What is your child’s “yard” of his or her school? Huh, you ask? I’m referring to the least stressful area of your home…and your child’s school. The place where your child feels comforted, primed to perform exceptionally, and soothed into a state of creativity. 70 researchers from six universities, including the UCLA and University of Michigan, have captured and analyzed the living days of 32 middle-income, dual earner, multiple child families in their homes. The researchers continue to sift through over 3 years of close-up data on conversations, activities in different parts of the houses, and even each family members’ spit…yes, their saliva as a means to identify cortisol (or stress) levels. Herein lies a rare but interesting treat…a coming together of biologists, cognitive scientists, and linguistic anthropologists for one extensive study. One of their many findings? Children and parents spent the least amount of time in the most soothing part of their home: the yard. It’s counterproductive…but true: the least stressful place is where families spent the least amount of time.
Cortisol levels (the hormone associated with stress) washed away when spending time in the yard.
So, how about the “yard” of your child’s school? The particular classroom, the part of the hallway, the corner of the cafeteria where your child feels the least stressed? It’s worth asking him/her…even if it is your child’s last week or month of school. Not only do you have a worthwhile conversation starter, but you have a way to prompt your child to become even more self-aware, and thus more able to recreate those types of places in next year’s school.
A way, too, to prompt your child or teen to get out in the yard this afternoon…with his mom and dad in tow!
