Children and Families - Scripture Union NZ

These are strange and overwhelming times. We are under stress, collectively as a nation. We are also under stress in our little bubbles. I t is easy to be pulled apart by the pressure of home-school a class of ungrateful students, or working in a church role where you are expected to collate all manner of online resources in a short space of time. Or the anxiety producing loneliness of isolation. Let me offer into this space one practice I have used for a year or so now and have found very helpful. It will work on your kids too! You could use this on a walk outside or around your house.  Notice 5...4...3...2...1 5. Notice five things that you can see. *Describe them out loud if you like (e.g. green spiky leaf, black hairy spider)  4. Notice five things that you can hear. * (e.g. the screech of a seagull, my heartbeat) 3. Notice five things you can feel. (e.g. the carpet under my feet, the breeze on my face) 2. Notice five things you can smell. (e.g. the sweet smell

Kia tau te rangimārie Peace be with you  We live in anxious times. The spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus is causing the whole world to become an unsettled and unpredictable place. This has an effect on our children. I recently heard of a school that has had to ban the children from playing 'Coronavirus Tag', which is as it sounds. If you get tagged, you have the virus and you will die. Needless to say, this was rather anxiety inducing for all concerned.  We can be proactive in addressing this anxiety, especially as some children will carry their concerns close to their heart without verbalising it.  Here are a couple of tips and resources that you might find helpful: 1. Slow down: This link will lead you to a series of colouring pages produced by Strandz for Advent this year. Download the ' rangimārie ' or 'peace' page and photocopy off enough for one each. During your Sunday morning programme or after-school club give the children time in silence