Mindful Moments Blog

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?
Is Rushing Academics Detrimental To The Developing Brain?

Mindful Moments Blog

Is Rushing Academics Detrimental To The Developing Brain?

by Ashley Patek on Feb 07 2022
How do children best learn, and what happens when academics are the focus of pre-school and kindergarten? This study gives us some pretty telling answers. 
Helping Kids Process Their Emotions Free From Shame

Mindful Moments Blog

Helping Kids Process Their Emotions Free From Shame

by Alex Petrou on Jan 10 2022
If you’ve ever caught yourself wanting to tell an emotional child to just stop, (so basically, if you are a human being) here are three things to keep in mind that will help you help kids process their emotions free from shame.   
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.
Boy in glasses laying on his tummy in front of a red bookcase

Mindful Moments Blog

Study Finds That Emotional Intelligence Moves the Needle on Academic Success

by Ashley Patek on Oct 11 2021
A new study describes emotional intelligence as an important part of academic success from kindergarten into college.
Going With The Flow: Using Improv Games To Teach Flexibility

Mindful Moments Blog

Going With The Flow: Using Improv Games To Teach Flexibility

by Guest Author on Oct 04 2021
Sam struggled with impulse control and emotional processing when he didn't get what he wanted. Does this sound familiar in your home? I created an improv game to help nurture emotional intelligence and bolster flexibility. Get this game and more in our E-Book: 10 Minutes of Play For 10 Days!
Nurturing A Natural Love For Learning

Mindful Moments Blog

Nurturing A Natural Love For Learning

by Ashley Patek on Aug 30 2021
How do you nurture curious risk-takers who love to learn? It starts here.
Helping Your Child With The Tough Transition Back To School

Mindful Moments Blog

Helping Your Child With The Tough Transition Back To School

by Ashley Patek on Aug 18 2021
Children bring so many different emotions to the first week of school: excitement and anticipation, fear and wonder. The change may lead to increased meltdowns and/or regressions. Make the transition less overwhelming with these 5 tools. 
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?
girl holding tablet, behavior chart

Mindful Moments Blog

Behavior Charts for Kids: Do They Work?

by Traci Esposito on Mar 29 2021
Behavior charts track behavior, but do they work in actually reforming it? Parents and educators can use this instead to nurture children's social-emotional skills and guide behaviors. Read more.
Play-based tool to reduce stress in the classroom

Mindful Moments Blog

A Play-Based Solution To Reducing Stress In The Classroom

by Guest Author on Mar 25 2021
How can educators bring mindfulness practices into their classrooms? This educator shares tips and ideas for playful mindful minutes that can be added into the school day.
Preschooler Teaches Her Younger Sister About Emotions While Learning To Manage Her Own

Mindful Moments Blog

Preschooler Teaches Her Younger Sister About Emotions While Learning To Manage Her Own

by Ashley Patek on Mar 11 2021
The last thing Kelly wanted was another gimmick for a tired, worn-out parent. She was overwhelmed and out of ideas on how to manage her daughters' meltdowns. But then something amazing happened ... her oldest daughter taught her youngest daughter how to use a feelings chart. 
A Parent's Guide: Meditate With Toddlers And Teens To Improve Emotional Intelligence And Resilience

Mindful Moments Blog

A Parent's Guide: Meditate With Toddlers And Teens To Improve Emotional Intelligence And Resilience

by Ashley Patek on Feb 18 2021
Even though today’s kids exhibit elevated levels of restlessness, stress, and anxiety, only 1.6% of children in the U.S. meditate. Here are the benefits of meditation on the developing brain and how parents can practice meditation with kids at every age. 
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.
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.
Video Released of Six-Year-Old Girl Being Arrested

Mindful Moments Blog

Video Released of Six-Year-Old Girl Being Arrested

by Ashley Patek on Mar 01 2020
Warning: the content of this video is potentially upsetting. We share it with the intent to empower determination as we advocate for change, protecting the most vulnerable in our society from injustice. The funneling of students out of school and into the streets and the juvenile correction system perpetuates a cycle known as the “school-to-prison pipeline.” According to the American Bar Association (ABA), far too many students that eventually become incarcerated start this journey with a referral from the classroom to the courtroom. Not only do parents and educators need training in the science and the practical applications of positive discipline, but police officers do as well. There is no reason for a six-year-old child to be put in handcuffs and hauled off to prison for fingerprinting and mugshots for acting our in school. This is only one component of how the school to prison pipeline that currently exists in our education system is built. Read more on the school to prison pipeline and a new bill to diminish willful defiance suspensions. ____________ Generation Mindful creates tools, toys, and programs that nurture emotional intelligence through play and positive discipline. Join to learn more about positive discipline and receive joy in your inbox each week.
6 Tips for Using Yoga to Support Social-Emotional Inclusion

Mindful Moments Blog

6 Tips for Using Yoga to Support Social-Emotional Inclusion

by Ashley Patek on Feb 29 2020
Sierra has struggled to cultivate language for how her disability impacts her own social-emotional development and how it impacts her experiences at school. This struggle has been a barrier to Sierra’s ability to create positive relationships with her classmates.  
Teacher using PeaceMakers cards during circle time

Mindful Moments Blog

Teaching Academics and Social-Emotional Skills in the Montessori Classroom

by Ashley Patek on Feb 03 2020
Emily Canibano, a Montessori teacher with a classroom of 16 students ranging in age from 1.2 to 5.5 years, was looking for a way to teach social-emotional skills in her classroom, both in feeling emotions and in the safe expression of them.
Children sharing feelings with SnuggleBuddies during classroom morning meeting

Mindful Moments Blog

Morning Meetings and Connecting a Classroom

by Ashley Patek on Jan 30 2020
A the school counselor shares how her school transformed its classroom culture by using SnuggleBuddies plush toys to teach students about their emotions.