How do we teach our children social and emotional awareness in a fun and play filled way? Eventually our children will become adults so when they walk out into the world, we want them to step into their lives as aware and in control of their emotions as possible.
In this episode we discuss:
Building a strong connection with our children is really important and taking the time to invest in our relationships with them at each stage of childhood and into the teenage years. Today Janine considers the opportunities we create for them to share what they like and what you enjoy also in day to day life. How can we connect with our kids well so that when they face challenges or difficulties they feel like they can come speak with you, the parent?
In this episode we discuss strategies for connecting well, including:
Has your child hit their teenage years and puberty has started? Have you noticed their emotions are changing? What about their most extreme emotions? Do you find that your teenager can feel really angry at times?
In today’s episode, Janine unpacks some strategies to help you as parents support your teenager and how to develop that connection between yourself as the parent and them.
Here’s what Janine discusses in today’s episode:
OCD can manifest itself in different ways with different obsessions and focus that are going on in your life. Children’s author, Marin Canaday describes OCD feeling like a monster devouring your emotions and feelings, where you could get to the point where you feel out of control and you begin to believe the lies the OCD obsessions tell you about yourself.
Marin joins me today in this episode and we discuss some of the following areas:
When you are stressed, anxious or perhaps angry and need to calm down, what techniques do you use? There are so many out there, from yoga, meditation, exercise and mindfulness but today I will be speaking to my guest Andrea about one which you’ll love if you sit on the creative side of life. It’s a mix of art and mindfulness and it’s called ‘Zentangle’.
The topics we cover in this episode are:
This week, Janine speaks to Suzanne Tucker a Parent Educator about the do’s, don’t’s, the should’s and shame that comes with parenting. Suzanne started Generation Mindful as she saw societal problems within herself and her own family, as well as in friends and family and she knew something needed to change. Listen into this episode to make yourself feel a whole lot better about living life as a parent!
Did you know that mindfulness practice can shrink the amygdala which is the part of the brain that is responsible for fight, flight or freeze? While I know the benefits of mindfulness, I sometimes struggle to actually practice it. But several years ago, I was able to finally start on my mindfulness journey - by using food!
This can be done with any type of food but I particularly love using berries or chocolate. Take a listen to learn how to use this technique…
The topics I cover in this episode are:
This episode is all about music. Have you ever felt anxious and put on your favorite calming song? Or perhaps sad and delved into a heartfelt playlist? I would guess most of us use music to fuel our tough workouts! My guest on this episode Ryan Judd is an internationally known music therapist who uses the power of song with children - mainly in the school setting. Research shows music produces Oxytocin in the brain which is the hormone associated with social bonding, a very important skill to learn as a child. Listening isn’t the only part that is beneficial, but playing music can help children bond further and release any emotions through sensory play.
The topics we cover in this episode are:
This week I spoke to the lovely Jana York, a certified mindfulness and meditation teacher about how we can help our kids through the power of the breath. Mindfulness thankfully is everywhere these days, it may have started in the east but it’s definitely being adopted in the west. Speaking of geography, Jana York has taught children in Japan and Thailand, from her experience there she learned a lot of ways to use sensory toys and games to help children self-regulate and be more at peace with their anxiety.
Take a long, slow, deep breath. In… and out. Doesn’t that feel a lot better? Today’s episode is all about breathing and how to regulate your nervous system. A lot of people say it and it’s just so true, the breath is so powerful and a good way to help navigate difficult situations and emotions. My guest is an expert in this field, Jennifer Cohen Harper is a mindfulness and yoga educator and she tells me the best practices when it comes to using your breath as well as the following topics…
In this episode I talk to pediatric occupational therapist and CEO of Zensational Kids, Allison Morgan. We discuss the big challenges kids and schools will be facing when they return, what can families do at home to help navigate the next phase of the pandemic as well as her new curriculum for educators.
Self-care can feel like just another thing to add to your to-do list. I KNOW life is hard right now. My kids are fully remote, and sometimes it's a struggle to make it through the next class or piece of homework. I have to thank my colleagues because I keep getting emails and seeing posts about self-care. It's a reminder to me to talk about it and do it. I find that I need to take time for myself. Otherwise, I find myself being more crabby or cranky, and it's hard to accomplish anything. And I need to practice what I preach.
This time is so stressful and full of anxiety! This is the perfect time to start to explore the practice of mindfulness with kids.
Mindfulness is being aware of what’s happening in the present moment. It’s not about trying to clear your mind, but allowing thoughts and emotions to come and go without judgment and familiarizing ourselves with the present moment. It takes practice to be able to do this.
Mindfulness helps kids focus on the present instead of focusing on the past or future. As they grow into adults, they need to learn to manage stress in healthy ways and make sure they have a healthy balance in their lives.
Mindfulness can also be a helpful tool for kids who have challenges with self-regulation or difficulty managing emotions, or want to improve their concentration. it would be helpful for them to be able to calm down and be aware of the present. When they are aware of the present, it will help them be more able to see what’s happening around them and settle themselves and their minds.
In this podcast episode, I talk about four different ways to introduce mindfulness to kids. Take a listen!
