Cavalier County
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Republican
Single Copy Volume 135
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In this issue:
Copyright © Langdon, North Dakota
Find the latest from the Cavalier County Commission on Page 3. Find Girls and Boys Basketball coverage on Page 8-9.
Index
OPINION AG CHURCH COMMUNITY SPORTS PN PRO DIR CLASSIFIED
PAGE 4 PAGE 5 PAGE 6 PAGE 7 PAGE 8-10 PAGE 11 PAGE 12 PAGE 13
Monday, March 8, 2021
Number 10
Parenting in a Pandemic: The science of motivation By Linda Timian Republican Writer
Turn your clocks ahead one hour on Sunday, March 14!
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North Dakota State University Parenting Education Network hosted the second webinar in their five-part series Parenting in a Pandemic. The webinars are led by Erin Walsh, co-founder of the Spark & Stitch Institute based out of Minneapolis, Minn. The events are streamed via Zoom, and this one focused on the ccience of motivation. It is normal to have a lot of motivation when something challenging first happens. We may have met the challenges of the pandemic head on last spring, but now that we are a year into the pandemic - many of us would rather stay in our pajamas. What is the dominating vibe in your home right now? Are you running forward, or are you in your pajamas? You are not alone if your motivation is waning. When our kids have low motivation, there are a few easy tools we tend to reach for which may not be the most productive or empathetic. The first is ordering. We demand, command, or order them to get going, get motivated. We try to “will” them to get moving. Second, we may try lecturing. We share with them all the reasons why they should be motivated. We may pat ourselves on the back thinking this is really helpful motiva-
tion. Third, we resort to straight bribery. Do this, and I’ll get you that. All three of these strategies are easy to grab at and very tempting but likely don’t work very well because of the way that motivation circuits work. Motivation relies on emotional safety and a willingness to want to move towards the world. We can look to the science of motivation to figure out how to best help our kids engage and be more motivated.
ally sets the seeking brain up for success is a safe routine (I’ve been here before, and I like it) or novelty (I wonder what’s going to happen, and I want to find out). The more positive experiences our kids have had in the world, the more they want to move toward (approach) those experiences. Avoidance motivation is also common, but we don’t think of it as motivation. When faced with stress, uncertainty, or a feeling of being unsafe, there is
Motivation networks develop over time, a lot of it in the first 5-6 years of life, through interactions with the world and with others. The two main ones are approach motivation and avoidance motivation. The one used most often is the approach motivation system where you want to engage the world, and it is driven by two different experience-reward circuits. One circuit is the “liking circuit.” We do something enjoyable, and we get a little bit of dopamine. This is powerful, but more powerful is the “wanting circuit,” also called seeking brain, which remembers that experience and then motivates us to want to seek it out again. What re-
a strong motivation to deal with it by retreating from, avoiding, running away from, or ignoring the world. When we want to stay in our pajamas, that’s avoidance motivation. Stress is a mixed bag. Too little stress is boring and erases all the novelty. Too much stress is hard and cues avoidance motivation. In the COVID environment, we have more stress, less routine, and fewer - or a loss of - dopamine-generating activities. We need to build empathy for our kids and see just how challenging it can be for them. Understanding the science of motivation, what are the tools in our toolkit? Our tools are 1) recharge the
brain, 2) structure and rewards, and 3) choices and shared power. Recharging the Brain - We want to “prime the brain” for healthy doses of dopamine rewards by providing ways for our kids to recharge and fill their buckets where we can. Some examples of the ways kids – and all people – recharge are: physical (sleep, exercise, nutrition), purpose and helping (in the family, school, and community), connection (to family, friends, and school) and happy distractions (having fun, joy, and playing). Watch your kids in the ways they fill their buckets, and don’t take these away as punishments. Probably the most important when it comes to motivation is connection. Kids may connect with you, friends, teachers, coaches, etc. Find your empathy and tell them, “This is hard, isn’t it?” or “We will figure this out together.” When kids feel that they’re part of a team, that their parents are on their side, they will be better able to handle their stress response. When kids’ motivation is waning, it is easy to under-parent by backing too far off, over-parent by taking over, or swing back and forth between the two. It may be helpful to figure out your own default mode (over or under parenting) when you are cont. on page 2
COVID-19 one year later; cultural impact CHS delivers propane, new Traveling Safely • Are hospitals in your com- states, you should also familiarWith coronavirus cases trending downward, health officials are still urging Americans to stay home and limit their interactions with others. Unfortunately, life circumstances sometimes make traveling a necessity for business or personal reasons. If you must travel, it’s critical to be respectful of the local COVID-19 precautions and practice safety measures to limit the spread. Here are some factors to consider before traveling, as suggested by the Centers for Disease Control and Preve nt io n (CDC): • Are you, someone in your household, or someone you will be visiting at an increased risk of getting sick from a COVID-19 infection? • Does your home or destination have requirements or restrictions for travelers? • During the 14 days before your visit, have you or those you are seeing had close contact with people outside of the household?
munity or destination overwhelmed with patients who have contracted the virus? Open a communication line with your intended visitors to ensure they are remaining safe and commit to practicing safety protocols yourself before traveling. Do You Have to Travel? When staying home isn’t an
option, the CDC recommends that travelers get fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and wait at least two weeks before leaving for a trip. If you can’t receive the vaccination before your intended departure date, make sure to get tested for the virus at least one to three days ahead. Since restrictions vary between
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ize yourself with the requirements of your destination. Be prepared to pack extra masks, hand sanitizers and documents proving your negative test results or full vaccination reports. Types of Travel You can open yourself up to numerous safety risks depending on how you choose to travel. For instance, taking a road trip in a personal vehicle can limit the exposure you have to others. Still, you should carefully handle situations like stopping for gas or taking bathroom breaks. W h e n traveling on public transportation like an airplane or bus, prepare to stand in long lines while practicing social distance requirements of standing at least 6 feet apart. Keep in mind that while distancing yourself from others is practical during short periods, extended flights may cont. on page 2
features in MyCHS App CHS is now delivering propane to the Langdon, Calvin, and Sarles area. Piping was recently added to the large propane tank that services the grain dryer at the Langdon
tomers in Langdon, but it was very limited due to the amount of miles and time it took,” said Jay Jelinek, energy department manager at the CHS bulk plant in Adams. “The ability to refill delivery trucks in Langdon now allows us to service a larger area than before.”
grain terminal so that it can do double duty and fill delivery trucks, too. “The propane department is located in Adams,” said Northwest Branch Manager Jim Crockett. “When delivering to patrons in the Sarles, Calvin, and Langdon area, we are now able to load up in Langdon rather than having to run back to Adams, making CHS much more efficient for this area’s patrons.” “In the past we were able to deliver propane to a few cus-
The CHS business unit in Adams got into the propane energy business in 2012-2013 when they merged with the Farmers Union in Adams. CHS uses technology that adds conveniences like monitors that work with your smartphone, delivery options, the MyCHS web app, and its new pay online capability. “CHS offers a no-cost monitor that hooks up to the propane tank gauge,” said Jelinek. “The monitor reads the tank cont. on page 3
By Linda Timian Republican Writer
Best wishes and congratulations to our area wrestling, hockey and basketball teams at District, Regional and State Tournaments.