Mindful Moments Blog

3 Ways Parenting Can Heal Your Childhood Wounds

Mindful Moments Blog

3 Ways Parenting Can Heal Your Childhood Wounds

by Guest Author
When our own childhood contained stress and trauma, the developmentally-appropriate behaviors of our children can be a big trigger. Here are 3 ways to heal your childhood wounds through parenting. 
Spanking Children Is Still Common and Still Harmful

Mindful Moments Blog

Spanking Children Is Still Common and Still Harmful

by Ashley Patek
Research has shown the long-term effects of spanking on a child's mental, emotional, sexual and behavioral outcomes. And the impact of these negative childhood experiences can directly influence and run the narrative of our adulthood. Read more. 
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
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. 
Viral Video: Dad And Son Dress Up As Frozen's Elsa For Living Room Dance Party

Mindful Moments Blog

Viral Video: Dad And Son Dress Up As Frozen's Elsa For Living Room Dance Party

by Ashley Patek
When seeing how much his 4-year-old son, Dexter, loved "Frozen," Ørjan Burøe, a Norwegian comedian, purchased two Elsa costumes from Ebay, and the pair danced around the living room to "Let it Go." The video went viral. 
Parenting In This Day And Age Is Hard AF

Mindful Moments Blog

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

by Guest Author
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. 
Pregnant mama showing her bump in nature

Mindful Moments Blog

From Classroom to Home: One Teacher's Journey to Positive Parenting

by Ashley Patek
After maternity leave, I decide to shift from my role as a teacher of an academic classroom to that of teaching our “one and only.” My full momma heart told me that I would nail it. I mean, how hard could it be to teach one child when I had taught so many?
Little boy looking out the window

Mindful Moments Blog

The Blessing of Now

by Guest Author
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.
Man Regulates Co-Worker Using Tools He Learned From His Daughters

Mindful Moments Blog

Man Regulates Co-Worker Using Tools He Learned From His Daughters' Calming Corner

by Ashley Patek
Kevin is a supervisor for the federal government and dad of two daughters, ages seven and six. In using a Calming Corner for his daughters at home, he gained tools that he later integrated with a co-worker during an escalated moment. 
Mom Realizes It's Never Too Late To Parent Differently

Mindful Moments Blog

Mom Realizes It's Never Too Late To Parent Differently

by Ashley Patek
As a school psychologist on the elementary level, Karen was in search of professional development tools, and in doing so, found an avenue to help her in raising her three diverse sons.
Video Of Trader Joe's Employees Singing And Dancing To Stop Toddler Tantrum Goes Viral

Mindful Moments Blog

Video Of Trader Joe's Employees Singing And Dancing To Stop Toddler Tantrum Goes Viral

by Ashley Patek
When this toddler had a meltdown at checkout, these Winter Park, Florida Trader Joe's employees jumped into action with an impromptu dance party. The video goes viral. 
Self portraits from Bloom360

Mindful Moments Blog

Teaching The Whole Learner: School Spotlight on Bloom360

by Ashley Patek
Bloom360 Learning Community, a nonprofit school in southeastern Wisconsin for Learners ages 5 to 21 with neurodiverse needs, based their entire 2019/20 school year curriculum themes around the PeaceMakers themes of Power, Joy, Balance, Love, Peace, Intuition, and Forgiveness, and the outcomes are inspiring.
How Mindfulness Helped Me Focus My ADHD

Mindful Moments Blog

How Mindfulness Helped Me Focus My ADHD

by Ashley Patek
I was diagnosed with ADHD at six-years-old. I was given medication that helped my teacher teach me and other students be around me, but it didn't help me learn skills to regulate my emotions. From a child who had a difficult time with emotions, to now working with similar kiddos, here’s what I can tell you. 
Dad and kids playing with ToolKit tools

Mindful Moments Blog

Parenting Toddlers, Tweens, and Teens Using Time-Ins

by Ashley Patek
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.
One Mama Realizes: My Child's Feelings Are About Her, Not Me

Mindful Moments Blog

One Mama Realizes: My Child's Feelings Are About Her, Not Me

by Ashley Patek
I had done everything right, and yet my nine-year-old daughter was having her version of a tantrum. And then I realized her emotion wasn't about me ... it was about her. Here is how I helped her process her emotions. 
Time-In ToolKit Helps Mom Realize: My Sons' Behavior Is Normal And Healthy

Mindful Moments Blog

Time-In ToolKit Helps Mom Realize: My Son's Behavior Is Normal And Healthy

by Guest Author
This mom feared something was wrong with her three-year-old child. And then she realized that his behavior was a sign of healthy brain development. 
Foster Families Are Making It Safe For Kids to Feel

Mindful Moments Blog

Foster Families Are Making It Safe For Kids to Feel

by Alex Petrou
One foster family shares how they are managing emotions on a daily basis in raising their five children.
Mom Of Two Advocates For Her Neurodiverse Daughters

Mindful Moments Blog

Mom Of Two Advocates For Her Neurodiverse Daughters

by Ashley Patek
Natasha is a mama of two neurodiverse daughters and she has one big focus: teaching her girls social-emotional skills, not only to help them express themselves but to advocate for themselves.
A man kissing his pregnant wife's belly

Mindful Moments Blog

Dear Daughter: A Spoken Word Poem

by Alex Petrou
Grab your tissues. This heartfelt video captures the love and prayers one father carries for his unborn child: "The pain and the pleasure, they are buried treasure. Get your hands dirty..." - Kurt Peloquin
The Gift Of Life And One Mama's Fight For Her Son

Mindful Moments Blog

The Gift Of Life And One Mama's Fight For Her Son

by Ashley Patek
A mother's devotion to finding a cure for her son's rare kidney disease and to helping him manage his big feelings along the way.
How To Make A DIY Calming Corner

Mindful Moments Blog

How To Make A DIY Calming Corner

by Alex Petrou
After a failed DIY Pinterest-inspired Calming Corner, this mama turned to Generation Mindful's Time-In-Toolkit to save her time, money, and sanity while creating a space for her tantruming three-year-old to explore her feelings.