve the quality of their sleep. You may like to keep the CDs on a loop so they play all night.

Good Mood Food

Cut down on sugary snacks that meddle with the blood sugar and can affect mood. Lots of fresh vegetable soup will bring winter cheer to your family table. Bananas are a great mood enhancer and provide lots of mental energy. They contain serotonin, a mood lifting substance and dopamine, which is great for emotional balance,

Have Fun

When it is dull, the last thing you want to do is take the children outside. Getting the kids to have fun and exercise in the open air will bring them more energy and make them feel great. Even running and jumping in puddles will increase their heart rate and give them a feel great factor!

Hugs & Cuddles

There is nothing better on a winter’s day, than snuggling up and having a cuddle. Lots of hugs and cuddles will remind your child that he/she is loved, which can improve a child’s behaviour. Try some gentle massage strokes on your child’s back, forehead or arms. Better still, see if they will give you a massage back!

Water Everywhere!

The heavens are opening at this time of year and water is everywhere outside. It is easy to remember to take water inside when the weather is hot, but easily forgotten in rainy weather. Water will help flush out toxins and helps the nervous system work better, so improving your child’s mood and brain power.

Dance

Music is a great mood enhancer. Pop on some fun and lively music and get the family dancing in the living room. You’ll feel so much better after a good dance than watching reality TV.

Stay Light

We can often feel low in winter, as we are taking in less sunlight and many adults and some children are affected by Seasonal Affect

A Dose of Relax Kids A Day Can Keep The Doctor Away

The long winter months result in most of us catching some sort of acute illness and schools can be a common breeding ground for germs and bacteria. This can be a miserable time for parents and children, whose immune systems often take a beating.

For parents who are concerned about their child’s health, they can focus on boosting their child’s immune system by combining something as simple as relaxation and a healthy eating plan. Relaxation and simple stretches have been proven to help strengthen and balance the immune system – and is lots of fun for children too!

Relax Kids offers children and parents an easy – and magical – way to rest and relax whilst building up a strong immune system. When children meditate and listen to https://relaxkids.com/store/product-category/mp3s/fairytale/ they go into a state of peace and calm. They experience positive feelings, which causes them to release natural endorphins, which can help build the immune system, Believe and Achieve is perfect for this! https://relaxkids.com/product/believe-and-achieve/ 

Blocked sinuses, headaches, and sore eyes are all caused by the mucus-producing process within the immune system, which attacks the innocuous invaders. Through relaxation, the nervous system can tell the immune system to settle down and stop attacking these foreign bodies. When the immune system backs off, inflammation and mucus decrease and symptoms diminish. Relaxing the nervous system has been shown to help direct the immune system to attack the viruses and bacteria that increase in colder weather.

Colds are caused by bacteria and affect the upper respiratory system, causing stuffiness, coughing, sore throat and the other common symptoms. If the immune system is weak, the bacteria can penetrate the lungs and may cause bronchitis or pneumonia. If children are given the opportunity to totally relax their bodies – and therefore their immune systems – they will be armed with such a powerful tool that they can use throughout their lives.

Message to all our Relax Parents – Be a Protector of Calm

In this unstable time, please try not to buy into the fear and anxiety.

Your children will pick up on your jangled nervous system, so try to manage your energy by listening to soothing music and focussing on your breathing.

Stay present
Limit your time on social media
Ignore things that upset you
Spend less time with people who are stressing
and try not to get involved in group chats based on fear and anxiety

Fear and anxiety weaken your immune system and that is the last thing you want

Pause regularly – do something lovely and read something positive

This time is making us focus on the PRESENT even more and more because no-one knows what is in the future.

Help children not move into fear and anxiety by staying present. It takes practise but it is possible Focus on your mindset

We will be OK

An affirmation is a positive word or sentence that you repeat to yourself to help you feel better, feel confident and happy.  

Affirmations exercises and games are an important part of our Relax Kids classes where children are shown how to believe in themselves.  Here is how we explain affirmations to children.

Just as we eat healthy food to help our bodies grow strong and healthy so we have positive and happy thoughts to help our minds so we can grow up feeling strong and confident inside. 

Affirmations are short statements of personal belief that make us feel good about ourselves and our abilities and achievements.  It is important that they are said or written in the first person, present tense and are positive.  

Top athletes use affirmations to help them achieve their goals and improve their performance.  Positive affirmations help us reduce negative self-talk and remind us of who we are, our greatness and what we want to achieve.  

The more we repeat happy and positive thoughts, the more happy and positive we feel.  The more we think happy and positive thoughts, the more likely we are to say positive words and so it perform positive actions.

Ways to use affirmations 

Choose an affirmation and repeat it 10 times when you wake up, before you sleep or go into any new or stressful situation.  This should make you feel much better. 

Write your affirmations on small cards and keep them by your desk or bed to remind you.  Read these often to give you a positive mood boost.  

Make an affirmation chart and write a different affirmation each day.  

Make an affirmation poster.  Cut out positive words out of magazines and create an affirmation poster and put it up on your wall to remind you to be positive.  You might like to make an affirmation poster with the whole class or family

Try one of these affirmations – Repeat as many times as you can

Lack of confidence –   I AM CONFIDENT AND I BELIEVE IN MYSELF

Stress – I FEEL CALM AND RELAXED

Sleeping problems –   I RELAX AND LET GO

Feeling angry –   I AM COOL CAN CALM

Exam nerves –   I AM RELAXED AND IN CONTROL

Feeling ill – I AM STRONG AND HEALTHY

Shyness – I AM OK 

Worry – I RELAX AND KNOW THAT EVERYTHING IS OK

Achieving a goal – I AM BRILLIANT AND CAN DO WHATEVER I WANT

 The Relax Kids Believe and Achieve CD is perfect for introducing children of all ages to positive self talk and affirmations.  You can play it in the car, during meal times and even quietly as they do their homework. https://relaxkids.com/product/believe-and-achieve/ 

Bullies are looking for attention

Bullies are looking for attention. Try to give them as little attention as possible. As soon as they know you are upset and scared, they will taunt you more.

1 Walk way if a bully approaches you

2 Be positive and think about how great you really are and take no notice what anyone else says

3 Affirmation – have a positive saying that you repeat to yourself in your mind when the bully is coming close

4 Put on an invisible cloak of courage and imagine that anything the bully is saying just bounces off the cloak

5 Try to visualise the bully looking silly, maybe with spotty pants, or a party hat or a clowns mask

6 If you stay confident, the bullies will go away as they only come to people they think are weaker than them.

Don’t forget to stay calm and focussed with our Relax Kids CDs. We recommend  https://relaxkids.com/product/believe-and-achieve/ for building self esteem.

The Government is concerned about the rise in childhood anxiety and stress

The Government is concerned about the rise in childhood anxiety and stress and it is important to teach stress management to our kids. As adults, we are more able to adapt to stressful situations, but children need to learn these tools from a young age.

Here are 10 simple activities that you can easily incorporate into your routine, to help teach your child to manage their stress. Even if your child is not displaying any apparent signs of stress, these techniques and suggestions can also be adopted as preventative measures:

1 Teach them to breathe. Encourage deep breathing ‚ in through the nose and out slowly through the mouth. There are plenty of breathing exercises in https://relaxkids.com/product/relax-and-de-stress-2/

2 Give them a massage. Massage your child’s temples, hands, feet, back or shoulders. Try this before bed or while watching TV.

3 Go for a walk. When your child is feeling stressed, take 10 minutes out and go for a walk around the park or even around the block. Walking in the wind and rain really can de-stress and energise kids!

4 Get arty. Have a box full of relaxing activities at the ready, such as colouring sets, modelling clay and craft kids to help take your child’s mind off whatever is bothering them.

5 Chill out. Try to create a Chill Out space at home and encourage your child to visit this place daily or whenever they are feeling stressed or anxious. You may like to listen to a Relax Kids CD such as https://relaxkids.com/product/believe-and-achieve/ or https://relaxkids.com/product/nature/

6 Writing. If your child is older, they may like to write their thoughts and feelings down. Encourage them to write something every day and let out all their internalised stress in the page. If there is something particular bothering them, they could write down what it is, and then scrunch up the paper and throw it away in the bin!

7 Affirming. By repeating the words, I am Calm‚ I am Peaceful‚ I am Quiet‚ I am serene‚ will enable your child to find themselves in a more restful mindset. Star Cards are great for affirming children’s positive qualities. You might like to try https://relaxkids.com/product/believe-and-achieve/ which is full of positive affirmations.

8 Eating. Make sure your child gets plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables and reduce their intake of processed food. This will ensure that their bodies are packed with all the necessary nutrients needed to stay balanced.

9 Drinking. Make sure your child is always well-hydrated with plenty of water and fresh juices. Avoid sugary drinks or drinks with artificial flavours which can make children out of balance and hyperactive.

10 Listening. Calming music can have a positive effect on children, as it stimulates the Alpha brainwaves. At the end of the day, try to play some classical or relaxation music to help children wind down. You could try reading a book such as for some added calm before bedtime.

Please pass it on and tell all your friends

If you have found this blog helpful please pass it on to your friends, colleagues, schools and nurseries and help us help more families and schools.

What will you achieve this year…

New Year’s is an occasion celebrated all across the world, people get together and rejoice to ring in the upcoming year, the earliest known New Year celebrations were in Mesopotamia and date back to 2000 BC.

It is the perfect time to reflect on the year, looking back on what went well, what you have achieved& sometimes, where you can improve. Adding to that, it’s also the best time to look ahead to forthcoming year, what things you are looking forward too and what you want to accomplish.

It is tradition among most of the world to make a New Year’s resolution, whether that’s to stop a bad habit or to start a good one. What better time to motivate yourself to go and achieve that one thing you’ve been seeking for some time, or to put a stop to that bad habit which annoys you. One thing people find with making a resolution at the beginning of the year is that they do not see it through. However, studies show that it takes 66 days to form a habit. That is just over two months or 9 and a half weeks, so that resolution you are trying to keep for the whole year will become a habit after 66 days. After that period of time, your resolution will just become another part of your life and you will do it without even thinking.

Resolutions differ from everyone, some may wish to get active, be more mindful or try to eat healthier. Whilst others may try to completely change the direction of their lives, to find a new calling or to pursue the goal they’ve always dreamed of. Whatever the resolution may be, we all aspire to better ourselves and those around us.

At Relax Kids, our resolution is to keep on supporting children’s mental health in every way possible. Children are our future, it should be a priority to make sure they get the best possible start.

We’ll be doing our bit, but you can help too. Become a Relax Kids coach and teach children how to grow up calm and confident. Find out more about our Training Courses and how you can make a difference. https://relaxkids.com/training/