Mindful Practice
Learn how practicing mindfulness helps children with anxiety. Mindfulness is focusing on the present moment while allowing yourself to experience emotions.
Healthier Minds Meditate
Being mindful helps develop healthier family connections and makes parenting joyful. Create thoughtful bonds with your family with meditation tips from experts like Anthony Cupo and others.
Editor's Picks
5 Tips for Emotional Regulation
Teaching children emotional regulation is essential for ensuring that they can move through life without emotional outbursts that leave them feeling out of control. Emotional regulation is fundamental to…
Guide to a Healthy Mind
Learn some insightful tips for keeping the mind in an optimal state. There are many approaches to mental health, and finding the one that fits you is a journey…
Recent Articles
Have a Balanced Holiday
Find joy in all feelings and keep holiday stress at bay with these mindful tips. As the holiday season approaches, it is essential to embrace festivities…
A Season of Reflection
It is all too easy to rush through the days. Cultivate a deeper connection with yourself and your children, embrace a mindful approach to parenting.
Mindful Monsters
Try these Halloween activities to enchant your kids’ minds. Halloween is a season filled with excitement, creativity and a sprinkle of spookiness!
Fall into Mindfulness
Follow this parent’s guide to embracing presence and peace this fall season. As the leaves change colors and the air turns crisp, fall presents an opportunity
Mindful Communication
Take these tips for mindful communication to help ensure a successful school year. As the new school year approaches, it is essential to highlight mindfulness.
A Stoic Dad is a Mindful Dad
Learn how the ways of the ancient Stoics can help you as a parent. As modern fathers, we often express our love for our children through consumerism
Mindfulness Parenting for Special Needs
Learn about this powerful approach to help in raising your special needs child. Parenting can be a unique and rewarding journey filled with joys and challenges.
Spring Nature Lessons
Spring break offers a chance to learn mindful lessons from nature. Spring break is just around the corner. It’s the perfect time to take a break from our daily
Mental Prep for Summer Camp
Find out how mindfulness can help you guide your children on their summer camp adventures. Summer camp is an exciting and enriching experience for children of
The Evolving Landscape of Parent Wellness
The new year brings advancements and transformative changes in parenting and well-being. Parenting is a beautiful journey that requires constant adapting.
Holiday Mindfulness Hacks
The holiday season is a time for parents to practice mindfulness and impart this invaluable skill to their children to teach them presence and gratitude.
Cultivating Mindfulness as a Mompreneur
How to nurture your well-being while navigating a business. Being a mompreneur is a unique and rewarding journey, but it can also be quite demanding at times.
Halloween Mindfulness
Embrace the spooky season with a mindful approach. While Halloween tends to be associated with fright, it’s essential to remember the power of mindfulness.
Mindful Practice
Learn how practicing mindfulness helps children with anxiety. Mindfulness is focusing on the present moment while allowing yourself to experience emotions.
Summer Family Art
Learn about the benefits of practicing art as a family and some creative activities for parents and kids for fun, summer self-care. The art process allows the family to strengthen their bond through creativity and to appreciate each other’s different perspectives. It also empowers the family’s creative thinking and stimulates the family’s identity as a team. This, in turn, improves mental health and well-being for the family. Creative expression through the therapeutic art process allows the family to gain new insights about themselves and each other. It fosters creative thinking and is a healthy, creative outlet for the family. It...
Bucket List of Summer Mindfulness
Mindfulness means children can concentrate without anything else distracting them. Everyday life stress can overwhelm and make it difficult for children to refl
5 Tips for Emotional Regulation
Teaching children emotional regulation is essential for ensuring that they can move through life without emotional outbursts that leave them feeling out of control. Emotional regulation is fundamental to…
Guide to a Healthy Mind
Learn some insightful tips for keeping the mind in an optimal state. There are many approaches to mental health, and finding the one that fits you is a journey…
Gaming Insights
(Photo Courtesy of Shutterstock) Learn how to set healthy limits for your video-gaming kids. Over the last several years, there has been a steady upward trend in the amount of time our children spend engaging in video game play. As a parent, you may find yourself questioning how to monitor and set limits on video game use without becoming “the bad guy” to your child. Before setting limits on video games, a good starting place may be exploring and reflecting on your relationship with your child. Research suggests that when parents have open communication and explore ideas and concepts with...
Metta Love
(Photo Courtesy of iStock) Metta meditation offers a boost of love for you, the kids and the world. Loving-kindness meditation, or Metta meditation, is an ultimate form of generosity, selflessness and love toward ourselves and others. In fact, Metta is a Pali word for benevolence, friendship, affection and kindness. The Dhammapada says, “Hatred cannot co-exist with love and kindness. It dissipates when supplanted with thoughts of love and compassion.” Try a Metta meditation. May I be happy, may you be happy, and may all our family members be happy. May I be safe, may you be safe, and may all...
Picky Eater Problems
(Photo Courtesy of iStock) My toddler is a very picky eater. What should I know about picky eaters? Toddlers Picky eating is a common problem among many children, and we know it can be very difficult for parents who want to ensure their child is receiving the appropriate nutrition. Picky eating, however, can also be a symptom of a more serious issue, such as a pediatric feeding disorder. Feeding difficulties can be related to a number of factors, including but not limited to, decreased sensory processing skills, decreased oral motor skills, a variety of medical conditions, anxiety or a combination. ...
Nature Explorer
Fran Howard (far left) leading a family hike.(Photo courtesy of Irvine Ranch Conservancy) An Irvine Ranch Conservancy volunteer works to keep kids engaged with nature through local family hikes. The wild mysteries are everywhere. The young nature detectives are on the case. Armed with a magnifying glass and photos, they’re out to find and identify Orange County’s native plants and creatures. Guiding their adventures and curating their interest in the outdoors is Fran Howard, a volunteer with Irvine Ranch Conservancy who has been leading local family hikes for more than a decade. IRC manages about 30,000 acres of land, most...
Heart Art
(Photo Courtesy of Art Therapy OC) In this month of love, create art and craft as a family to enhance self-love, self-care and unity. February is the perfect month to craft something from the heart. Creating art not only helps with self-care, but also with self-love. The art validates the uniqueness of an individual, which increases a sense of accomplishment and feeling of positive self-worth. Here are some crafty, creative and fun festive art ideas to do with loved ones, or on your own, on Valentine’s Day or any time of the year. I like to call this first activity...
Key to 2023
(Photo Courtesy of iStock) Why mindfulness is an essential skill of the new year. Navigating the modern world is not easy — our culture places excessive demands on our time and attention, often pulling our focus away from those nearest to us and even away from our personal health and well-being. Technology dominates every aspect of our lives. While it has undoubtedly delivered incredible opportunities and improvements to so many aspects of our lives, we must recognize the impact on our health and the health of our children while finding solutions that best protect our families. So much of our...
Holiday Mindfulness
(Photo Courtesy of iStock) With the festive season fast approaching, it’s incredibly important for parents to give themselves the time and space to prepare for the upcoming challenges. For adults, the holiday season can be incredibly overwhelming. We are exposed to a constant stream of advertising, our communities and homes are dressed up in the brightest, boldest colors and the palpable sense of excitement can be exhausting to manage. Add in the self-imposed pressure to produce a perfect, memorable holiday for our family and friends, it’s easy to see why the festive season can be extremely challenging to navigate. For...
Teaching Gratitude
(Photo Courtesy of iStock) Learn some research-backed tips for fostering a thankful child. Wanting to raise a thankful child has its challenges. The entitlement cultural narrative can be a significant challenge in your quest. Has your child been given a birthday gift or invited to a friend's party? You know they really liked the gift or party, and when it was time to leave, you say what all good parents do, "What do you say?" Your child looks at you and mumbles a "Thank you" to the host or gift giver. As you smile and laugh it off, you wonder...
Holiday Health
(Photo Courtesy of iStock) With the holiday rush here, how do I keep my family healthy, fit and safe? All ages With the upcoming holidays, there’s a lot of focus on meals, preparing for family gatherings, and for families with little ones, creating safe and enjoyable celebrations. The holidays are a wonderful time for creating memories, but it is also important to keep your children and families on track when it comes to nutrition, exercise and safety. Holiday Meals When you think about holiday meals, one of the first things that may come to mind is an excessive intake of...
Tricks and Treats of Mindfulness
(Photo Courtesy of iStock) How mindful parenting can help develop a healthier parent-child relationship. It can be very challenging to raise a young family. If you have found yourself losing your patience and overreacting when your child says or does something unacceptable, you are not alone. Fortunately, there are ways to modify your parenting style and create a loving, secure bond with your child. Mindful parenting is a parenting technique that helps to prevent you from overreacting while maintaining a secure bond with your child. Following is some helpful information on what mindful parenting is, as well as the benefits...
Halloween Health & Safety
(Photo Courtesy of iStock) We love Halloween, but are still concerned about COVID-19 exposure and things like monkeypox. How can I keep my kids safe while letting them have fun? All ages Halloween is a favorite holiday for many children and adults alike. From the decor to the costumes, the day’s festivities certainly spark the imagination. As a pediatrician, I want everyone to enjoy Oct. 31 in good fun and in good health by following a few safety guidelines. First, given the continued spread of COVID-19 in the community, I encourage eligible individuals, aged 6 months and older, to get...
All About Mindful Parenting
(Photo Courtesy of Raychan/Unsplash) Why you should consider parenting mindfully. If you have ever found yourself reacting more harshly than necessary when dealing with your child only to feel remorseful later on, you are not alone. Mindful parenting is a parenting strategy that focuses on stopping a negative interaction in its tracks before it occurs and reframing the interaction in a more balanced manner. Mindful parenting helps us model healthier emotional reactions and shows our children a more positive and helpful way of managing their emotions, as well. Here are some tips you can use to incorporate mindful parenting into...
Creating Self-Worth Through Friendships
(Photo Courtesy of Canva) Learn some useful strategies to help your child cultivate strong friendships while developing social-emotional learning. So far in this series of articles about social and emotional learning, there have been three main takeaways about how healthy self-worth develops in children: through consistent observation, regular communication and positive talk. The final piece of the puzzle that is social and emotional learning is completed by learning to develop friendships. Although families are a child’s first teachers, the fundamentals in promoting self-worth, friendships and relationships outside of the home are essential, too. When strong friendships in a child’s life...
Goal-Setting for the School Year
(Photo Courtesy of Taylor Wilcox/Unsplash) How to help your kids achieve goals in the new school year with a sensory vision board. Does your child have ADHD, autism, anger problems or other issues that get in the way of effective learning? If so, you're not alone. Many parents struggle with helping their kids succeed academically. The good news is that there are practical steps you can take to support your child with the goal of becoming an effective and enthusiastic student. One of the things that can be very helpful is a vision board. We'll talk about how to make...
Choose Your Words
(Photo Courtesy of YMCA of OC) Learn how to help develop your children’s sense of self-worth through positive talk. I once came across a comic strip that depicted a series of cartoons of a child being told what to do throughout their school day by teachers, school staff, lunch monitors and yard monitors during recess. When they arrived home from school, the child’s parent continued: “Sit down at dinner!” “Clean up this mess!” “Go to bed!” The comic strip was silly, but it demonstrated how much instruction our kids take throughout the day. When they get home, they have a...
Mindful Travel
(Photo Courtesy of Paul Chambers/Unsplash) Have a soothing summer vacation with the help of these six mindfulness exercises for traveling with kids. Family vacations can be magical, creating memories that last for a lifetime. Unfortunately, traveling with children can be challenging too. Your children may experience new places and new people while also trying novel things. Occasionally, this induces anxiety, which can complicate the adventure, especially if one or more of your children has ADHD, autism or other mental health concerns. One powerful tool that is sensible for any parent to keep in their toolbox is mindfulness. This is the...
Campus After COVID
(Photo Courtesy of Fairmont Schools) As the pandemic evolves, schools and families take a look at what a post-COVID campus looks like. As the 2021-22 school year ends, most students were able to go to prom, graduate on stage, throw their caps up and hug their friends. This school year, dances were held, homecoming queens were crowned, and parents were welcomed back by teachers for open houses and plays. It was the closest to “normal” since March 2020, and while educators and families still had to navigate the murky waters of an evolving pandemic — everyone was happy to be...
COVID Anxieties
(Photo Courtesy of Canva) My children have been worried about the possibility of COVID cases getting bad again. What can I do to soothe them even when I don’t know what might happen? All ages This is a great question and one that is coming up frequently with many families. While the past two years have felt like an eternity for most of us, it essentially HAS been an eternity for our preschool-aged children. Even for a 10-year-old, more than 20 percent of their life has occurred under a dark cloud of unprecedented uncertainty, fear and life-altering precautionary measures in...
A Lesson in Boundaries
(Photo Courtesy of Canva) This Father’s Day, we’re reflecting on the life lessons that fathers can pass on to their children — particularly boundaries. Father’s Day is just around the corner. There are so many essential life lessons that dads pass on to their children. Father’s Day is a reminder of how much dads impact their kids’ lives. One of the most important things that we think dads can teach their kids is how to set boundaries. Why Are Boundaries So Important for Kids? It’s easy to picture boundaries as being imaginary lines that we draw that we don’t...
Mom & Kindness
(Photo Courtesy of Pexels) Mother's Day offers a natural opportunity for kids to learn the elements of love and kindness. Mother's Day really is about mom. Moms should not feel like they need to turn their day into a necessary learning experience for their children. However, it's impossible to ignore the fantastic opportunity for emotional awareness created by this highly interpersonal holiday. Mother's Day provides an excellent opportunity for kids to learn the elements of love and kindness: Empathy Graciousness Anticipating the needs of others Gratitude Creativity Acceptance This Mother’s Day encourage your children to express their love and experience...
Sensory Sensitivity Strategies
(Pediatric Occupational Therapist Laura Petix and mom to a neurodivergent 4-year-old daughter/Photo Courtesy of Laura Petix) A local pediatric occupational therapist and mom to a neurodivergent child offers tips to help minimize sensory overload during social outings. Think back to a time when you had a debilitating headache or fever. The sound of a door closing was like nails on a chalkboard. The slightest peek of sunshine made your eyeballs feel like they were burning from the inside out. Every blanket felt scratchy and even though your partner meant well, when they tried to rub your back, it felt like...
Mindfulness Through Kindness
(Photo Courtesy of Annie Spratt/Unsplash) Embodying kindness can offer children many benefits for themselves and others. Is the word kindness overused? The truth is that it is easy to dismiss kindness as a catchphrase in this busy world we live in. However, kindness can never be an overdone idea! The best way to ensure that kindness does not get evaporated down to a catchphrase with our kids is to show them how to live kindness. This means understanding that kindness is: Connection Empathy in motion Recognition of the dignity of others A counterbalance to the hate in the world A...
Brain Fitness
(Photo Courtesy of Monstera/Pexels) Help your kids develop a mindful brain with some exercise. Are you wondering how to help your child flex their mental-health muscles? The brain is the ultimate mindfulness muscle! Play is the default brain workout for children. Most children effortlessly fall into play that allows them to explore thoughts, express feelings and process the world around them. However, some gentle guidance from parents can help them optimize their brainpower by using some simple elements of "brain fitness." Specific movements can help keep the brain sharp while providing tools for self-regulation. These exercises are great ways to...
Camp Ready
(Photo Courtesy of Endless Surf Sun School) Orange County summer camps reflect and learn from 2021, and look forward to a new summer. For many Orange County summer camps, 2021 was “more normal.” And while the early part of 2022 has proved challenging due to the highly contagious Omicron variant, camp directors are hopeful for the summer ahead. “We’re keeping the arts alive and well, come COVID or high numbers,” said Stephen Zygo, founder and director of Acting Academy for Kids in Mission Viejo and Irvine. “Masks have proven to be effective and we have seen over these past two...
Practical Mindfulness
(Photo Courtesy of Canva) Learn how to create a mindful household for your child for parenting in unprecedented times. Is mindfulness possible in the chaos? It's the question that every parent asks. Life comes at us fast when we're helping our kids navigate the stress of school, socializing, family dynamics and the world at large while juggling our own professional and personal battles daily. Our ideal of living in a calm, emotionally connected house is often sacrificed to the realities of just how much we have on our plates. There's a secret that so many parents miss. Mindfulness happens best...
Resolve for Consistency
(Photo Courtesy of YMCA of Orange County) This year, families can change up their New Year’s resolutions by focusing on consistency. It’s a new year, and with 2022 freshly on the calendar, the challenges of 2020 are looking further away in the rearview mirror. Many of us have weathered the worst of the storm, yet some of us are still in the thick of it. But with all the change our society has seen over the past two years, it’s time to make a New Year’s resolution that will stick: consistency. Many of us resolve to make healthier choices, to...
Passion Project
(Photo Courtesy of Paige Cody/Unsplash) Learn ways to support your children in building upon their passions. Have your children been stuck with their heads in their computers, tablets and phones for the last 18 months? Children have had limited opportunities to build upon and explore their passions outside of the classroom or virtual walls. I like to use the word passion interchangeably with words like determination, pride and love. Passion is a strong desire that can enable children to do amazing things. Passion is an emotion that needs to be acted upon. Without action, passion yields no worthwhile results. In...
Healthy Holidays
(Photo Courtesy of Allen Taylor/Unsplash) How can my family keep fit and healthy over the holidays? All ages Holiday meals are commonly associated with an excessive intake of food and drink. Here are some sensible recommendations for more health-conscious holiday choices, especially when it comes to athletes in your family. Involve children in meal preparation. With more school-age children on holiday for the entire week of Thanksgiving and Christmas, there is an increased opportunity to have them assist in food selection and cooking. Have younger children collect more colors (translation: fruits and vegetables) to use in the big meal. Have...
Mindful Merriness
(Photo Courtesy of Canva) Fun activities to do with your kids for mindful holidays. It's easy to fall into the trap of rushing around, getting fixated on gifts, and clinging to picture-perfect expectations during the holiday season. There's nothing wrong with embracing the tinsel and glow of December. However, the busyness of the season can make it tough to maintain balance. Many parents worry that the flurry of activity that occurs is overwhelming for their kids. It is possible to have a mindful holiday season. What's more, mindfulness can feel fun and merry. Practicing mindfulness is one of the best...
Art for the Holidays
(Photos Courtesy of Diana Shabtai) Making art as a family can help encourage bonding while creating something special for the holidays. Creating art together as a family this holiday season allows a parent to possibly gain better insight into how their child is feeling or thinking by encouraging them to participate in arts and crafts activities or other activities. Arts and crafts, for example, are a great way for youth to turn to their endless imagination all while doing something productive and expressive with it through creativity. There are many materials and activities to choose from, which can allow children...
Mindfulness for Childhood Anxiety
(Photo Courtesy of Kampus Productions/Pexels) How mindfulness can become a useful part of your child’s mental-health toolkit. Parents shouldn't be intimidated by conversations about how to manage childhood anxiety. It's very easy to fall into the trap of thinking that anxiety is a problem that needs to be fixed. In reality, anxiety is a very expected, everyday part of the human experience that can be managed. All of us will experience anxiety at some point. While we never want to downplay or dismiss the debilitating impact that anxiety can have when it's left unchecked, we also want to avoid the...
Journaling: Secret to Student Success
(Photo courtesy of Canva) Learn about all the potential benefits mindful journaling offers to students. Parents looking to make the most of their child’s educational experience may want to encourage the use of the mindfulness tool, journaling. Some of the benefits of journaling include reduction of anxiety, improved grades, students becoming more invested in studies, and journaling ultimately helps them decide how to attain a career path. Some students may have kept a journal in years past, but mindful journaling is different than what they may be used to as it involves intentional practice and goal-setting to help them achieve...
Teen Vaccine
(Molly Ringwald) Eighties icon Molly Ringwald partners with campaign urging parents to vaccinate their teens, and it’s not for COVID-19. It was 2005 and Jonathan DeGuzman was just a regular college student. “The thing I remember is I was turning in my psychology paper for our final exam. And at that time, I was headed home and I was experiencing flu-like symptoms,” recalled DeGuzman. DeGuzman’s symptoms quickly progressed and soon he was in and out of consciousness with his parents rushing him to the hospital. “And then all of a sudden, I just blacked out … and then I all...
Navigating the New Fall Routine
(Photo Courtesy of YCMA OC) YMCA of OC offers up five key tips for a successful back-to-school this fall. The long days of summer are drawing to a close, and soon the beach days, summer camps and family road trips will seem like a distant memory. While many families continue to navigate the pandemic and the “new normal” that it brings with it, daily routines may look a little different. When gearing up for the school year, it is vital for both parents (and students!) to acknowledge that everyone has been impacted a little differently by the pandemic, so our...
Post-Pandemic Mindfulness for Kids
(Photo Courtesy of Jessica Rockowitz/Unsplash) Helping children cope with the effects of living through a pandemic with mindfulness tips and tools. With a phenomenon as wide-reaching as the COVID-19 pandemic, it is nearly impossible to know the full extent to which communities across the globe have been disrupted. The loss of life has been as staggering as it has been far-reaching — but while the pandemic has created holes in many tight-knit adult circles, just as concerning is its mental impact on children. Some children are naturally resilient and resistant to mental health issues caused by large-scale disasters such as...
Back-to-School Checklist
(Photo Courtesy of Kelly Sikkema/Unsplash) Ease some of the stress of this school year’s return to campus with these expert tips on getting your kids back to class. Parents and professionals agree, the best place for children to learn is in the classroom. “We want to recommend kids start socializing again,” said Dr. Regine Muradian, a licensed clinical psychologist and expert on anxiety-related issues for children, adolescents and parents, “and we want to return to some sense of normalcy as soon as possible.” Even the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently issued updated guidelines that noted a safe...
Mindful Organization
(Photo Courtesy of Jeswin Thomas/Unsplash) Keep organized with these mindfulness tools during the back-to-school season. Throughout the pandemic, mindfulness has become a key practice for many parents. As lockdowns set in, it became much more important to focus on the small things that brought us joy, instead of grieving for those things we had lost. Now that parts of the world are returning to a state of normalcy, mindfulness is still just as important as before — but the way in which we practice it is going to have to change. Why? Simply put, in-person responsibilities are returning. On top...
Back-to-School Sleep Prep
(Photo Courtesy of Robo Wunderkind/Unsplash) A local child sleep expert offers some helpful tips for getting families onto a healthy sleep program in time for returning to school. Back to school is almost here! It might sound shocking or unreal, especially after learning how to home school, but it’s time to get back in the groove of things and to a normal life. Back to school is one of parents’ busy times of year. Parents can easily get overwhelmed by all the back-to-school preparing and shopping, and usually an important part of preparing for back to school is missed —...
Parenting After COVID
(Photo Courtesy of engin akyurt/Unsplash) How parents can ease back into mindfulness after many months of intense pandemic anxiety. The COVID-19 pandemic has tested all of us — from the young to the old, to the sick and the healthy — no one has been un-impacted by the implications of our current global health crisis. And while we have all learned to cope and deal with the lockdowns, stay-at-home orders, mask mandates, travel restrictions, workplace changes and new responsibilities, it has — to put it lightly — not been easy. One cohort that has been specifically impacted by COVID-19 is...
Mindful Dads
(Photo Courtesy of Canva) Fathers can also greatly benefit from mindful communication with their children. Being present and practicing mindfulness with children is easier said than done. While new mothers are traditionally expected to be mindful, fathers are often understudied and overlooked when it comes to the relationships they form and nurture. While there is little research that specifically assesses the impact of mindfulness on father-child relationships, a multitude of twin-parent studies show that there are immensely beneficial aspects of open communication between fathers and their children. The following benefits of mindfulness are directly correlated with an enhanced relationship between...
Benefits of a Mindful Mom
(Photo Courtesy of Maksim Chernishev/Unsplash) Learn how practicing mindfulness can help with some of the stresses of motherhood. Nothing in the world can fully describe the emotional roller-coaster that is motherhood. Motherhood marks a new chapter in a woman’s story and brings with it a new sense of purpose and meaning to life. Mothers experience a myriad of new emotions and a fierce love for their children, like they have never felt before. Nonetheless, motherhood can get overwhelming and exhausting. Some days you may feel like you are being pulled in a thousand different directions, making you feel drained and...
A Special Kind of Stress
(Photo Courtesy of Jan Kopřiva/Unsplash) Calming techniques for the chaos and anxiety of special needs life. Raising a child with special needs is a challenging task that can drain parents, especially when effective coping methods are absent. Brain development in children is a complex process that depends on several factors, including nutrition, social interaction and engaging in numerous activities. This multifactorial process is primarily reliant on the parents' commitment. Parents can make a big difference in raising their child, and consequently, how well their cognitive abilities develop. The Role of Mindfulness Over the past few years, researchers have inspected hundreds...
Special Needs Programs Adapting due to the Pandemic
(Lona Cooking/Photo Courtesy of April Swerdfeger) The pandemic has had a real impact on special needs families and programs. Here’s how they adapted and what they’ve learned. Chinh Tuong Nguyen’s son, Patrick, was born on July 5. He rarely cried during his first 8 months, even when he had the chickenpox. “I thought it was very normal and I was a lucky mom at first,” says Nguyen. But after his first birthday, Nguyen started to question why Patrick did not respond to his name or eat, talk and play like other kids in her extended family. After seeking out answers...
Interpersonal Mindful Parenting
Two new studies offer insights on how mindfulness techniques may impact parenting. Mindfulness starts with awareness. With the following questions having no correct answers, reflect on them as you read this article. By being mindful of our behaviors, we can be less reactive and more resourceful in our choices. Never TrueRarely TrueSometimes TrueOften TrueAlways TrueI find myself listening to my child with one ear because I am busy doing or thinking about something else at the same time.When I’m upset with my child, I notice how I am feeling before I take action.I notice how changes in my child’s mood...
4 Tips to Transform Your Body
Feeling that brain fog and back pain signaling a long day’s work? Try out these tips from a local fitness expert. When it comes to fitness and nutrition, you might be your own worst enemy. It could be your work, your children or your elderly parents, but you always feel like someone is calling on you. And because of the person you are, you’ll always show up and give 100 percent. You’re selfless and that’s commendable, but there’s a price you’re paying right now. You’re stressed out and completely exhausted because you’re being pulled in different directions. Sound familiar? Now...
A Campfire Story
A tale of "The Two Wolves" is a helpful allegory to help guide our pursuit of mindfulness. An old Cherokee Indian is huddled around a campfire with his grandson, with only the shine of the moon and hum of the turning world for company. "A fight is going on inside me," the Cherokee said to the boy. "It is a terrible fight; it is between two wolves. One is angry. It has envy, greed, arrogance, guilt, resentment, inferiority and superiority. The other is good. Joyful, peaceful, loving, hopeful, humble, kind, benevolent, has empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and is faithful.” "The...
New Year Mindfulness
Start the new year off in a more mindful state with these meditation tips. As we all know, a new year can bring with it a whole wave of emotions. Many people look ahead to the next 12 months and make resolutions, vowing to make positive changes in their lives that they did not quite manage the previous year. However, some also reflect on past guilt and regrets from time now passed, disappointed at some of the decisions they made or things they experienced. This mixture of emotions is completely normal! However, it is important that you take the time...
Reducing Pregnancy Stress in the Time of COVID
Stress-reduction is the key to a healthy pregnancy as moms-to-be adapt to pandemic life. As beautiful and transformative as pregnancy can be, it often comes with its own unique set of anxieties. Layer the grim realities of a global pandemic on top of the normal stressors of pregnancy, and the results can be overwhelming. A small national survey found that anxiety among pregnant women has nearly tripled since the start of the pandemic — even among healthy, low-risk mothers whose babies were developing normally. While it is important to remain vigilant and cautious in the face of an ever-growing COVID-19...
A Mindfulness Refresher
As we near the end of the year, it’s a good time for going back to some mindfulness basics. Mindfulness is far more than being aware of an experience — it is also understanding why we are aware of it. Mindfulness is the human capacity to process a situation and approach it with kindness and warmth. By having a firm grasp over where your focus lies, you can gain a far greater insight into the meaning behind the experience. This idea of open interest within the experience is called “simple knowing.” As experienced teachers of mindfulness, we have seen so...
Expressing Empathy
Knowing the right ways to show empathy and compassion can serve as useful emotional tools for parents. The definition of empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others, while compassion is described as sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others. Just because you are not going through something or feeling a certain way does not mean that you cannot empathize and show compassion toward others. Being open-minded to a pain you have never experienced first-hand is one of the most difficult things to do as you cannot draw on your own emotions...
Halloween Events Continue with Safety in Mind
Let the Spooky Festivities Begin. Even with a pandemic, local Halloween events are popping up throughout the county. Businesses and individuals are rising to the challenge and are finding innovative ways to celebrate Halloween while social distancing and adhering to health and safety guidelines. Here are just a few examples: (Photo courtesy of Urban Legends Halloween Haunt) Urban Legends of Southern California We’re all about the drive-throughs these days and now Halloween is lending itself to an innovative form of the concept. Urban Legends of Southern California is a drive-through Halloween haunt at the OC Fair & Event Center running...
Learning Better and Faster
The key to learning is first learning how. When we talk about education — whether our own, our children’s or other people’s — we talk a lot about the importance of learning. We talk surprisingly little, though, about how to learn. We fail to address the reasons why learning is hard or wonder if there are things we can do to make learning easier or even more effective. Training your brain to help the learning process along rather than hindering it is a kind of superpower. It is like possessing a magical key to a secret treasure. It can make...
Halloween — Your Way
How to make Halloween a scream in a socially distanced world. Halloween may seem a little sad this year. But for Halloween lovers, COVID-19 safety restrictions doesn’t mean the spooky holiday season is cancelled. “We have received calls and inquiries from many parents on what to do this year,” said Lisa K. Cohen, director at Creative Arts & Parties for Kids and owner of the new Play & Parties location (opening Oct. 31) in Orange. “I always look at every challenge as a creative opportunity and this pandemic is no exception. When you think about the essence of Halloween and...
Ride Safe
Spending more time outdoors on bikes, scooters and skateboards? Don’t forget to wear a helmet. One of the really positive things to come out of this COVID-19 era is a surge in the number of children and families who are regularly active — riding bikes, scooters and skateboards. Even roller skates and Rollerblades have made an exciting comeback. As children go back to school, largely through distance learning, there will be an even greater incentive to take breaks and exercise outdoors. While this increased activity has wonderful health benefits, we have seen a disturbing trend related to helmets. Some parents...
Building Emotional Agility
Reframe how you and your children process feelings to help develop healthy emotional agility. Many people approach their emotional well-being as a zero-sum game. They get it into their heads that the goal is never to feel bad, ever. No bad days, no frustrations, no negative thoughts. If they feel anger, sadness or anxiety at any point in the day, it feels like a failure. That feeling of failure compounds the negativity into a downward spiral, and the day may be shot. This is especially the case for children and their parents. While children remain admirably resilient, they lack the...
Developing Skills for Mindful Parenting
[caption id="attachment_43257" align="alignnone" width="450"] Photo by Madison Lavern on Unsplash[/caption] Parents have a lot to handle these days. Here are some methods for staying sane when things get real. Becoming a parent and having the opportunity to raise a little one of your own is one of the best gifts that life has to offer. Still, as beautiful as the experience is, there’s a lot that goes into parenting that can wear you down until you feel like having a temper tantrum of your own. When it feels like you’re losing control of your emotions, some mindful parenting techniques can...
Educational and Entertaining Outdoor Experiences for Your Kids
(Photo Courtesy of Vitolda Klein/Unsplash) Take this unusual summer and turn it into a fun and enlightening family adventure into the outdoors. We’re entering a summer like no other. Orange County businesses and venues have started re-opening, but things are still in a state of flux. Kids are done with the school year and families are likely feeling the pull of some kind of adventure that doesn’t involve staying home. Though there’s still a pandemic looming and no official risk-free zone outside the home, health experts have generally pointed to the great outdoors for getting in some exercise, sun, fresh...
Safe Family Fun Activities During a Summer Pandemic
Photo by Meghan Holmes on Unsplash Develop new fun activities to spend quality time together as a family this summer. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed much about the way we live and relate to others. Social distancing is necessary. A lot of conventional summer family activities, like visiting the local pool or attending summer camp, are out of the question this year. But that doesn’t mean you and your kids have to sit home feeling bored! Here are some fun, relaxing and educational activities the whole family can enjoy without putting anyone at risk. Create a Scavenger Hunt This is...
Summer Face Masks
Ashley Nell Tipton Fusing her culture and fashion experience, Project Runway winner Ashley Nell Tipton designed a face mask collection that includes vibrant and eye-catching patterns, drawing upon inclusivity, Latina motifs and spreading positivity. Brightly colored and covered in unique patterns, these California-made masks are the ultimate form of self-expression with a variety of prints including Frida Kahlo, French bulldogs and camo. Each mask also comes with an ear stress-reliever for extended wear, and you can purchase matching masks for children too. $20-$25, Ashley Nell Tipton Amadi Face Masks Amadi’s line of face masks is the definition of summer....
A Mind in Need
By Victoria Costello Over a decade ago, at age 17, my son Alex lost his ability to finish a whole sentence, wear shoes, get even a half night’s sleep, or face the other kids at school. After getting Alex to a psychiatrist for a mental health evaluation I learned that, like the majority of parents, I hadn’t recognized earlier signs of psychological trouble in my child. Other essential information I was missing was a complete family mental health history. As psychology researcher Dr. Terrie E. Moffitt of Duke University told me later, “Family history can make the difference between ‘treat...
Transitioning Back to School
[caption id="attachment_36183" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Photo by Anita Jankovic on Unsplash[/caption] The new school year brings many unknowns. Here’s how you can emotionally prepare. As the days in quarantine continue on, millions of stressed parents and kids continue to try and navigate home schooling and life in close quarters in this COVID-19 “new normal.” The new school year may bring a host of new challenges and anxieties. None of us are sure what to expect. Things are in flux and there are a lot of unknowns — which may lead to the anxiety. But there are ways we can prepare. As...
Overcoming Sheltering-In-Place Tantrums
[caption id="attachment_36168" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Photo by Robert Norton on Unsplash[/caption] A family therapist shares some simple steps for handling kids acting out during stay-home orders. Raise your hand if you have been feeling challenged by your children lately. I raised my hand. Did you? Under optimal circumstances parenting is a demanding, albeit rewarding, balancing act of meeting needs, setting limits, getting tasks accomplished, and nurturing minds, bodies and emotions. Under COVID-19 limitations, these duties are even more trying. For starters, parents are managing dual roles as parent (or working-parent) and educator. Yet many no longer have go-to incentives, such as...
Dad Skills
[caption id="attachment_36157" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Photo by Picsea on Unsplash[/caption] Learn how you can rock as a father with these simple tips. As a father, you want what is best for your child. You know you cannot always be perfect. But you want the decisions you make, the actions you take, and the ways you treat your children to make them feel loved and supported. How can you absolutely rock as a father in the 21st century? Make Family Time a Priority The number one way to be an amazing father is to simply be there. You are thinking of your...
How to De-stress in a Crisis
These meditation tips can help soothe our nerves during this challenging time. These times are challenging, there is no doubt. Focusing on one’s mind in the moment can bring great insight, as it allows one to think clearly about the subject matter at hand. Mindful parenting is simply an ongoing intention to pay attention to thoughts, feelings and emotions in the present moment and taking a pause to re-orientate without the negative attachment. Research has shown that mindfulness goes a long way to help people deal with the aspects of their lives, even under stressful times. Such outcomes of mindfulness...
The Stay-Home Guide
How to keep your routine while staying home. We’re all in it together. We’re facing a pandemic and need to do our part by staying home and staying healthy. It’s a new world for all of us. But with a highly developed digital landscape at our disposal, this doesn’t mean we must stop our daily routine. In fact, many businesses and services are making it easier every day to continue our daily life as we get through this challenge. Fitness A big part of keeping healthy means exercise. But with gyms and fitness centers closed, what can we do? Orange...
Working-from-Home Wellness
Balancing work, kids and stress amid the coronavirus pandemic. As days pass, the novel coronavirus continues to account for the disruption of the lives of a significant portion of the global population. This has triggered feelings of anxiety, depression and fear among people regardless of their cultures, genders or ages. As a matter of fact, the phenomenon poses a great cause for discord within families. Considering the naivety of children, it is the role of their parents to prevent them from panicking or living risky lifestyles that make them vulnerable to this contagion. First, parents should maintain calmness and reassure...
All Children Are Special
Special needs children offer important lessons to parents and the community. Indeed, the term special needs is associated with disabilities and implores parents as well as stakeholders in the community to ensure their children get special assistance and accommodations for their medical, psychological and learning deficiencies. However, the use of the term special needs has led to the creation of a cloud of darkness over children and is making them feel that their needs can only be addressed if they have certain deficits. All children have special needs at different stages of their development and require effective accommodations to allow...
Importance of Limiting Screen-Time
Why parents should make screen-time limits a priority. The amount of screen time in the United States has been increasing over the past five years. Data from a recent survey by the Nielsen Company, postulates that the average screen time in the United States is 10 hours and 39 minutes. This includes time spent on computers, smartphones, tablets, televisions and video games. The number of accessible devices that individuals have, has also been increasing. In reference to the Nielsen report, over the past two years, there has been an hour increase in the amount of screen time individuals partake in....
Conquering Fears of the Dentist
Help make visits to the dentist a breeze for your kids with these expert tips. Dr. Azi Ardakani knows that fear of the dentist can become a significant challenge for children and their families. “I have a now 9-year-old girl that two years ago wouldn’t even sit in our dental chair,” said Ardakani, who owns Little Heroes of Orange County Pediatric Dentistry in Laguna Hills. “From the start, she had the fear in her eyes.” Ardakani learned from the girl’s mom that she’d had a very bad experience with a non-pediatric dentist. “I made sure we talked about other things...
Preparing for Camps
With some preparation, parents can ready children for a successful camp experience. In recent years, there has been an increase in awareness on the need to expose children to camping activities. Exposing children to camps increases their sense of self-reliance, ambition, adventure, optimism and self-esteem. Camps offer unique opportunities that enable children with varying abilities to distance themselves from daily stressors. Such a favorable environment enables children to explore their individuality. Gaining in-depth insights about themselves increases their sense of autonomy and responsibility. Children often spend most of their formative years in the same neighborhoods, reducing the diversity of their...
Emergency Prep List
Start the year off with some emergency preparedness and planning. The new year is a time for learning from the past and looking forward toward the future. Considering the recent fires and power outages that hit Southern California, it’s a good time to think about preparedness. “Orange County has multiple hazards which can affect public safety,” said Donna Boston, director of Emergency Management Division for the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and AlertOC spokesperson. “Personal emergency preparedness is a necessary action we all must take.” She said Southern Californians should prepare for natural disasters like earthquakes, floods and fires. “If you...
Your Guide to Super Parenting in 2020
Here’s how to up your parenting skills to superpower level for the new year. Parenting is a tough job. Your commitment, love and genuine desire to help your children grow and thrive are key to super parent success in 2020. The new year offers an opportunity to refocus and reprioritize. For working parents, that means taking some time to think about your family dynamic. If 2019 was a year of challenges, confusion or frustration, the new year is a chance to switch up your routines. You can find a better way for your family members to support and relate to...
Mindfulness Techniques To Help Ease Holiday Stress
Stress is a fact of modern adult life, especially during the holidays. It can be difficult to gather the energy needed to maintain a career, home, family and social life. When your personal reserves are running low, your relationships suffer. In addition to a number of serious physical symptoms, stress contributes to anxiety, anger, irritability and depression. When you’re overwhelmed with these emotions, the normal antics and issues your child participates in could be just enough to send you into an adult tantrum. It’s normal to encounter feelings of stress from time to time. However, it’s important to know how...
Holiday Help for Parents of Kids With Autism
Parents of kids with autism may face added challenges around celebrations. The holiday season is my favorite time of year. The tasty, homemade food, warm embraces from visiting relatives and lots of laughter, expand my heart. But as much as I now look forward to this time of year, I remember when it caused me great anxiety. Having three children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), my husband and I were always on high alert waiting for a behavior to happen — such as a 30-minute meltdown or inappropriate loud yelling in the middle of a room, or our child’s non-stop...
Thoughtful Giving
Teach the kids about the benefits of the holidays beyond simply buying presents. The holiday season is a favorite time of year. All of the lights, food and festivities tantalize our senses and invoke feelings of playful merriment despite the cooler weather. The true intention of mindfulness practices is to positively affect how we live. This season is a time to stop, take a breath, observe and proceed with a smile. Finding your breath in the midst of the chaos lets your mind relax and enjoy the season. As adults, we know that celebrations are about appreciating and enjoying the...
Transforming Fear into Courage
Learn how to transform fear into courage with these mindfulness techniques. To feel afraid at times is normal — everyone experiences fear. Learning tools to deal with fear will allow you and your child a stronger voice in life. Fear is an emotion that can help us be cautious. Parents can help kids feel safe and learn to feel at ease. According to Focus on Family Canada, “As a child matures, old fears are overcome, and new fears arise to take their place. Interestingly, children of similar ages tend to share similar types of fears.” Focus on Family breaks down...
Apps to Help with Anxiety, Sleep and Relaxation
Apps can be a priceless tool. Imagine your child having a coping skill in their pocket that can bring harmony and presence at home or in the classroom. Meditation apps are fostering great results, they can help young ones calm down and help improve focus and concentration. Many environments can be overstimulating. Mindfulness apps can help reduce the effects by calming the mind. If your child is dealing with social anxiety and their health-related symptoms or disorders such as ADHD, apps can be very beneficial to aid in the reduction of symptoms. In many cases, all that is needed is...
Keeping Your Kids’ Back-to-School Ups and Downs in Check
Q: [All Ages] How do I deal with the emotional ups and downs my kids have about going back to school? A: Going back to school can be an emotional rollercoaster for your kids and yourself. Kids are excited to catch up with their friends as much as they are dreading the daily grind. Here are a few tips to make that transition a bit smoother, simpler and less conflictual. Be aware of your child’s energy levels. The first few days of school can be very physically and emotionally draining. They need patience and understanding during these days as they...
Back to School with Mindful Intention
Incorporate mindful intentions during the back-to-school season to set your family up for success. The start of a new academic year can be overwhelming for parents and children. Mindful intentions help with the transition and will lay a foundation for a successful school year at any age. Intentions are different than goals. Setting an intention mindfully is simply connecting with a chosen course. Intentions have strength and are rooted in the heart with purpose that evoke feelings. Intentions are internal—for example, “My intention is to do what is best for my child.” Goals are external, they are something to attain...
Keep Your Kids Swimming Safely
Warmer weather means more trips to the beach or the pool. Children and adults of all ages will flock to the nearest body of water for vacation, parties and celebrations of all kinds. While it’s important to get out, soak up some vitamin D and get wet, it is also vital to remember the rules of water safety. According to the Orange County Health Care Agency, drowning consistently remains the leading cause of death for children 1 to 4 years of age, and among the top five leading causes for those under the age of 18 years, both in California...
Summer Trips and Tips to Help Relax and Reconnect with Your Family
Summer trips can serve to refuel the family unit by keeping actively mindful. Enjoy the journey, not just the destination. Trips are an ideal time to reset, reconnect and refocus the family. Cultivate joy with mindfulness on your summer vacation. Traveling provides opportunities for your child to learn patience and responsibility. Children thrive on routine but travel can interrupt their schedule. If you remain optimistic and patient when flights are delayed, luggage lost or itineraries go off track, your child will learn to model this behavior. Children tend to struggle with transitions so keeping meal times and bedtime consistent is...
Keep Kids Water Safe
Project Wipeout Program Coordinator William Koon offers families tips for staying safe in the pool and ocean. Saying hello to summer means sun, sand, warm weather and time in the water. Fun in the sun—and water—also means some potential dangers for kids heading into summer vacation ready to let loose. It’s these kinds of dangers that inspired the development of Orange County-based Project Wipeout by Hoag. The program was founded in 1979 when five people were admitted to Hoag’s intensive care unit with severe neck and spinal cord injuries from accidents at local beaches, according to William Koon, Project Wipeout...
Staying Mindful When You Are on the Edge
Parents continually face stressful situations with the constant demands of work and family. Uncontrolled stress makes it difficult for a parent to respond appropriately when their child acts out. Yelling, spanking and other aggressive or violent punishments can be the result of stress buildup. A moment of uncontrolled anger can permanently compromise your child’s quality of life. Mindful parenting is a long-term solution to stress. When a parent’s emotions threaten to take over, mindfulness techniques help resolve issues in a calm and reasonable way. The Critical Role of Self-Observation for Parents One of the main tenets of mindfulness practice is...
Body Scan for Peace of Mind
Incorporate this meditative body scan technique to help soothe your family’s collective mind. From the time the alarm clock jolts you out of bed until you lay your head on the pillow at night, you rush from one activity to another. Racing to keep up in today’s world often leaves parents without the energy to respond appropriately to their children. When pressure mounts, parents may resort to a sharp voice as a reaction to their child’s behavior. Not only is this method ineffective, it may cause emotional damage that will impact your child for life. Mindful parenting seeks to calm...
Rising Strides
Shauna Bradley of Rising Strides is now providing Equine Assisted Activities (EAA) to children and adults who struggle with physical and emotional disabilities. Combined with traditional counseling, EAA aims to help adults and children with disabilities grow in confidence, coping techniques and independence. In addition to their social and emotional growth, participants will learn about horse behavior, grooming, care and basic techniques of riding. Programs provided are geared toward children diagnosed with ADHD, autism and learning disabilities, and on adults who struggle with addiction, anxiety, depression and PTSD. “Working with children and adults brightens my day,” Bradley said. “It is...