Parent and Family Newsletters
Building bridges between home, school and community
to promote student success for all families of Jenison Public Schools
to promote student success for all families of Jenison Public Schools
Feeling stressed and lonely? You're not alone!"In our effort to keep up with all that is expected of us — and expected of ourselves — many of us find ourselves in perpetual motion, filling our days with the hyper-active, turbo-charged, “crazy busy” schedules that keep us struggling to eat healthy, find and maintain balance between our work, busy careers, and all that’s happening in our personal lives. Despite our success, when we achieve it, it seems that quality personal time for ourselves and for nurturing our relationships has become increasingly more elusive.
Psychologists see a pattern in this success driven culture of business and the associated “connection disconnection” of an increasingly digitally remote world, and it’s triggering what they say is rapidly becoming a dire epidemic of loneliness. In the elderly, this epidemic of loneliness is known as the “hidden killer.” (1) Can you relate to this? If you can, you are in good company! Across all demographics, parents are feeling less supported and more stressed all the time. In 2004, 25% of Americans reported having no one to confide in. Not one close friend ((Rose)! As a parent, this has an impact on not only you, but also your children. You can only give to your children what you have to offer. If you are empty and depleted, lonely and stressed, it is hard to be present, calm and attentive to your children in ways you'd like to. And lack of social connection does have a big impact . It might not seem like a big deal to be lonely or disconnected. My experience, and research, tells a different story. In fact, it has been shown that strong social connection can lead to a 50% increased chance of living longer. On the flip side, a lack of social connection has been shown to be a greater health concern than obesity, smoking and high blood pressure, (Seppata), and is strongly connected to anxiety and depression (Hari, Bader) The good news is that you don't have to be outgoing or have a lot of friends to benefit from social connection. Your perception about how connected you are is what is important. What you think and feel about how lonely you are matters more than anything. When you are connected with others and receiving support, it creates a positive feedback loop of social, emotional and physical health and well-being. So what is social connection? Connection happens when you get:
Do you have supportive connections? Do you have at least one or two people who you can trust to:
So, what can you do? Be aware that loneliness and lack of social connection can have a significant impact on your physical and emotional health and well being. Be careful about confusing social media connection with relational connection. Being connected in the digital social world can be isolating. Real life interactions with people help us build strong relationships that meet our basic human need to connect with others. Take time to be with people, even just one person. REFERENCES: 1. Rose, Marina QDNA. "The Science of Human Connection and Wellness in a Digitally Connected World" , Thrive Global, October 5, 2017, https://medium.com/thrive-global/the-science-of-human-connection-and-wellness-in-a-digitally-connected-world-611eb8c1b51c 2. Bader, Michael, D.M.H. "Depression as a Social DiseaseA consideration of Johann Hari's book "Lost Connections." Mental Health America, http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/connect- others 3. Seppala, Emma, Ph.D. "Connect to Thrive: Social Connection Improves Health, Well-Being & Longevity". Psychology Today, Posted Aug. 26, 2012, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/feeling-it/201208/connect-thrive Opportunities for connectionBelow are some opportunities to connect with others. If you are feeling disconnected, and none of these options work for you, reach out.
Your school's Parent Club: See details below:
community resources and eventsSensory Friendly Movies click image for link
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