Parents Help Your Child to Focus & Learn....More Back to School Tips

Phyllis Reardon M.Ed

Life Coach

Life Coaching Activities

Focusing & Learning  

The Oxford dictionary defines Focus as :

'to Concentrate or be concentrated on'

As your child or children head back to school this year to take on a whole new area of learning, it is indeed necessary that they know how to Focus or increase their Focusing ability.

Proper focusing will help them better understand what the teacher is teaching. It will create connections in their thoughts to previous leaning, allowing them to better understand and be more successful in school.

How Focused is your son or daughter?

How can you help them increase their Focus?

Simply telling them to focus may work or not.

Environment and Focus…The Little Things in Life

When my children were young we would take time to focus on small things in their environment. We would lie down on the grass in the garden or park and focus on one blade of grass. We would touch the grass to get its feel; we would smell the grass; we would look at the different size & shapes of grass; the different shades of green. We were taking time out in nature but more importantly we were practicing Focusing. In winter time this focusing activity turned to snowflakes and ice crystals.

 The Night Sky

Another focus activity I used was The Night Sky.
If you live in a place where you can see the stars try a 'Count the Stars' game and 'Find the Constellations.Try to have them focus on what eles they may see in the night sky. Have them compare it to the day sky.

 Check out a Spider’s Web

Who doesn’t love a spider’s web? Have your children focus on the amazing detail of the spider’s web. Discuss just how the spiders make their web. Follow up with a Google search. Stay Focused on the topic.

Board Games

I was chatting with a friend earlier today and she agreed that this is one of the best ways to get your children/grandchildren to Focus. Thanks Mary!

You may have a favorite board game that you used as a child, pick a classic and it will work. Make it a family activity. We can all use some Focus time.

 Focusing allows for the brain to spend time concentrating on a particular piece of information and all aspects of that new information. It takes practice and time but it is worth it.  

 There are many more activities that you can try to help your child focus. Be creative and enjoy this time with your child!

 If you would be interested in learning more about my Parent Life Coaching  or other Life Coaching Activities email me Phyllis@coachphyllis.com

Have a great Focused day.

Phyllis

www.coachphyllis.com

Is it Back to School Time Already? Life Coaching Acivities to Help Survive the First Week

Phyllis Reardon M.Ed.
Life Coach

This is a reprint of a previous Blog. Please use and share!

Is it really that time of year again! Where did the summer go?

These are the questions I heard two Moms ask at a local mall this week. In fact the question seems to be everywhere.

You know for most parents and students this is not a new event, but it seems that whether this is a first child attending school or a returning student, it creeps up on us and can bring with it worry and angst.


I would like to offer you some helpful Life Coaching Activities that I as a parent of four have used and which I share with my clients. Hope they help.


1. Work Space
Getting a good start in the new school year can increase your child's school success. Work with them to set up or create a space in their room or somewhere else in the house that is designated solely as their study/homework space.

2. Organization
Organize this special study space so that your child has all the necessary supplies to accomplish projects and homework.

3. Planner
Planning is essential to school success, so make sure your son/daughter has a calendar/day planner. There are many to choose from. Make sure it fits the school year.

4. School Supplies
Most schools provide a list of school supplies needed so check out your school's website and get out to your local stores. Comparative shop, you might find some good deals. Make sure to pick up extras to avoid having to leave the house in search of computer paper on a cold wet fall night.

5. Lunches/Snacks
Your child's physical and mental energy is another key to their academic success. Together with your child make a plan for healthy lunches and snacks. This gives you the opportunity to discuss good eating practices and also create lunch menus.

6. Positive Attitude
You are the most influential person in your child's life so it is most important that your child hears you speak in a positive way about school and education.

7. Great Self Concept
As your daughter/son begins another school year, help them feel the best they can feel about themselves. Little compliments and daily praise go a long way.


Enjoy your child! Enjoy the school year!

If you would like more information on Life Coaching Activities re back to school please contact me: phyllis@coachphyllis.com

www.lifecoachphyllis.com

Parents, Want Your Child to be Successful in School? Life Coaching Activities

Phylis Reardon M.Ed.
Life Coach

 

This is an article I wrote and posted last year and I thought it worthwhile to repost. Please share with friends.

Parents, Want Your Child to be Successful in School? Life Coaching Activities to Increase Physical and Mental Energy


The first day of school is just days away. How ready are you?


School supplies are purchased; new clothes are hanging in the closet; information has been downloaded from the school website.

What else do you need to know or recall?

The importance of your child’s physical and mental energy to school success.



Success in school depends to a large degree on just how ready your child is each and every day to be able to concentrate and comprehend the new information that is presented in at least five different areas of knowledge. Think of that. One class finishes and another begins. They need to change gears in thinking and processing.

This takes both physical and mental energy.


Here are a few life coaching activities that I used as a parent of four and with my clients as a life coach. Please use and share them.


I call it my SEA Plan…….Sleep….Eat…….Action

Sleep

1. Sleep is essential to maintaining both physical and mental energies. As the summer comes to an end it is sometimes difficult to get back into the school routine of early to bed. You might want to start now to adjust bedtime. Each night between now and the first school night move your child’s bed time 15 minutes ahead until you achieve the desired time.



Eat

2. You are what you eat so make sure your child’s meals give him/her the needed energy. Choose foods that are healthy and natural. Take time before school begins to sit with your son/daughter and create a weekly menu; this will reduce your work load and help avoid reaching for less healthy foods and snacks. Grocery shop together. Discuss the ingredients and benefits of certain snacks and then decide on the healthy ones.


Action

3. Activity is key to physical and mental energy. Remember at the end of the day that your child for the most part has been physically inactive for about 5 hours. Make sure your daughter/son has physical activity after school and before starting homework. Activity appropriate for their age group. If you have the time go for a walk or hike with them. This also gives you a chance for one on one talk.


Enjoy your child's school year! If you have any questions or would like more tips please contact me. phyllis@coachphyllis.com

New Life Coaching Book.......Know Your Strengths Inventory

Phyllis Reardon M.ED
Life Coach


















Good morning, well eleven months from publishing my first book, Life Coaching Activities & Powerful Questions my 2nd book Know Your Strengths Inventory is now on Amazon!!!!

I have written this book as a tool for Life Coaches but extremely useful for parents, teachers, counselors, human resource personnel, as they are also life coaches by another name.


Discover your hidden potential! You are smarter than you think!

Know Your Strengths Inventory is based on Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences.You are smarter than you think....find out just how smart you are.

If you have any questions or would like a complimentary life coaching session, please email me phyllis@coachphyllis.com

Have a great day.
Phyllis
www.coachphyllis.com

Want to Make a Life Change? Life Coaching Activities

Phyllis Reardon M.Ed

Life Coach

The Importance of  Knowing Yourself 

If there was one part of your life that you could change today, what would it be?  Please remember when I refer to Life that your work is a part of your Life. 

In order for you to grow you need to learn and learning leads to Change, therefore to make the Change you want, you will need to learn something. That may be learning something about you, becoming more Self aware. You might be thinking you know yourself really well and indeed you may.

Time for a little disclosure…...when I switched from my counseling profession  to my Life Coaching practice I thought I knew everything about myself. Why wouldn’t I?  I had worked for many years, I had four adult children, two marriages …what else was there to learn about me?

Was I surprised as I took on this new area of knowledge and put it to work in my life.  The discoveries have been endless. I approach life now from a “questioning perspective” which broadens my perspective of people and events in my life. I am constantly learning about Phyllis and as a result continuing to grow.  

You may know my favorite quote that hangs on my wall by Proust:

The real act of discovery lies not in finding new lands, but in seeing with a new set of eyes.

I guess you can say I now see myself with a new set of eyes. In my Life Coaching process I work with my clients to help them see with a new set of eyes.  Let’s face it, if we want change, it will come from within us. We can change others!

And so I’ll ask the question again for your Reflection and Action:

If there was one part of your life that you could change today, what would it be?  Please remember when I refer to Life that your work is a part of your Life.

If you would like more info on my Life Coaching Porcess, please email me phyllis@coachphyllis.com

What questions will you ask yourself today?

Note your answers and have a wonderful learning day.

Phyllis Reardon

www.coachphyllis.com

EFT Emotional Freedom Technique

Phyllis Reardon M.Ed
Life Coach
 

Good morning to my subscribers. Who is familiar with EFT?


In February of this year I was trained in a Emotional Freedom Technique. For those of you not familiar with this, it is a combination of acupuncture and NLP.  I was amazed by the results it offered me personally.
 

EFT is a 5000 year old technique Wish I had been taught this in school!


Limited Time Offer

 I am offering an opportunity for a free EFT session to 20 of my subscribers on a first come basis.
 

In brief, EFT is said to be "like acupuncture without the needles". It is based on the Meridian system which has been used in the Chinese culture for thousands of years. It is  fast and effective in dealing with physical and emotional issues. Great for you or your clients.

Even when your clients are deicated to achieving their goals, there will be times they will get stuck. EFT addesses what is causing them to be stuck by connecting to the individual's subconscious to clear up limiting beliefs and fears.  Many times lack of action is Fear based.

I have added EFT as another tool in my Coaching practice. EFT is commonly referred to as ‘tapping’ as the process has you tap on energy or meridian points throughout your body.

When we set up your complimentary session I will send you a chart of the Meridian points to tap.

If you would like more info check out wwwEFTU.com

Looking forward to tapping with you.

Phyllis
phyllis@coachphyllis.cxom

What Is Life Coaching? Coachable Areas of Life

Phyllis Reardon M.Ed.
Life Coach

I am very often asked, ‘what is life coaching,’ and while it is one of the fastest growing professions in the world it is sometimes not fully understood.  Many people think that life coaching is limited to career coaching.

If you think about your own life and all the needs you have to meet in your life, these are the areas with which I and other Life Coaches work.

Let’s take a look. I will list these in no particular order. Please keep in mind that a Life Coach need not be a content expert, the Life Coach is the Process expert.

Areas of Life

1. Family/relations

Think about it, we all have other people in our life, albeit to varying degrees but they are there. Families bring contact with people; work brings contact with people; groups such as recreation/volunteering/ church/community all bring us in contact with other people. Most of the time these relationships are easy to manage, in fact most time no thought or energy has to be given to maintaining these connections BUT there can be times in our life when we need some help with our interactions with family members or coworkers.  

2. Career Decision/Change

Making a Career decision, be it course of study, a first career, midlife career change or a change within an existing career can be one of the biggest decisions in life. Informed decisions are the most successful and need to be put in the context of your present and future life.

3. Health/Fitness

Let’s face it, without health there will be no life to Coach!  Many of my clients take on this area of life change to enhance their other areas.

  4. Personal Development

Life- long learning is key to life and work success. I make sure I teach myself at least one new thing each day.  Life Coaching is all about Change and Change comes with Learning. Learning broadens our perspective and opens us up to new opportunities.

5. Money/Finances

Money is necessary for us to live the lives we want.  Some of my clients have received mixed messages throughout their life about the importance and value of money. Money is not evil…money can achieve many good things and yes we deserve to have money.  Money and perception are often life coaching issues.

6. Joy/Fun

Are we having fun yet? When is the very last time that you can say you had fun? Check your calendar. Working life has become so demanding that many of us forget what it was like to have fun. Fun or joy which ever you label it is essential in life. I will have clients who will come to me asking how they can get Joy back in their life. They have forgotten how.

 7. Physically Environment

Look around you, anything in need of a change?  Many times we sit at the same desk staring out the same window or at the same wall. Little adjustments make a difference in our mood and creativity. This is an area that I will address with clients if they are feeling stuck in making a decision. Amazing how it works.

If you would like a complimentary coaching session, please email me  phyllis@coachphyllis.com

Enjoy all areas of your life today!

Phyllis

www.coachphyllis.com