Mindful Moments Blog

When we think about education, most of us picture reading, writing, math, and science. But some of the most important lessons children will ever learn aren't found in a textbook. They are the skills that help them understand themselves, navigate relationships, solve problems, communicate needs, and move through life's inevitable challenges. In other words: emotional literacy. Evidence shows that when it comes to predicting a child's future wellbeing, their exposure to emotional literacy is as important as their exposure to reading and math literacies. A study published in the American Journal of Public Health followed roughly 750 children from kindergarten to age 25. For every one point higher a child scored on social competency in kindergarten, they were twice as likely to graduate from college and 46 percent more likely to hold a full-time job at 25. For every one point lower, their risk of arrest was 67 percent higher. The takeaway? If we want to raise 25-year-olds that can hold a job and stay out of prison, we need to invest in their social skills before age 5. Said another way, early exposure to social emotional skill development is a vital component of childhood education if the goal is for children to excel in not only academics, but in life. What Is Emotional Literacy? Emotional literacy is the ability to recognize, understand, express, and respond to emotions in ourselves and others. It begins with the simple awareness of a feeling and grows as a person is then able to put words to their experiences, noticing and asking things like: "I feel sad." "It looks like she feels mad." "I feel worried and my tummy is hurting." "I wonder if he feels excited or nervous to sing on stage." There is science underneath these small sentences. Researchers at UCLA found that putting a feeling into words reduces activity in the amygdala, the brain's alarm system. A named feeling is perceived by the body to be less of a threat, which makes feeling it less stressful. This is why hanging a feelings chart on the wall in your playroom, or inside a classroom is not just a decoration. These posters put the ability to name a feeling within reach for children as young as ages 1, 2, and 3 using pictures, colors, and words if the child can read. With an emotional education, children have the opportunity to learn that emotions are not problems to avoid, but signals from the body, carrying valuable information about the world around them, and the one inside - their wants, needs, and fears, as well as the wants, needs, and fears of other people. And perhaps most importantly, children who are exposed to emotional literacy starting from birth have the opportunity to learn a distinction that can change the course of a life: We are not our feelings. We have feelings. But our feelings do not define who we are. A child is not angry; they feel angry. A parent is not anxious; they feel anxious. That small shift creates space between identity and experience. It reminds children, and adults, that emotions are temporary visitors, not permanent labels. Why Emotional Literacy Matters More Than Ever The best educators have always understood that the goal isn't simply teaching information. Some of the most meaningful lessons you likely learned in childhood happened outside of the classroom, on the playground, in the cafeteria, gymnasium, or in the hallways between lessons. It was there that we learned how to not only share and cooperate with others, but how to resolve conflict, ask for help, and respect our differences. School was never solely about learning to read and write, but how to navigate a world filled with people who think, feel, and experience life differently than we do. And the need is louder now than it has ever been. Children in state-funded preschool are expelled at roughly three times the rate of students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. In private child care programs, the rate is about thirteen times higher. Black children make up less than a fifth of the preschool population and close to half of all public preschool suspensions. Three- and four-year-olds. Sent home. That is not a discipline problem. That is an emotional literacy gap, and it is showing up before a child can tie their own shoes. And while many teachers instinctively understood this truth, our educational systems didn't formally recognize the importance of social and emotional development until relatively recently. The Rise of Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Beginning in the 1990s, educators, researchers, practitioners, and child advocates began collaborating on ways to support the whole child, not just academic achievement. In 1994, that work took formal shape with the founding of CASEL, the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning, laying the foundation for what we now know as Social-Emotional Learning. SEL focuses on five core competencies: Self-awareness Self-management Social awareness Relationship skills Responsible decision-making These skills help children understand their emotions, build healthy relationships, navigate challenges, and make thoughtful choices. In practical terms, SEL can look like: Emotional check-ins Mindful breathing Reading stories that explore feelings Gratitude practices Conflict resolution activities Opportunities for reflection and repair Emotional literacy teaches young children and adults alike that mistakes are a part of learning. That apologizing doesn't make you weak, and that forgiveness is possible. And that emotions are safe to feel and it's okay to talk about them as well. If you're already noticing how much of this starts at home, that's exactly the point. Tools like a feelings chart or the Time-In Toolkit are built to make these ideas tangible for little ones, giving them a hands-on way to practice naming what they feel before the meltdown, not just during it. So where does the science actually take us, and how do we put it into practice day to day? That's exactly what we dig into in Part 2, including the research behind SEL's measurable benefits and the tools we use at Generation Mindful to help families build this skill from birth. Sources Kindergarten social competence and outcomes at age 25. Jones, D. E., Greenberg, M., and Crowley, M. (2015). Early Social-Emotional Functioning and Public Health: The Relationship Between Kindergarten Social Competence and Future Wellness. American Journal of Public Health, 105(11), 2283–2290. https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/full/10.2105/AJPH.2015.302630 (plain-language summary: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/07/150729142152.htm) Naming feelings and the brain's alarm system. Lieberman, M. D., Eisenberger, N. I., Crockett, M. J., Tom, S. M., Pfeifer, J. H., and Way, B. M. (2007). Putting Feelings Into Words: Affect Labeling Disrupts Amygdala Activity in Response to Affective Stimuli. Psychological Science, 18(5), 421–428. Preschool expulsion rates and racial disparity. Gilliam, W. S. (2005), Yale Child Study Center, and subsequent national analyses. CASEL and the five core SEL competencies. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Join us and receive positive parenting tools and support in your inbox each week.

Disappointment is one of the hardest emotions for kids to sit with, and one of the hardest for parents to witness. In this guide, you will find 5 practical, science-backed ways to help your child cope with disappointment, build resilience, and develop lifelong emotional skills. Because emotional strength doesn't come from avoiding hard feelings. It comes from learning to move through them, with someone steady by your side.

Parenting disagreements are not uncommon, especially with so many different parenting ideologies out there. So, how can parents get on the same page?

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. 

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.

One family’s journey using time-ins to manage their toddler's big feelings, going from 33 to 3 tantrums a day in just one week.

A the school counselor shares how her school transformed its classroom culture by using SnuggleBuddies plush toys to teach students about their emotions. 

Join Generation Mindful founder, Suzanne Tucker, for a fun, interactive reading of Heart's Treasure Hunt, our best-selling children's book where Heart goes on an adventure to discover "what is love and where does love live?..."  The answer might just surprise you!  Download this FREE PRINTABLE to color with the children in your home or classroom after storytime. Have Your Own Storytime & Make Learning About Emotions FUN! Heart SnuggleBuddies Emotions Plush & Book Bundle 0 Reviews $52.00 Buy today and receive a FREE Feelings Journal (see below)! The perfect addition to any Calming Corner, Heart is our newest SnuggleBuddies Emotions Plush... View Product model to learn Play to Learn inner child emotions emotional intelligence yoga kids Children's books Impulse Control Raising Toddlers social emotional skills

Wisdom. Emotional intelligence. Maturity. These words typically conjure up the image of someone older than you. Perhaps it’s someone you know and revere for their persistent nature and kind soul. That person for me is Elizabeth: an 8-year-old I’ve only just met. Older than me? Not by a long shot. A person from whom I could learn from? Absolutely. Elizabeth and her mom reside in St. Louis, and I was lucky enough to speak with them very recently about their enjoyment of their products from Generation Mindful. Not only was it encouraging to hear they were well-loved already, but there was a tone in this young girl’s voice that stopped me dead in my tracks: she was fully embracing the mindfulness mindset, and was already self-aware enough to speak with me about her own growth and life today. Elizabeth answered the phone when I called and did so with so much gusto that I thought I was speaking to her mom, Tracy, instead! We chatted Harry Potter, and our shared love of his adventures and magical stories bonded us immediately. She, without a doubt, is a Gryffindor: she was happy to share this fact with me, and even pointed me in the direction of the sorting hat if I wanted to do so myself. I assured her I’m a longtime Hufflepuff and noted that we work well together. She reminded me we all can. The mother-daughter duo then proceeded to tell me more about the magical Calming Corner they’ve set up in their basement, in a little room below the stairs: just like a certain big-feeling boy Elizabeth and I both know quite well. It was previously used for storage, but once they received their posters and toolkit from Generation Mindful, their collective lightbulb went off and they just knew that space would be better used as Elizabeth’s very own Calming Corner. In it, she’s incorporated her toolbox of helpful things: some stuffed poodles, some coloring utensils, a small pad for her drawings and doodlings. She tells me that it makes her happy and to feel calm, and her mom also chuckles and notes that she’s spoken with the poodles a time or two when she needed to vent as well; and that it really, truly helps them to have that space. Making an area an inviting haven for comfort, peace, and love means it will be used. It will be loved, and much reflection and growth can happen there as well. Sometimes we need a place that is all our own, with tools made with those big feelings in mind. Dumbledore famously said to his protege Mr. Potter, “Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean it is not real?” We can’t help but agree. _____________ Generation Mindful creates tools, toys, and programs that nurture emotional intelligence through play and positive discipline. Join us and receive joy in your inbox each week.

Safe, powerful, connected. Supported, nurtured, and seen. These are just some of the ways we want our children to feel.

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.

As a parent, what do you do when your child has fears that feel out of their control - things like viral outbreaks and global warming? Learn 8 tips for taming fears and anxieties through connection.

Parenting during a pandemic has its challenges, but there’s something that can help those with younger children thanks to a St. Louis mom.

Our connection matters. Our children feel it. They need it. They need to know that, no matter what transpired today, no matter what was said, no matter what was spilled or knocked over or broken or uttered, we are good.

As we all know, it takes a village to raise a child. Generation Mindful is committed to being a part of that village as we provide support to those who need it most while offering assistance in nurturing their children’s development. This is one of the reasons why we provide an online learning portal known as The Village. It offers complimentary access to Generation Mindful’s early emotional education and positive childrearing resources for parents, caregivers, and educators. 

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. 

Behavior charts have been widely used over the past thirty years and while they may achieve the short-term goal of obedience, they miss the long-term goal of building the brain for life-long skills.

Four tips to help parents create meaningful and effective in-home learning opportunities during the pandemic.