BLOG - Mindful Early Learning

June 4 - 2020

Power of Thinking like a Toddler

“He just doesn’t listen to me as he listens to you.” I’ve heard this more than a few times over the years. The pain and frustration a parent feels from feeling like they cannot connect with their child are one of the hardest ...

April 30 - 2020

Mindful Activities

Being homebound with kiddos during this time can be taxing even on the most patient parents! We are trying to homeschool, make sure they are getting exercise, eating right, social distancing, and calm their (and our!) anxiety...all while trying to ...

April 30 - 2020

Mindfulness & Toddlers

Every single one of my mornings is spent hanging out with one of my little buddies in Early Intervention (birth to 3 years old) and to say I love it is a huge understatement. I have some friends who are just finding their voices, and some that are ...

January 8 - 2020

Encouraging Mindfulness at Home

Last year I was lucky enough to be asked to write about my experience in incorporating Mindfulness into my Special Needs classroom. I was so happy to hear how others are using these techniques and arming our students with strategies to ...

September 2 - 2019

Promoting Language Development

A big part of my job is helping parents learn different strategies to promote their child's language development. Many people believe that if a child can understand what you are saying then why can’t they tell us what they are ...

August 14 - 2019

Space for Vulnerability

This last weekend I was looking through some old photos that I had unearthed deep in a closet, long forgotten. This particular album just happened to cover my adolescents from early, “Look how cute I am! Keep taking pictures of me” ...

June 24 - 2019

Learning Coping Strategies

I’ve talked a lot about different ways to help ourselves, and our children, to learn to be more mindful. Part of this is learning healthy coping strategies. Why? By helping children identify their feelings, understand why they are ...

June 13 - 2019

Parenting Myths

Sometimes I feel like being a parent among other parents is like being in the Hunger Games. You’ll feel brave and confident at first, but when the game starts all bets are off! You can find allies, some will ...

June 3 - 2019

Teaching Self Compassion to Children

Having compassion for others tends to be easier than having compassion for ourselves. Why do you think that is? Is it because it’s easier to see others as humans that will make mistakes and hopefully learn from it than to see ourselves that ...

May 13 - 2019

Breathing Techniques for Children

“Breathing is special in several respects: it is the only function you can perform consciously as well as unconsciously, and it can be a completely voluntary act or a completely involuntary act, as it is controlled by two sets of nerves, one ...

May 11 - 2019

Sibling Conflict

Part of my job is to help families work together and empower one another while respecting one another’s boundaries. More than a few times I’ve been contacted by an exasperated parent asking for help on how to help their children get ...

May 9 - 2019

Teaching Boundaries to Children

Ask any adult and they will tell you at least one time in their childhood that they didn’t feel like a grown-up had taken their fear, anxiety, or worry seriously. At ask any adult when they have done that to a child, it’s most likely ...

May 6 - 2019

Self-Care Rule #1 with Kids

I am blessed to be part of a community that advocates for self-care. Finding ways to take care of ourselves spiritually, emotionally, physically, & mentally is a common topic of conversation amongst those we are closest too. It hasn’t ...

April 28 - 2019

Go Love Yourself!

I’m a big advocate for self-care and learning to love yourself. I truly believe that we were all put here to do a specific job that only each of us has the unique skill set to do while we are here on Earth, but I know first hand ...

April 21 - 2019

Right Brain/Left Brain

Recently I was reading the article, “Creating Mindfulness Experiences for Adolescents” by Argos Gonzalez. In his insightful article, Argos summarized how Daniel J. Siegel M.D. explains how the adolescent brain ...

February 14 - 2019

The “I don’t want to!” Self-Care List

A few days ago I put out a blog asking what everyone's mindfulness practice was, and the feedback was amazing! I was so happy to hear that parents are taking care of themselves. But I’ve also heard from parents who have found that ...

January 27 - 2019

What is your Mindfulness practice?

4 p.m. at our house during a weekday is crazy, like certifiable. Not only do my fiancé and I run our own businesses, but we also contract out with other companies, have the daily chores, responsibilities, oh and we’re trying to raise a ...

December 2 - 2018

Do my expectations affect my parenting?

A big rule in our family is that if you're not feeling safe, respected, supported, or loved in a situation then it’s a good indication that you should not be in that situation. A few months back my little family was having a very emotionally ...

October 15 - 2018

When we get knocked down

One of my absolute favorite movies is, “Finding Joe”. It’s a movie the pays tribute to Joseph Campbell, an American Professor of Literature who studied comparative mythology and religion. Over time he created what is now referred ...

October 13 - 2018

Feel like you're failing at parenting? Sit next to me!

In my experience there are two types of parents. Those who show up on time (even early!) to school with their child, clothes and hair on point, bright eyed and smiling, talking about their latest trip to some exotic location, and ready to slay the ...

August 9 - 2018

Hit Bottom?

About two and a half years ago I would have not known what the word mindfulness meant. It was like all the other buzzwords crunchy Santa Cruz mommas throw around here in California; words that I would aspire to if only I could get my shit together. ...

July 13 - 2018

Who's taking care of you?

About two and a half years ago I would not have known what the word mindfulness meant. It was like all the other buzzwords crunchy Santa Cruz mommas throw around here in California; words that I would aspire to if only I could get my shit together. ...

July 6 - 2018

Mindfulness in Special Education

Mindfulness in Special Education Over 20 years ago I began my journey into the Special Education field. Growing up I had noticed how students in the Special Education classrooms were sort of a mystery to me because they always seemed to ...

March 27 - 2018

The value of consistent therapy

“Trust is built with consistency” Lincoln Chafee once said. As parents, caregivers, and educators we know that the key to making sure any skill is mastered is consistency. And teaching our friends with Autism new skills is no different ...

March 20 - 2018

The questions I’ve been asked most this year

Getting a diagnosis of any kind can knock the wind right out of you. What follows is a whirlwind of information, assessments, appointments with various service providers, recommendations, and of course unsolicited advice from the well-meaning ...

March 1 - 2018

Perseveration: It's a full-time job!

“Yes, you go to speech at 9 am on Tuesday morning,” I said again, for about the 26th time in less than 5 minutes. “Yes. And OT is Friday at 9 am?” “Yes.” This was an ongoing conversation between a student ...

February 28 - 2018

The link between Anxiety & Autism

Having the amazing job of being in the company of people who have Autism has provided me the unique opportunity to see into their worlds and the inner workings of their minds, although be it a superficial look at best. I could never fully understand ...

February 5 - 2018

Keeping your child’s IEP current

Recently I was called to advocate for a former student and her family. She had an IEPthat was agreed upon, however, the terms were not being honored. This was not the first timeI’ve encountered this, unfortunately. In my journey in Special ...

January 21 - 2018

Anger & Parenting

You don’t have to watch the news every night (in fact, I’d tell you to their don't!) to know that we are a nation who is obsessed with being righteously angry. The BBC did a poll and found that 69% of Americans consider themselves angry. ...