Mindful Moments Blog

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.
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. 
What Teachers Are Thinking and Feeling About Returning To School This Year

Mindful Moments Blog

What Teachers Are Thinking and Feeling About Returning To School This Year

by Ashley Patek on Aug 25 2020
With fall approaching, parents and educators are looking to the next school year and wondering what’s best for everyone involved.
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.
How To Connect With Your Toddler Emotionally While Weaning From Breastfeeding

Mindful Moments Blog

How To Connect With Your Toddler Emotionally While Weaning From Breastfeeding

by Ashley Patek on Jul 20 2020
Breastfeeding is such a sacred time, and sometimes we fear that weaning will cause us to lose our connection. But that doesn't have to be the case. Here is how you can connect with your child while weaning.
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.
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. 
Raising Mindful Children During The Age Of Black Lives Matter

Mindful Moments Blog

Raising Awake Children in the Age of Black Lives Matter

by Ashley Patek on Jun 04 2020
Our country is standing at a pivoting point. #BlackLivesMatter is the anthem and our nation is singing in the face of injustice. For all lives to matter, black lives must matter. 
Woman writing a letter

Mindful Moments Blog

An Open Letter To My Child's Teacher

by Ashley Patek on May 11 2020
For months, every morning, I sent my child off to school to be in your care. I entrusted you with my heart as he walked into your classroom. I handed him off to you, woman to woman, knowing that for the next several hours, it would be you that he looked up to, watched, and absorbed. Now, here we are, in this unusual time of staying home. He no longer takes a seat in your classroom, yet he is still in your class. 
Social Distancing Impact on Children

Mindful Moments Blog

Social Distancing Impact on Children

by Ashley Patek on Apr 27 2020
We share parents' top concerns and frustrations about their children’s behaviors during this time of staying home, and tools for navigating regression and other stress responses.
Man giving to a homeless man

Mindful Moments Blog

Homeless Families In The Age Of The Coronavirus

by Ashley Patek on Apr 22 2020
Read about how the coronavirus is affecting the homeless population and what we can do to help.
Forced homeschooling due to COVID-19

Mindful Moments Blog

4 Guiding Principles for Parents Teaching From Home

by Alex Petrou on Apr 15 2020
Four tips to help parents create meaningful and effective in-home learning opportunities during the pandemic.
Little girl in her Calming Corner

Mindful Moments Blog

Positive Affirmations are Helping Kids

by Ashley Patek on Mar 26 2020
These printable mantra bracelets are a great way for parents to share comforting and empowering mantras with children as young as age two on up. Because when we feel worthy and loved, we respond as if we are worthy and loved. And when we feel powerless and not enough, we respond as if we are powerless and not enough.