Exploring Brain Health Month in May

4/26/2018 2:12 pm

The diversity at Discovery takes many forms, and as we approach the month of May, we thought it would be a good time to shed light on some different, frequently less visible ways in which we differ in our experience of the world. May is Mental Health Month, and in the spirit of growth mindset, we are acknowledging and exploring Brain Health during the month of May. We can celebrate brain health by talking to our Explorers about how our brains do much more than just retain information—they are like “the bosses of our bodies.” Our brains are not a static organ but rather grow with us and there are things we can do to support that growth like getting enough sleep, continuing to challenge our brains through learning, and making smart, healthy choices with what goes in our bodies. Finally, it is important to recognize that everyone’s brain, while serving the same primary function of managing our bodies, can differ in the way information is processed, which helps us understand that anxiety, ADHD, depression, and other diagnoses have biological roots, and the successful interventions of which range from medication to different forms of therapy and routine.

Your Explorer may see and experience the world very differently from you and their peers, and/or they may have a friend who does, so this is a great time to practice seeing and experiencing the world in someone else’s shoes. Below are some resources to help you talk about this with your child(ren).

Three Things All Parents Should Teach Their Kids About the Brain

ADDitude (Inside the ADHD mind)

American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Facts for Families Guide