Mindful Moments Blog

Child crying

Mindful Moments Blog

Why Behavior Charts Don't Work For Most Kids

by Ashley Patek on Nov 09 2020
Behavior charts have been widely used over the past thirty years and while they may achieve the short-term goal of obedience, they miss the long-term goal of building the brain for life-long skills.
That Friday Feeling

Mindful Moments Blog

Finding Peace In Uncertainty

by Suzanne Tucker on Nov 07 2020
It is fair to say that 2020 is a year of uncertainty - a pandemic and an election atop all of the daily parenting edges we may experience. 
They Saw A Bratty Kid, But That Wasn't The Whole Story

Mindful Moments Blog

They Saw A Bratty Kid, But That Wasn't The Whole Story

by Ashley Patek on Nov 07 2020
What they saw was a bratty child. A clingy child. A spoiled child. And underneath it all, they saw a mother who wasn’t doing it right. But that wasn't the whole story. Our behaviors were communication for so much more.
Why Time-Outs Increase Power Struggles

Mindful Moments Blog

Why Time-Outs Increase Power Struggles

by Ashley Patek on Oct 30 2020
When your child misbehaves, how do you respond? Here is why Time-Outs increase power struggles and what you can do instead. 
Birth of a mother

Mindful Moments Blog

Celebrating The Birth Of A Mother

by Guest Author on Oct 16 2020
Motherhood seemed to come so easy to everyone around me, yet here I was, barely keeping it together. One mom shares how she was re-born after having children. 
Toddler using Calming Corner

Mindful Moments Blog

How To Use A Calming Corner With Kids Under Three

by Traci Esposito on Sep 22 2020
You've likely seen the Calming Corner floating around social media, and you're probably wondering if this adorably cozy setup will work in your home, let alone with your two-year-old. And the answer is YES. Here's how. 
St. Louis Mom’s Alternative To Timeouts Turns Into Multi-Million Dollar Business

Mindful Moments Blog

St. Louis Mom’s Alternative To Timeouts Turns Into Multi-Million Dollar Business

by Ashley Patek on Sep 14 2020
Parenting during a pandemic has its challenges, but there’s something that can help those with younger children thanks to a St. Louis mom.
The Ultimate Guide To Building A Calming Corner And Using Time-Ins At Home

Mindful Moments Blog

The Ultimate Guide To Building A Calming Corner And Using Time-Ins At Home

by Ashley Patek on Sep 10 2020
How do you say goodbye to time-outs and introduce time-ins? This is the ultimate guide on the do's and don'ts for building and using a Calming Corner.
Three Ways To Love A Bully

Mindful Moments Blog

Three Ways To Love A Bully

by Ashley Patek on Aug 28 2020
What would happen if we taught our children to empathize with the "bully"? Here are three ways to love the person who is bullying. 
When Play Feels Like A Chore

Mindful Moments Blog

When Play Feels Like A Chore

by Ashley Patek on Aug 13 2020
The language of a child is play, but play isn't always easy for adults. Learn why and how parents can overcome these play roadblocks. 
Dad and kids playing with ToolKit tools

Mindful Moments Blog

Parenting Toddlers, Tweens, and Teens Using Time-Ins

by Ashley Patek on Aug 08 2020
Crystal is a mama with a household of toddlers, tweens, and teens where uncontrollable sobbing and outbursts were a daily occurrence, and not just from her three-year-old.
This Twist on a Classic Teaches Children Loving Limits and Boundaries

Mindful Moments Blog

This Twist on a Classic Teaches Children Loving Limits and Boundaries

by Ashley Patek on Aug 05 2020
While some may say that The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein is a tale of selfless love, others find the story actually sends a much different message --- one of co-dependency.
Framing And Hanging Your Time-In-ToolKit

Mindful Moments Blog

Framing And Hanging Your Time-In-ToolKit

by Ashley Patek on Jul 25 2020
Which frames will work best? Where were the best deals on frames? And how do I hang them? Here is your guide to framing and hanging your Time-In ToolKit.
Mom goes viral on TikTok using Generation Mindful's Time-In ToolKit

Mindful Moments Blog

TikTok Goes Viral As Mom Shows Alternative to Time-Outs Using The Time-In ToolKit

by Ashley Patek on Jul 18 2020
A mom recently shared a clip on TikTok of her son using Generation Mindful's Time-In ToolKit, and the post went viral. Take a look. 
Generation Mindful's Time-In-ToolKit

Mindful Moments Blog

Peaceful Parenting Tips: How To Do Time-Ins

by Ashley Patek on Jul 13 2020
This video is for anyone who has ever struggled with parenting (all of us), for those who are working to respond to their children instead of reacting to their behaviors, and anyone who wants to raise emotionally healthy humans but isn't sure where to start.
kids arm and arm

Mindful Moments Blog

Children Need Less Academics and More Social-Emotional Learning in the Classroom

by Ashley Patek on Jul 09 2020
Starting school or starting a new school year can be stressful at the best of times, let alone during a global pandemic.
clingy child

Mindful Moments Blog

My Child Is Clingy. Am I Doing It Wrong?

by Ashley Patek on Jul 02 2020
Your child is clingy, seems to be experiencing separation anxiety and is consistently acting out whenever you leave them, even if just to try to pee alone. Are you doing something wrong as a parent? Not even a little. Here's why.
Father and son on the couch

Mindful Moments Blog

Fathers Raising Boys That Feel Safe To Feel

by Ashley Patek on Jun 16 2020
My husband grew up in a home where the men mostly ran away or shut down when it came to emotions, and when he became a father himself, he was determined to break the cycle. This is how he did it. 
Six Ways To Intentionally Raise Kind Children

Mindful Moments Blog

Six Ways To Intentionally Raise Kind Children

by Ashley Patek on Jun 09 2020
Research shows that when we shame, blame, and guilt children into kindness, or, quite the opposite, when we dangle carrots (aka external rewards) for caring, children begin to view kindness as a chore rather than a choice. So how do we teach kindness? Read more.
Move Your Body, Move Your Emotions 

Mindful Moments Blog

Move Your Body, Move Your Emotions 

by Ashley Patek on May 18 2020
Research has shown that dance has social-emotional benefits. When we communicate with our bodies, we are not expected to make sense of things. We just move, and this movement taps into deeper, more primal feelings. Read more.