The Weekly Word: 11/10/24

What I've Been Thinking About...
One thing that I enjoy about working at a school is that there always seems to be a new experience every week. Sometimes it is for the good, sometimes it is for the not-so-good, and other times it kind of tears at my heartstrings a bit. 

As PE began last week I notice a student who was looking down in the dumps. Her classmate mentioned that she wanted to sit next to me at the start of class and I said sure, no problem. She is probably 5 years old and I thought maybe just a tough morning. We then stood up to start some fun activities and she was not engaged. She asked if she could hold my hand for a little and I said yes. This led me to ask, "Is everything okay?" and she started to cry and say "I miss my grandpa" who passed away a few weeks prior. My heart broke when she said this and I gave her a hug and took her in to spend some time with her teacher. I checked in on her later in the day and she was in much better spirits having fun with classmates and totally engaged in everything they were doing.

When I think about this story it makes me realize that this is the tricky thing about losing someone. You never know when the tough moments will arise. Sometimes they hit you like a truck, and other times they are non-existent.

National Native American Heritage Month
I learned that this month we pay homage to the Native Americans and it just so happens to coincide very nicely with a book I started reading titled Black Elk Speaks written by John G. Neihardt (aka Flaming Rainbow.) This book was written in the 1930's and recounts the life of Oglala Sioux medicine man Black Elk. This man is kind of like a connector of two America's. The first that existed before Western expansion and the second, life on reservations and the attempted assimilation of the American Indian. 

When Black Elk was young, he was there for Custer's Last Stand. He was second cousin to the great war leader Crazy Horse and rode with him prior to his murder. He traveled with Buffalo Bill Cody for performances and even crossed the Atlantic for a show with Queen Victoria. He was there and survived Wounded Knee Massacre. This man was like the Forrest Gump of Indian affairs! 

In addition to all the big events, he shares countless stories of hard living. Killing, scalping, starvation, riding through winter, eating whatever they can get their hands on, sweat lodges, greater spirits, fasting and so much more!  

Fitness Tip of the Week
There is a global experiment that occurs twice a year that effects 1.6 billion people in 75 countries. It is called daylight savings and it has some serious sleep associated consequences. For example, in the spring time when we lose an hour of sleep there is a 24% increase in heart attacks. In the fall, when we gain an hour, there is a 21% reduction in heart attacks. That alone should be enough to nix this "experiment" but here we are. In addition to that, there are similar changes in traffic accidents, strokes, and suicide rates. Even the stock market gets hits by that one hour of sleep loss!

What I take from this is not to incite fear but rather a reminder. We cannot do anything about Daylight Savings but we do have control over our daily sleep schedule. The statistics mentioned above show us that small increases in sleep can be some of the very best investments that we can make. Take your sleep seriously and make sure you get enough! 

What I've Been (re)Reading...
A few weeks ago I finished reading The Boy Crisis and there is a section of the book on Dopamine that I am going back to try and better understand. My understanding of Dopamine is that it is a chemical messenger in the brain that plays a major in role in reward systems and feelings of pleasure. There is a good side (praise, exercise, sunlight, etc.) and a not so good side (excessive eating, sugar, technology, illicit substances) that triggers this hormone. 

Nowadays kids are much more exposed to the not so good side of things. The foods, the technology, the gaming devices, the "everyone gets a trophy" mentality, the pats on the back for everything, and so on all give you a hit of dopamine. The more hits you get per day, the more you crave it later and often times it needs to be at a higher dose to give you the same effect. A simple good job from your parents used to put a smile on your face but now when you have all of these other things that offer much more, that compliment from mom, dad or teacher doesn't get the job done like it used to. 

So what are we to do to re-wire this system? I think a focus on sleep, exercise, limiting technology use, minimizing stimulation, and having an intermittent reward system can all help. We can give praise when we catch someone doing something good but it cannot be all the time. If so, the effectiveness of the praise will diminish. 

Quote of the Week
“Any man who is attached to things of this world is one who lives in ignorance and is being consumed by the snakes of his own passions” -- Black Elk

I hope you all have an awesome week!Chris Fluck