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Social Emotional Learning in the Classroom: Simple Tools for the New School Year

by Suzanne Tucker

Social emotional learning starts in everyday classroom moments. Explore simple SEL strategies teachers can use to build emotional literacy, support regulation, strengthen relationships, and create a classroom where children feel safe, understood, and ready to learn.

Woman kneeling to comfort a young boy, with illustrated hands exchanging a gray cloud for a red heart in the background

Positive vs. Negative Reinforcement: A Guide for Parents

by Alex Petrou

Learn how positive vs. negative reinforcement influence your parenting style and the ways positive reinforcers can support your child’s development.

Mother comforting her highly sensitive teenage son during an emotional moment, illustrating parental support, empathy, and teen mental health.

Helping Your Highly Sensitive Child Gain Confidence

by Rebecca Eanes

When our children are highly sensitive, rejection and criticism hurt more deeply. They get embarrassed easily and have strong emotional reactions, which can make them the target for bullying. Here are 5 tools to boost your child's confidence.

Woman looking at an old childhood photo of herself, surrounded by illustrated hearts and clouds

Healing From A Childhood You Don't Remember

by Ashley Patek

While we may not remember our childhood with our mind and verbal words, our body keeps the score and stores the information it receives from our formative years, namely which parts of us to grow and which to shrink. These downloads show up as patterns in adulthood and in our parenting. Read more.

Woman with eyes closed and hand on her chest, staying calm, with a flower graphic beside her

9 Mantras I Use When Low On Patience With My Kids

by Ashley Patek

Mantras can change the wiring of our brain and create a new lens to see ourselves, our kids, and the world at large. Here are 9 parenting mantras I use when low on patience with my kids.

of two young girls/ siblings fighting, one pulling hair

End Sibling Rivalry And Bring Peace Into Your Home

by Ashley Patek

Siblings are natural competitors for attachment, bidding for our love and attention. Here's 3 Parenting Do's and Don'ts when it comes to sibling relationships.

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When Your Toddler Won't Stop Crying!

by Ashley Patek

Why is your toddler crying and what can you do? Here is a parent's guide for making it through, helping your child co-regulate and process her emotions.

This is the One Thing All Children Need

by Rebecca Eanes

Can you guess what it is?

One Simple Question I Ask Myself To Keep From Yelling At My Child

by Ashley Patek

This mama was able to respond instead of reacting in the face of her son's big tantrum by asking this one simple question.

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

by Ashley Patek

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.

Time-Outs Affect The Developing Brain

by Guest Author

Separation-based techniques, like the popular time-out approach, use what children care most about against them.

Helping Your Highly Sensitive Child Gain Confidence

by Rebecca Eanes

Regulate Emotions Through Play

by Ashley Patek

How do we get under the meltdowns, tantrums, and big wants and desires fueling our tots? Learn how to use play and mind-body activities to increase connection, regulate emotions, and change undesirable behaviors.

De-escalation Strategies For Jingled Out Kids

by Rebecca Eanes

December is a sensory-overload kind of month. It’s loud. It’s busy. It’s flashy. For a lot of kids, it can be so overwhelming that they may just jingle all the way to a meltdown. For this reason, it’s good to have a few de-escalation strategies in mind. Here are 5.

Why Behavior Charts Don't Work For Most Kids

by Ashley Patek

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.

Amateur Parenting: How a Card Game Transformed My Family in a Matter of Minutes

by Alex Petrou

When I decided to back the Generation Mindful Kickstarter campaign for PeaceMakers, I had no idea that this choice would change the course of my family in an instant. This might sound like hyperbole, but I’m being completely serious. This card game has[...] Read More _____________ 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.

Post-Pandemic Schools Need More Than Academics

by Traci Esposito

Post-pandemic children have a lot to adjust to. And there is no cookie-cutter response because the mental health of our children is not one-dimensional. There is a spectrum of feelings and emotional stress taking a seat in the classroom this year. Here are some tools for nurturing social-emotional learning (SEL).

Behavior Charts for Kids: Do They Work?

by Traci Esposito

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.

How My Five-Year-Old Taught Me Empathy

by Selina Armstrong

This year, as parents we have had to level up our game as we navigate a global pandemic, racial injustices being brought to the forefront, civil unrest and so much more. At any one given moment, it’s hard to know whether I am thriving or just getting by. My daughter’s kindness came on a day where I was just skating by.

Building Strong Foundations: Insight from an Early Childhood Professional

by Ashley Martin

Rosemarie Lawton is the Director of Professional Development at The Child Care Council of Orange County and longtime GENM advocate. Her company works diligently with families and childcare providers, with their primary purpose being to coordinate, assist, strengthen, and expand child care in Orange County for all children.

What Two Young Boys Taught Their Grandma About Anger

by Alex Petrou

I gave SnuggleBuddies to my grandsons while they were visiting for Christmas to help them learn about feelings, but what happened next surprised me. You see, that Christmas morning, we had a situation, one that caused my dog to get very, very sick. My dog had gotten into some chocolate candy. My grandson tried to comfort our dog with the things that comfort them. Hank the elf, their SnuggleBuddies Red Bear and Orange Fox, blankets, and a balloon. When I found out that my husband had left the chocolates out where the dog got into them, I was furious. Having to deal with a sick puppy is bad enough, but to make matters worse, I have a rare neuromuscular condition (Myasthenia Gravis) that greatly affects my activity and breathing, and extra activity lands me in bed and on my noninvasive ventilator. I knew from past experience that a dog eating chocolate results in a very ill pooch with lots of cleaning up and a special diet. I wanted to enjoy our visit with the kids and the holidays...but I was angry. I knew my husband did not intend for this to happen, and I did not want to be in a bad mood for the evening while my family was visiting. But I was! That was when my daughter suggested the boys ask NayNay (me) if she wanted to “do her feelings”. They were excited about that and ran to get their SnuggleBuddies to share with me. Everyone listened and supported me as I went through my feelings. I began to feel better, and it dawned on me that I was actually setting an example for my grandsons. I also realized that had my grandsons and their SnuggleBuddies not been there, I wouldn't have talked about or worked through my angry feelings that quickly. I just love those things; they are so cuddly! I ordered myself a Red Bear. And don't tell, but Red Bear has already helped my husband with some of his feelings too. As a grandma, I love Generation Mindful. It makes me feel like I can really add to my grandson's lives in a lasting way. They live 15 hours away, so I don’t see them in person often. But it is so important to me that they know I SEE THEM!!! Sometimes my grandsons call/facetime me to tell me their sad or mad feelings...and I think, I can do this! I can be there for them. Despite any amount of distance or disability, I can listen. _____________ 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.

10 Ways To Get Your Kids Talking About Their Feelings

by Ashley Patek

It can be hard to connect when our children are reluctant to share. Here are some tips to help your children want to talk.

Use Time-Ins To Decrease Defiance

by Rebecca Eanes

Want to decrease defiance? It isn't through punishment and Time-Outs. The answer is in Time-Ins, and here's why.

A Strong Relationship With Your Child Gives You More Authority, Not Less

by Ashley Patek

As children learn to regulate emotions and learn higher-level skills through the safe space of a supportive caregiver, not only does it strengthen your relationship but it gives you more authority. Your children will want to work with you more than they want to work against you. Here's how.

4 Ways To Guide Your Child's Misbehavior Without Yelling

by Ashley Patek

There are several ways that children appear to be misbehaving when, really, these behaviors are developmental passages that help them learn how to be human. Understand why misbehavior happens, and 4 tools to guide your child without yelling.

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.