Mindful Moments Blog

Stop Saying, "He Hurts You Because He Likes You"

Mindful Moments Blog

Stop Saying, "He's Mean To You Because He Likes You"

by Ashley Patek on Mar 21 2022
"He's mean to you because he likes you" is a harmful message that perpetuates the cycle of bullying and programs our children to accept abuse. Here are 4 things our kids need to know about boundaries and consent.
5 False Toddler Myths

Mindful Moments Blog

5 False Toddler Myths

by Rebecca Eanes on Mar 21 2022
Toddlerhood is a precious time. We do our kids and ourselves a great injustice by assigning negative intent to their developmentally normal behaviors. Instead of going to war, let’s spend these quickly-passing years seeking to understand our little ones and rewrite the narrative on common myths.
10 Magical Outcomes to Dropping Your Expectations

Mindful Moments Blog

10 Magical Outcomes to Dropping Your Expectations

by Guest Author on Mar 20 2022
We subconsciously believe that if our children are misbehaving, then we did something wrong and we take action from a place of guilt. Here's how to flip your perspective and move from connection.
Can You Spoil A Baby?

Mindful Moments Blog

You Can't Spoil A Baby With Your Love

by Ashley Patek on Mar 14 2022
Keep holding them. Keep tending to their needs. Keep doing what feels right. It is impossible for you to spoil them with love. 
Words Matter - Crossing out dismissive phrases in kid's story books

Mindful Moments Blog

Words Matter: Adjusting Popular Books and Songs to Align with Positive Parenting Strategies

by Ashley Patek on Mar 14 2022
Our words matter. Children receive messages from all around them and this includes the books, songs, and stories we share with them. Sometimes those messages are affirming and sometimes they are dismissive. Read how to make your words count to nourish your child's social-emotional skills.
Your Child's Emotions Need Support, Not Solutions

Mindful Moments Blog

Your Child's Emotions Need Support, Not Solutions

by Ashley Patek on Mar 14 2022
When we attempt to fix our children’s emotions and problems, we move out of connection and into control. The focus shifts from them to us. Instead, we can sit with them in the hard stuff, offering support, not solutions. Here's how. 
To The Boy That Called My Daughter Ugly

Mindful Moments Blog

To The Boy That Called My Daughter Ugly

by Guest Author on Mar 14 2022
From a dad in our community: "To the boy that called my daughter ugly on the school bus the other day, I have some things to say to you." 
Social-Emotional Learning Starts At Home

Mindful Moments Blog

Social-Emotional Learning Starts At Home

by Ashley Patek on Mar 07 2022
Students who are self-aware and able to understand their emotions have a greater ability to relate to others, make decisions, and excel academically. Here is how to help your child develop social-emotional skills at home. 
Social-Emotional Learning Is Key in the COVID-19 Pandemic

Mindful Moments Blog

Social-Emotional Learning Is Key in the COVID-19 Pandemic

by Rebecca Eanes on Mar 07 2022
Social-emotional instruction has been proven beneficial during normal times; it is now an urgent need. Here are 5 SEL activities for the classroom and 5 for home. Together, we can bridge the school to home gap. 
Motherhood Broke Me and Built Me Back Stronger

Mindful Moments Blog

Motherhood Broke Me and Built Me Back Stronger

by Guest Author on Mar 07 2022
The thing they don’t tell you when you’re expecting that little bundle of joy is that the bundle is going to break your heart eventually. It usually happens in a million tiny breaks over the years. But while a mother’s heart breaks many times, it is ultimately indestructible. 
To My Kids: I Messed Up Today, And I'm Sorry

Mindful Moments Blog

To My Kids: I Messed Up Today, And I'm Sorry

by Ashley Patek on Mar 07 2022
I messed up today in ways big and small. I am an imperfect mom. I used to shame myself for it, but not anymore. And here is what I say to my children.
Discipline Your Child's Behavior, Not Their Emotions

Mindful Moments Blog

Discipline Your Child's Behavior, Not Their Emotions

by Ashley Patek on Mar 07 2022
There is a difference between how our children feel and how they behave. Rather than trying to force our children to not feel certain emotions (especially the ones that are inconvenient for us), we can teach them how to deal with emotions. Here are four ways to do this. 
Is It Okay For Me To Cry In Front Of My Child?

Mindful Moments Blog

Is It Okay For Me To Cry In Front Of My Child?

by Guest Author on Mar 06 2022
How do we straddle the line of expressing emotion in front of our children while letting them know that they are not responsible for our feelings? The process can be vulnerable and uncomfortable, but this is often how it feels when we commit to breaking cycles of generational wounding.
New Mum Of Two

Mindful Moments Blog

New Mum of Two

by Guest Author on Feb 28 2022
Writer Jess Urlichs shares a poem about being a mother to two.
3 Effective Ways to Create a Peaceful Home Life

Mindful Moments Blog

3 Effective Ways to Create a Peaceful Home Life

by Rebecca Eanes on Feb 28 2022
Want to create a home with less yelling, power struggles, and chaos - a home that has more peace? Then these are your three ingredients.
I’ve Never Grounded My Teenager - Here’s Why

Mindful Moments Blog

I’ve Never Grounded My Teenager - Here’s Why

by Rebecca Eanes on Feb 28 2022
In our culture, we are accustomed to training children through pain. We are fooled into thinking it’s good because it works, but it only works for a short time, and the reason it works is heartbreaking. Here's what to do instead of punishment.
The Invisible Mother

Mindful Moments Blog

The Invisible Mother

by Ashley Patek on Feb 28 2022
Poem about Motherhood. "While Motherhood has completely undone her, she has rebuilt herself from the sticks and stones more whole than she could have ever imagined."
Talking To Our Kids About Death

Mindful Moments Blog

Talking To Our Kids About Death

by Ashley Patek on Feb 21 2022
Death is part of life, yet it can be an uncomfortable topic to discuss, especially with our children. Here are 5 tips for parents when talking to their child about death to support their emotional experience and understanding. 
4 Effective Ways To Break The Generational Cycle Of Yelling

Mindful Moments Blog

4 Effective Ways To Break The Generational Cycle Of Yelling

by Ashley Patek on Feb 21 2022
I yell. I was yelled at. My guess is, my parents were yelled at too. Poor emotional regulation - and its wounding - has been handed down from one generation to another. Here are 4 effective ways to break the cycle so that our children don't have to carry that shame. It stops with us.
Children Don't Have Standardized Minds. Let's Quit Testing Them As If They Do.

Mindful Moments Blog

Children Don't Have Standardized Minds. Let's Quit Testing Them As If They Do.

by Ashley Patek on Feb 21 2022
Our kids who are daydreaming or squirming in their seats or not listening or who show poor impulse control are being told that they are not behaving in ways that conform to the classroom. But perhaps their brain is not built for the standardized classroom. What if school looked like this instead?