I need your wellbeing ideas

[Bobbiepin]

I'm not being unreasonable but I do need your help.

I'm a teacher with a year 10 tutor group. We have a virtual wellbeing session planned into our timetable now but the "work" that is provided isn't helpful. I'm running an extra teams meeting just for my tutor group as they are struggling with their mental wellbeing.

They've asked for some suggestions of what they can do, within lockdown limits away from any sort of screen to help boost their mental health. The school is in a high area of unemployment and high free school meals, pupil premium so nothing that requires much expense.

Please suggest some ideas. Last week I shared a tried and tested cookie recipe but can't be buying ingredients every week!

Yoga - plenty of free videos on YouTube and the focus on your own body and balance allows you to really zone out of the ‘noise’ of everyday life and Covid news

Yoga is a great idea but ideally want no screen at all. They are on computers for 6 hours and need a break.

Teach them a daily journaling technique?

I don’t know how many would have phones with Teams access but could you do a walk and talk session where you all join a WhatsApp or Teams call and complete x thousand steps together?

The calls could be audio only through headphones to get away from a screen

Origami is another good one if you could post out sheet instructions. Gives something to focus on and distract from everything else.

Five Ways to Well Being

One Million Lives

Read a book.
Go for a walk.
Meditate for ten minutes.
Make a gratitude list.
Do something kind for someone else.
Have a foot bath
Sort out a drawer or cupboard
Write a poem about something that makes them happy
Recycle some stuff (stuff they don’t use anymore)
Find a recipe book and pick a healthy meal to make for their family

Also coming on to say 5 ways to well-being. Loads of good resources if you google, or just engage them in thinking about ways to implement.

Walk with a purpose - use it to chat to someone, count a number of things, take photos of things beginning with the letters of their name etc.

Audiobook or podcasts to listen to.

Online yoga/meditation.

RSPB Birdwatch.

Cooking/baking.

Are there any opportunities for them to support with younger year groups - sports coaching, playing games, reading...

I've started reading about 5 ways to wellbeing, I like the theory a lot. Origami and gratitude lists are a great idea.

I like to ask them for a positive story in the mornings (today was me getting an extra hash brown from a friendly McDonalds worker) but they are running thin. We read Tanks good news too. I'm half tempted to find a book they might enjoy and just read to them.

I ve started going on meaningful stroll with my girls ie. take your camera smartphone or others, and each week / day pick a theme: texture, shapes, colours, architecture, etc. Then make a catalogue or a collage or a moodboard.
So whilst yes they will eventually go back to the screen to edit, they actually get engrossed into taking the picture. Tell them that to make it interesting they shouldnt take a random picture but to try to work with the light, filters, angle and so on. They ll lose themselves in the act of creation.
The creation part is their wellbeing and giving them a project.

Simultaneously, they could pick an object and picture at different times of day from the same position and same angle so they can catalog of the change of light affect an object and therefore a context.

This lockdown is really hard and you are so right to give wellbeing a serious thought. It is important to get them outdoor and to give them a sense pf purpose. Taking pictures does that and give them a memory bank and a visual bank to draw from for all visual arts or everyday inspirations.

Especially now that spring is on its way, things are changing quickly.

Apologies fir all the typos.

Could you ask them all to put together a 'happy' playlist on Spotify that they could share.?

Outdoors treasure/scavenger hunt of some sort?

Reading a book sounds wonderful
My two year 11 and 9 don't bloody read - phones etx are much easier.

Reflection time - so to spend 5 mins putting the day to bed - what went well and they need to pick up tomorrow/ weekend - so not random good things but stuff they've achieved during the day

Sharing things that made them laugh during the day?

Anything that helps build a sense that the day was valuable useful and they've done their best, if they couldn't focus encourage them to get some space and not dwell but try again tomorrow, if they've had a good day and worked then great - relax leave it now and have some downtime

Also giving back is positive so things like
Make a family member a drink or a snack
Make dinner
Wash up
Find dirty washing
Give someone they live with a random compliment

Highly valuable no cost and tailored to their own situation

I know this isn’t what you have asked for but we have found that putting up a range of emojis and asking people to pick the one that reflects how they feel and then explain why is really good to get people talking about their feelings and mental well-being, which can help a lot

Nice ideas will follow!

Could you use the session to throw the ball into their court, so to speak? Have a brainstorming session with the kids themselves to see if they can come up ideas?

You could start them off with what's been suggested here.

I think a lot of kids are feeling like everything at the moment is a "task" and you don't want to add to that, but by letting them bounce ideas around they might be more responsive and motivated to try something?

What about colouring in ( adult colouring printouts) it's very relaxing , audio stories/ mindfulness , meditation, journaling , visualisation board, activity challange ( eg walk / run), little challenges you could set them around listening to difference genres of music, learning relaxation techniques ( you leading ?), setting small daily goals, gratitude lists. What about a sort of scavenger hunt list or a trail with clues/ riddles of local area ( depending on catchment area) I was going to say a book club but of course they would not all have access to same books but maybe you could read it to them?

create an emjoii to reflect their current feelings/situation ..on paper of course

YABU for posting this in the AIBU section. There is a chat section, education, coronavirus, mental health... lots of topic areas that it could be legitimately put into, why have you posted in AIBU?

I would teach them grounding techniques. If you feel overwhelmed having something like that to fall back on is amazing.

If you look up the drama triangle, mindfulness, deep breathing, self confidence. I think it’s sometimes better to learn why we behave a certain way and having coping mechanisms.

Strava exercise competition, need the app to log it but would encourage exercise

Drawing is a nice way to slow down and engage a different part of their brain. Perhaps ask them to go for a walk and collect one leaf, one feather and one item of their choosing, and ask them to draw them? Then you get a reason to walk and engage with the environment, and something to do once they're home.