There are two questions that pop into my mind: The first is: Is this the result of COVID? Trauma? I have been working in schools for more than 30 years, and I know that issues of disruption, aggression, non-compliance, defiance, etc. were on the rise well before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. And, the truth is, […]
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The Universal Language of Kindness
I hope today (and everyday) you find new and creative ways to express the compassion and kindness that is within you. When you take a moment or two each day to reconnect to your true essence of goodness, it is so much easier to see the places it exists outside of you. In the people […]
What I Learned from My Fancy (And Very Expensive) Dyson Vacuum
I don’t know about you, but I love a clean floor. My family actually makes fun of me. But I don’t care. I love walking barefooted in my house and not feeling pieces of dirt, foot, dust, etc. stick to the bottom of my feet. So that you know I am not totally crazy, I […]
You Are The Sky
As I sit and begin planning our 20+ family celebration of Christmas and the the last night of Hanukah this weekend, I notice my mind bouncing from appetizer recipes to thoughts of …. Who will drink too much? Who will show up in a bad mood? Who will be too loud, too withdrawn, too lazy […]
Warrior Pose Can Help You (And Your Kids) Tackle The Holiday Season
The holidays are often a time for excessive parties and social gatherings. I remember as a child how overwhelming it was to be around so many people at one time, even if they were family. I come from a big extended family that always expected strong hugs, kisses, and time around the dining room table […]
Still Struggling to Get Your Students to “Buy-in” to Mindfulness?
Have you struggled to get BUY-IN from your older students????? Today, we’re sharing The Zensational Kids’ method of gaining students’ interest, trust, and desire to try mindfulness. If you have been following the research and science of mindfulness in the classroom over the past decade, you know that mindfulness offers many positive outcomes related to […]
Channeling Attention to Achieve Academic Excellence
“If they could just pay attention…” How many times a day have you caught yourself saying or thinking this statement?? And what improvement would you see in your students and in your classroom if they were able to hone their attention towards what was important in the moment (like your lessons)? As Daniel Goldman writes […]
Heal from Trauma with Extraocular Exercise
I am sure you have heard the saying, “The eyes are the windows to the soul.” Sadly, that spark in the eyes can be dulled when trauma has been experienced at different levels. In this post, I share a simple eye exercise that has been proven to help heal trauma and is also strengthens an […]
Find Inner Peace with This Breathing Technique
We often think of peace as being part of our external experience. A peaceful garden, a peaceful home, going to a spa or retreat where everything is slow paced and soft music fills the background. While peaceful environments are wonderful, let’s face it, we don’t all get to experience them on a regular basis. Relying […]
Understanding Behavior as a Byproduct of Our Inner State
There is no such thing as a bad kid. So why do we make them believe that they are? In an effort to motivate students, support positive behavior, and encourage focused learning, many well-intentioned educators have been trained to implement various behavior modification techniques. You may know these techniques quite well. They include sticker charts […]
Restorative Practices: Part 2
Knowing the basics of holding a circle is one of the most applicable and directly transferable skills for parents and educators to have when implementing restorative practices (RP). A restorative circle, in the practice of RP, can serve several purposes. A circle can be an effort to build culture within a group, to sustain or […]
What Patterns Do You See?
Habits and beliefs are merely patterns. These patterns become ingrained in our subconscious mind before the age of seven. So much about the things that we do, what we think, and how we behave are driven by these patterns. Mindfulness is a tool that helps bring our own awareness to how we are being in […]