Mindful Moments Blog

How To Connect With Your Toddler Emotionally While Weaning From Breastfeeding

Mindful Moments Blog

How To Connect With Your Toddler Emotionally While Weaning From Breastfeeding

by Ashley Patek
Breastfeeding is such a sacred time, and sometimes we fear that weaning will cause us to lose our connection. But that doesn't have to be the case. Here is how you can connect with your child while weaning.
They Saw A Bratty Kid, But That Wasn't The Whole Story

Mindful Moments Blog

They Saw A Bratty Kid, But That Wasn't The Whole Story

by Ashley Patek
What they saw was a bratty child. A clingy child. A spoiled child. And underneath it all, they saw a mother who wasn’t doing it right. But that wasn't the whole story. Our behaviors were communication for so much more.
Man giving to a homeless man

Mindful Moments Blog

Homeless Families In The Age Of The Coronavirus

by Ashley Patek
Read about how the coronavirus is affecting the homeless population and what we can do to help.
letter blocks that spell out S P D for sensory processing disorder

Mindful Moments Blog

Understanding Sensory Processing Disorder and How It Can Impact a Child’s Social and Emotional Development

by Ashley Martin
SPD is a neurological condition that affects how an individual processes and responds to sensory information from the environment. Sensory inputs encompass various experiences, including touch, taste, smell, sight, sound, and movement. SPD can significantly affect a child’s social and emotional development. Early childhood educators play a pivotal role in recognizing, understanding, and supporting children with SPD.
Preschool children learning to fold origami paper

Mindful Moments Blog

Applying The Five Developmental Domains of Learning to the Early Childhood Classroom: Teaching to the Whole Child

by Ashley Martin
Developmental domains contribute uniquely to a child's overall well-being and success. By addressing these domains, educators create a solid foundation for students to build their knowledge, skills, and abilities.
Juggling Big Emotions

Mindful Moments Blog

Juggling Big Emotions

by Jessica Zodicoff
As a seven-year-old girl, I remember my grandpa coming over for the holidays and juggling whatever fruit he could find in our kitchen. He taught me to juggle using not lemons, but just three tissues. The fruit was too big for my little-girl hands, but like a set of training wheels, I practiced with those tissues until...
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
A new study describes emotional intelligence as an important part of academic success from kindergarten into college.
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
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.  
the mother is handling speaking and trying to manage her child emotions because the child is upset or sad and about to have meltdown

Mindful Moments Blog

Effective Parenting: Embracing Discipline Over Punishment

by Ashley Martin
Many individuals mistakenly equate punishment and discipline, assuming they are interchangeable terms. However, a closer examination reveals that they hold distinct meanings and approaches.
Three Ways To Stop Misbehavior

Mindful Moments Blog

Three Ways To Stop Misbehavior

by Rebecca Eanes
When time-outs didn't work, this mom turned to three things, and it stopped her child's misbehavior.
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
With fall approaching, parents and educators are looking to the next school year and wondering what’s best for everyone involved.
Strengthening Your Child's Emotional Intelligence Through Valentine's Day

Mindful Moments Blog

Strengthening Your Child's Emotional Intelligence Through Valentine's Day

by Ashley Patek
Soon, all across the nation, children will partake in Valentine’s Day rituals such as sharing cards, treats, and friendly exchanges. For many children, this is a fun and exciting experience, however, for just as many, Valentine’s Day can be filled with stress, anxiety, and fear. Here are 4 ways to use social-emotional practices for all children this Valentine's Day.
childhood pathological liar

Mindful Moments Blog

Am I Raising A Pathological Liar?

by Ashley Patek
Worried you are raising a pathological liar? You are not alone. Not only is some degree of lying normal for children, but it is a healthy sign of their developing brain. Read more.
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. 
Post gone viral

Mindful Moments Blog

Who Needs a Laugh?

by Ashley Patek
In the face of COVID-19, Generation Mindful spreads some light-hearted humor with a post for parents that went viral.
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
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.
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 girl in her Calming Corner

Mindful Moments Blog

Positive Affirmations are Helping Kids

by Ashley Patek
These printable mantra bracelets are a great way for parents to share comforting and empowering mantras with children as young as age two on up. Because when we feel worthy and loved, we respond as if we are worthy and loved. And when we feel powerless and not enough, we respond as if we are powerless and not enough.
Three Ways To Love A Bully

Mindful Moments Blog

Three Ways To Love A Bully

by Ashley Patek
What would happen if we taught our children to empathize with the "bully"? Here are three ways to love the person who is bullying. 
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.