Tippit Counselor's Corner

Parenting and the Power of Giving By Sean Moore, M.Ed. (Tippit Counselor) Over the last couple weeks, we have focused on the theme of Giving.  Studies are now showing us that the act of giving actually releases feel good chemicals which leads to happiness.  In other words, people who give tend to be happier.  Throughout this article, we want to share some of the videos that we have shown to our students this month about the power of giving. As counselors, we know that this school year has been the most difficult year for many students, teachers, and families.  As we look at mental health, we are forced to acknowledge the fact that simple acts of kindness towards another person can lead to a more positive mood and better overall life quality.  What's interesting is that the human race seems to be hard wired to help and give to each other.  One experiment showed that when given the option of getting something for themselves or getting something for their parent, kids over and over ag

Gratitude: Why It's Important? (From Region 13 Educational Service Center) Let’s talk about Gratitude. It’s the ability to see the positive in your own life, even when things are challenging. And we know now that practicing gratitude is actually good for our brains and bodies! Let’s look at a few reasons why. Gratitude increases the hormones in our brains that tell us we are content and happy. When we can go through our day and notice the good aspects and not just the negative, our brain is releasing more endorphins and dopamine and less cortisol (the stress hormone). When you practice gratitude regularly, you will experience better quality sleep, have more energy, and less anxiety and depression. While this sounds too good to be true, science tells us it is possible! This all takes practice. Our brains are incredibly powerful and they’re also a muscle. The more you build your gratitude muscles, the less stressed you’ll become. Practice gratitude for one week, intentionally lookin