Mindful Moments Blog

Helping Teens Cope with Holiday Stress

Mindful Moments Blog

Helping Teens Cope with Holiday Stress

by Rebecca Eanes on Dec 20 2021
As our children grow up and the pure wonder and excitement of the holidays wane, adolescents often experience an uptick in stress and anxiety during the holiday season. What can parents do?
Why Do My Kids Trigger Me?

Mindful Moments Blog

Why Do My Kids Trigger Me?

by Ashley Patek on Dec 13 2021
What is a trigger, why do we have them and why are we so dang triggered by our kids?!
3 Steps For Managing Parenting Stress This Holiday Season

Mindful Moments Blog

3 Steps For Managing Parenting Stress This Holiday Season

by Ashley Patek on Dec 13 2021
Parenting during the holidays feels tough because it is tough. Here are 3 tips to get you through with less stress and more joy. 
Santa's 'Naughty List' Has Been Canceled This Holiday Season

Mindful Moments Blog

Santa's 'Naughty List' Has Been Canceled This Holiday Season

by Ashley Patek on Dec 06 2021
The holiday season is meant to be a magical time, but often it is used as leverage to control a child’s behavior. We have a real opportunity to rewrite the narrative. Here's how.
7 Meaningful Holiday Gifts For 2021

Mindful Moments Blog

6 Meaningful Holiday Gifts For 2021

by Ashley Patek on Dec 06 2021
Rather than storing unnoticed toys in the closet this year, give the children on your list meaningful memories instead. Here are six connection-based gift ideas for ages two and up that we love for the holidays and all year long.
Holiday Survival Guide For Parents: Managing Your Child's Meltdowns

Mindful Moments Blog

Holiday Survival Guide For Parents: Managing Your Child's Meltdowns

by Ashley Patek on Dec 06 2021
Here are some reasons why toddlers meltdown more during the holiday season followed by some easy tips to help regulate their environment and their moods.
Parenting In This Day And Age Is Hard AF

Mindful Moments Blog

Parenting In This Day And Age Is Hard As #*@%

by Guest Author on Dec 06 2021
Parenting will trigger parts of you that you didn’t even know could be triggered. Things that have been pushed down inside of you (consciously or subconsciously) will surface and leave you in the ultimate WTF moment! Nonetheless, we are all in the beautiful struggle of parenting together and I remind myself that I am not alone. 
I Didn't Make My Kids Sit On Santa's Lap And They Are Better For It

Mindful Moments Blog

I Didn't Make My Kids Sit On Santa's Lap And They Are Better For It

by Ashley Patek on Nov 29 2021
Children are wired to seek approval from their caregivers because it is how they are designed to survive. How we respond as parents to our children’s intuition and their bids to voice their consent greatly impacts their ability to speak their truth, set boundaries, and trust who they are. Read more. 
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. 
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. 
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 ...
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!  
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.