TLC NEWSLETTER December 2024

December Highlights

• TLC was thrilled to continue our partnership with the San Diego Air & Space Museum at the end of November and bring their Mission Control Bus to our K-3 grade students! Students were able to explore engineering, design thinking, innovation, and creativity while on board. In addition, the Air & Space Museum’s bus team gave students an opportunity to explore beginning coding with an activity in which they started to build a robot using simple codes.

• TLC families took to the ice for a fun family night this month. Families gathered at Rady’s Rink in Liberty Station to enjoy this perfect wintery activity while also supporting Rady’s Children’s Hospital.

• In addition to ice skating, TLC families had the chance to take part in another classic December activity – attending the Nutcracker. Hosted at the Prado Theater in Balboa Park, the Nutcracker was performed by the San Diego Civic Youth Ballet (SDCYB), a nonprofit organization that dates back to 1945.
• TLC staff also got into the winter spirit at their annual staff seasonal gathering and holiday party. This day included professional development, team-building, and some holiday fun.

Mental & Physical Health Over The Holidays

The holidays can be a magical time -- family, fun, gifts, and traditions bring the season to life and offer joy to many. For others, however, the holidays can be an emotional time. Maybe you're missing a family member, or have financial worries, or feel overwhelmed by the pressure of the season.

The San Diego County Office of Education provided a helpful article with tips to take care of yourself this holiday season. The following comes from that article:

Keep Healthy Habits

Daily walks and exercise, good sleep, and staying hydrated can help stabilize your mood and improve long-term mental well-being.

Make Time for Yourself

Spending time with family and friends can be overwhelming. If you need a moment for yourself, try stepping away to a quiet room or run errands.

Pay Attention to Your Feelings

Remember that it's okay to feel unhappy during the holidays. Recognizing your feelings is the first step to addressing and nurturing them.

Manage Expectations

Keep in mind the role you play in holiday gatherings. Hosts have different roles and responsibilities than guests.

Ask for Help

If you are feeling especially sad, stressed, or depressed, ask for help. Talk to a mental health professional or a primary care physician for guidance and support.

Emphasize the Good and Practice Gratitude

Expressing positive emotions increases your happiness. Engage in activities that promote happiness, such as gratitude journaling, sharing positive stories and thoughts, or writing thank-you notes to people you care about. Start your day listing a few things for which you are grateful and prioritize acts of kindness. Consider reaching out to a family member or friend and share a message of gratitude.

Focus on What You Can Control

One of the worst kinds of stress is when you don’t feel in control. To avoid this, plan ahead and be realistic with what is in your sphere of control.

Don’t Lose Sleep

Sleep is essential for every process in the body. It affects our physical and mental functioning, our ability to fight disease and develop immunity, and our metabolism. A lack of sleep increases our risk for chronic disease. When the holiday season is filled with hectic activity, prioritize a good night’s sleep!

Engage in Daily Mindfulness

Some ways to include mindfulness are:

• Start the day with a five-minute meditation.
• Wake up a few minutes early to enjoy a cup of hot cocoa, tea, or coffee in silence.
• Start or end your day with a journal entry.
• Take a few moments to pause and breathe.
• Engage in a nature walk and look for something that inspires awe.

Find Time for Fun

Visit a mall or community area to take in the sights and people watch. Consider taking a walk or drive to view decorations, lights, or other seasonal décor.

Check In On Others

Support others during this time of year as grief and loss can be amplified. Check-in on loved ones who may be alone or struggling. Helping a friend or neighbor not only gives others joy but can also improve your happiness and well-being.

If you need additional resources, you can access this page for more details.

Food Games, Videos & Quizzes

If you want to test and expand your nutrition knowledge over Winter Break, the "Let's Eat Healthy" organization has compiled resources for you. These activities are not only fun, they support the formation of healthy eating habits.

You can play their My Plate Match Game here and test what you know about the food groups.

You can access their video series here to enhance your knowledge about healthy eating and nutrition.

And students of all ages can try their hand at age-appropriate quizzes here to learn about lots of different food-related topics.

Exercising your brain by learning more about nutrition and food is a great activity to do in between holiday celebrating and eating.

Winter Snacks for De-Stressing

The following information comes from local nutritionist Carey Nash:

Stress, burnout, and overwhelm all have the potential to increase in winter due to a combination of environmental, social, and physiological factors, including reduced sunlight, cold weather, more time indoors, holiday demands, and sleep disruptions.

Your endocrine system produces four key chemicals that contribute to positive moods, feelings of happiness, and overall well-being. You can naturally increase these through diet, even when your body may be taxed by the challenge of the winter season. These "happiness hormones" are serotonin, dopamine, endorphins, and oxytocin.

The following list of foods can help to naturally increase these "happiness hormones" in your body. It may be particularly beneficial to add more of these foods to your diet during the winter months.