Mindful Moments Blog

Behavior is A Symptom, Not The Problem

Mindful Moments Blog

Behavior is A Symptom, Not The Problem

by Ashley Patek on Aug 16 2021
Behavior is a symptom, not the problem. And when we focus solely on the symptom, the problems causing these behaviors remain unsolved, and they stack up. So, how do we transform challenging behaviors at home and in the classroom?
Consequences For When My Child Misbehaves

Mindful Moments Blog

Consequences For When My Child Misbehaves

by Ashley Patek on Aug 12 2021
We all want to raise kind and empathetic humans. And when our children fail to pick up their toys, do their homework, or listen to our requests, our instinct is to issue a consequence. But what type of consequences work?
5 Calming Strategies To Do With Your Kids

Mindful Moments Blog

5 Calming Strategies To Do With Your Kids

by Ashley Patek on Aug 11 2021
We’ve all been there before, face to face with our child, locking horns, emotions escalating (both yours and theirs). What do you do? Here are 5 calming strategies to do with your child to bridge the gap from being at odds to being on the same team.
Why Is My Child Behaving This Way?

Mindful Moments Blog

Why Is My Child Behaving This Way?

by Ashley Patek on Aug 09 2021
Power struggles ... meltdowns ... defiance. Here's what's causing your child's behavior and tools for transforming it.   
Connect, Regulate, and Teach Through Play

Mindful Moments Blog

Connect, Regulate, and Teach Through Play

by Rebecca Eanes on Aug 09 2021
Playfulness isn’t only a tool to keep in your parenting toolbox, it’s a mindset. Here are some tips and tools on how to use play to build connection, bolster emotional regulation, and enhance learning. 
Getting Your Child To Listen Without Commands And Demands

Mindful Moments Blog

Getting Your Child To Listen Without Commands And Demands

by Ashley Patek on Aug 06 2021
Want your child to listen without having to nag, command or demand? Follow these 5 tips.
It’s Development, Not Defiance

Mindful Moments Blog

It’s Development, Not Defiance

by Rebecca Eanes on Aug 04 2021
We are so accustomed to parenting being a struggle. We expect it. We deal with it. We fight back and forth for control. But what if I told you that their behavior was not defiance but development. Here are 3 tools to help your child grow their emotional regulation and impulse control muscles. 
Practicing Transitions To Reduce Meltdowns

Mindful Moments Blog

Practicing Transitions To Reduce Meltdowns

by Ashley Patek on Jul 29 2021
Children are concrete learners and often thrive off of predictability, so it can be hard for them to pivot, especially when the request is to move from a preferred activity to a less preferred task. Here are 5 tools to help children with transitions. 
Sometimes It's Hard, And That Isn't A Failure

Mindful Moments Blog

Sometimes It's Hard, And That Isn't A Failure

by Guest Author on Jul 22 2021
We cannot shield our children from stress, heartache, and pain, especially as they grow older. And we can't protect them from mental illness. But we can provide them attachment and love them through it.
Post-Pandemic Schools Need More Than Academics

Mindful Moments Blog

Post-Pandemic Schools Need More Than Academics

by Traci Esposito on Jul 22 2021
Post-pandemic children have a lot to adjust to. And there is no cookie-cutter response because the mental health of our children is not one-dimensional. There is a spectrum of feelings and emotional stress taking a seat in the classroom this year. Here are some tools for nurturing social-emotional learning (SEL). 
The Stories Kids Want To Tell About COVID

Mindful Moments Blog

The Stories Kids Want To Tell About COVID

by Rebecca Eanes on Jul 19 2021
Our children grew up in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Their brains developed in quarantine. Their bodies changed in lockdown. They are emerging from this as different people, and the impact it had on them is yet to be told. Here are 4 things we can do to support our children’s social-emotional health this school year ...
Regulate Emotions Through Play

Mindful Moments Blog

Regulate Emotions Through Play

by Ashley Patek on Jul 16 2021
How do we get under the meltdowns, tantrums, and big wants and desires fueling our tots? Learn how to use play and mind-body activities to increase connection, regulate emotions, and change undesirable behaviors.
Teaching Your Child How To Be Mad

Mindful Moments Blog

Teaching Your Child How To Be Mad

by Ashley Patek on Jul 15 2021
It’s not about teaching our children not to be mad, sad, or frustrated. It’s about teaching them how to be mad, sad, and frustrated. Rather than teaching them to suppress or bottle their emotions, we can empower our children to move through them in healthy ways. Here's how. 
Speaking Your Child's Meltdown Language

Mindful Moments Blog

Speaking Your Child's Meltdown Language

by Ashley Patek on Jul 14 2021
Understand the biology of a meltdown and how to speak your child's unique meltdown language.
3 Ways Parenting Can Heal Your Childhood Wounds

Mindful Moments Blog

3 Ways Parenting Can Heal Your Childhood Wounds

by Guest Author on Jul 07 2021
When our own childhood contained stress and trauma, the developmentally-appropriate behaviors of our children can be a big trigger. Here are 3 ways to heal your childhood wounds through parenting. 
Portable Emotional ToolKit for Sensitive Kids

Mindful Moments Blog

Portable Emotional ToolKit for Sensitive Kids

by Guest Author on Jul 06 2021
How do you discipline a highly sensitive child? Using time-ins help children understand and mange their deep emotional world, nurturing connection and emotional intelligence. Here are 8 tips to building a portable ToolKit for your child to help them regulate not only at home but on the go.
Helping Children Embrace Mistakes For A Growth Mindset

Mindful Moments Blog

Helping Children Embrace Mistakes For A Growth Mindset

by Ashley Patek on Jun 30 2021
Whether your kiddo strikes out at baseball, colors out of the lines, or gets a grade lower than they wanted, parents have a beautiful opportunity to honor big feelings and offer tools to help them accept and maybe even celebrate it. Here are 8 ways. 
Does Self-Care Feel Like A Chore?

Mindful Moments Blog

Does Self-Care Feel Like A Chore?

by Ashley Patek on Jun 29 2021
Empowerment self-care is when we can be with the current moment with joy and ease, noticing how we feel and asking ourselves, “What is it that I want and need, and how do I make that happen?” Here's how to listen to your sensory body and 5 simple self-care breaks for you and your child.
Moving Past Punishment With Compassion

Mindful Moments Blog

Moving Past Punishment With Compassion

by Ashley Patek on Jun 23 2021
Maybe what she needed was to be seen, heard, and validated. For someone to tell her that she didn’t have to be that scared child anymore. Here are 5 ways to show compassion to a fellow parent and 3 ways to re-parent your inner child.
Man Regulates Co-Worker Using Tools He Learned From His Daughters

Mindful Moments Blog

Man Regulates Co-Worker Using Tools He Learned From His Daughters' Calming Corner

by Ashley Patek on Jun 09 2021
Kevin is a supervisor for the federal government and dad of two daughters, ages seven and six. In using a Calming Corner for his daughters at home, he gained tools that he later integrated with a co-worker during an escalated moment.