Mindful Moments Blog

Santa and The Elf On The Shelf Are Magical Until Used For Behavior Modification

Mindful Moments Blog

Santa and The Elf On The Shelf Are Magical Until Used For Behavior Modification

by Ashley Patek on Nov 29 2021
Our words matter, and when we sing songs and play along with the notion that “you better be good... you better not cry. I’m telling you why” — aka you won’t get any presents — we are sending some pretty damaging messages to young children.
5 Winter-Themed Sensory Activities for Your Calming Corner

Mindful Moments Blog

5 Winter-Themed Sensory Activities for Your Calming Corner

by Rebecca Eanes on Nov 29 2021
Could your Calming Corner use a little seasonal cheer? Here are 5 winter-themed sensory activities to add into your space!
Acts Of Service Boosts Emotional Intelligence. Here's How.

Mindful Moments Blog

Acts Of Service Boosts Emotional Intelligence. Here's How.

by Ashley Patek on Nov 29 2021
Toddlers and teens alike have brains that are going through major biological transformations and family rituals like volunteering can help nurture their social-emotional intelligence. Here are 10 acts of service to do as a family this holiday season. 
Gratitude Builds The Brain For Emotional Intelligence

Mindful Moments Blog

Gratitude Builds The Brain For Emotional Intelligence

by Ashley Patek on Nov 22 2021
Whether we are thanking our spouse, our kids, Mother Nature, or receiving thanks in return, gratitude in any form can help stabilize emotions, help us parent from our center, and offer our children the safety and connection to learn and grow. 
Little boy looking out the window

Mindful Moments Blog

The Blessing of Now

by Guest Author on Nov 22 2021
The tasks we need to get done, the clean house, the money we chase for the next bill, the wanting better, the material things in life, more of this and of more of that. None of it matters.
Stress And How Emotional Intelligence Can Keep It In Check

Mindful Moments Blog

Child Stress And How Emotional Intelligence Can Keep It In Check

by Alex Petrou on Nov 22 2021
Stress is our body’s natural reaction to a challenging or adverse situation, whether real or imagined, which triggers the body’s fight-flight-or-freeze response. By learning to express emotions, listen actively, and consider multiple perspectives, children and adults alike can learn to control stress more effectively.
Teaching Children To Trust Their Intuition

Mindful Moments Blog

Teaching Children To Trust Their Intuition

by Ashley Patek on Nov 16 2021
Intuition is vital for our children to feel safe. When we send messages that gaslight or override our children's intuition, we dismiss life through their lens. Children need to know that we will support them in tuning in and trusting what they find. Read more. 
Why Kids Ignore "No" And What You Can Do About It

Mindful Moments Blog

Why Kids Ignore "No" And What You Can Do About It

by Ashley Patek on Nov 15 2021
If no, don’t, and stop are part of your daily parenting language, you are not alone. But if you find that these phrases are not effective in getting your child to listen, use these seven tools instead. 
Is My Child Too Old To Use A Calming Space?

Mindful Moments Blog

Is My Child Too Old To Use A Calming Space?

by Ashley Patek on Nov 08 2021
How do you use a Calming Space with kids beyond the toddler stage? Here are 5 tips.
I Am Not Mad. I Am Feeling Mad. And There Is A Difference.

Mindful Moments Blog

I Am Not Mad. I Am Feeling Mad. And There Is A Difference.

by Ashley Patek on Nov 08 2021
Our identity is not the way we feel. The way we feel is a state of being. Here's why that's important (spoiler alert - it affects your child's brain development), and strategies for adults and children to balance their emotions.
5 Powerful Phrases To Say To Children That Boosts Brain Development

Mindful Moments Blog

5 Powerful Phrases To Say To Children That Boost Brain Development

by Ashley Patek on Nov 05 2021
Our words have the power to build up our children, nurture and guide them. They also have the power to cripple, shrink, and wound. It is these 5 phrases, spoken by well-intended parents, that tend to miss the mark on paving pathways for self-discipline and emotional regulation. Here's what to say instead. 
That Friday Feeling - Feeling Gratitude

Mindful Moments Blog

That Friday Feeling - Feeling Gratitude

by Suzanne Tucker on Nov 05 2021
Join Selina as she leads a mindful moment to help us exercise our gratitude muscle with a mental scavenger hunt and breathing techniques. 
Why Being A Perfect Parent Is Too Much

Mindful Moments Blog

Why Being A Perfect Parent Is Too Much

by Guest Author on Nov 02 2021
In the face of her daughter's meltdowns, this mama strived to be perfect by suppressing her own emotions. What she learned is that abandoning herself was a trauma response to her own childhood, and that what she and her daughter both needed was this ...
The Power of Positive Affirmations for Kids

Mindful Moments Blog

The Power of Positive Affirmations for Kids

by Ashley Patek on Nov 01 2021
Get 51 positive affirmations for kids that you can start using today. Plus, learn how they work, why they work, and fun ways to implement them at home.
Raising Emotionally-Intelligent Boys: One Mom's Journey

Mindful Moments Blog

Raising Emotionally-Intelligent Boys: One Mom's Journey

by Ashley Patek on Nov 01 2021
What do you do when the world around you tells you that you are too sensitive?  Do you adapt to the social norms and shift who you are, or do you hush the noise of society to listen to your inner wisdom?
Friendship: Using Improv Games To Create Peer Connection

Mindful Moments Blog

Friendship: Using Improv Games To Create Peer Connection

by Guest Author on Nov 01 2021
Social skills can be practiced, and the more we teach by actually doing, the more beneficial the approach will be when teaching social skills for friendships and peer engagement. This improv game is designed just for that!  
An Itch Saved My Life

Mindful Moments Blog

An Itch Saved My Life

by Ashley Patek on Oct 27 2021
Diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 33, Dulci navigated treatment, working full time, and parenting her son. This is what she says others need to know, and it could save a life.
Gratitude Nurtures Emotional Resilience. Start Here.

Mindful Moments Blog

Gratitude Nurtures Emotional Resilience. Start Here.

by Ashley Patek on Oct 26 2021
Gratitude builds your child's brain for empathy and emotional resilience. Just as our children watch and model the things we say and do, they also mirror our level of gratitude. Here are 3 gratitude rituals to add into your home. 
Rewriting the Narrative On Terrible Twos and Tyrannical Threes

Mindful Moments Blog

Rewriting the Narrative On Terrible Twos and Tyrannical Threes

by Rebecca Eanes on Oct 25 2021
The majority of the “problem behavior” that we see in children is because we are looking through a distorted lens. Tantrums are a developmentally normal emotional release when the child’s brain feels flooded with big feelings. Punishing a tantrum cannot make a brain develop faster, but there are things parents can do.
Parenting: Control Isn't The Goal. Here's What Is.

Mindful Moments Blog

Parenting: Control Isn't The Goal

by Rebecca Eanes on Oct 20 2021
Nothing makes you feel like a failure quite like having a child you can’t control. Until you realize control isn’t the goal. Control starts to slip away as children grow, and you either have to up the ante to maintain that illusion of control or you have to accept the fact that you really don’t have control at all.