Generation Kindful

04/06/2022

This is an awesome card deck by you can get it from Teachers Pay Teacher.

I had a case recently where the child actually fainted in class having a panic attack because the teacher would not excuse her because she wouldn’t, “use her words”. Sometimes, they do not have the words to use or simply do not feel comfortable using them with you. these cards provide a wonderful alternative to emotional discomfort in the classroom.



Cheryl Sims-Chouman, MPH

03/22/2022

Sorry to tell you this, but your seven-year-old son does not have the brain architecture to process risk versus consequence scenario. This type of brain work doesn’t come on until late in the teenage years. Rough play, noise control, impulse control, physical boundaries, and things like playground rules are also all things they are also trying to figure out… be patient.

Boys tend to disengage, when they are around adults that are talking too much, and this includes parents and teachers!

Natural play is an amazing teacher because it has natural consequences!

03/15/2022

Having access to the right words, changes everything about a difficult or uncomfortable situation. 👏👏
Teach them the words that align with their feelings, talk about it, normalize it! It changes EVERYTHING! ❤️🥳
Example. I hate those kids, they are stupid, leave me alone vs. I feel sad because I was excluded, that makes me feel like there is something wrong with me or I am not cool enough to hang out with them. Now we can work through this together. 🥰
Cheryl Sims-Chouman, MPH
Emotions Coach

02/05/2022

The data is speaking, the children are screaming! Can we hear it yet? Please ask the tough questions to your Little’s. I have so many children and teens that cannot get the mental health help they need. It’s simply not good enough for me. It’s a failure to our children and we must do better. Read books with them around mental health, offer mindfulness programs, mental health nutrition, anything to dive in. The system is not helping now, it is up to us to help them. We are in a collective traumatic experience, and sr okay to admit that. Breathe and just show up for the conversation the best way you can.

Check in, Lean In! Show them they are loved, show them you hear them and see them. Breathe together. Find solutions, be the advocate, I am here for you.

02/03/2022

https://www.generationkindful.org/post/i-was-warned-about-him

As soon as I saw him, I could tell that he was at a high level of stress. I was warned, he can be unmanageable, unpredictable, defiant and extremely aggressive. What happened to him I thought? How could a 9-year-old be so dysregulated? He could barely read, was at the bottom level in all academics a...

01/29/2022

To teach this in a kindergarten classroom is magic. To move upwards through the ages and stages of classrooms is such a beautiful compliment to their already brilliant minds. In our 2019 data study, we saw significant improvements in classroom temperament, individual self esteem and peace in the classroom as a whole. To us, there is no better skill set than mindfulness. Emotional Literacy & Regulation is something we can all work on daily, the classroom is the perfect place to start!!
Cheryl Sims-Chouman, MPH
MBSR

01/25/2022

If we talk about it, we can know about it. We can explore it and we can employ it as a skill set. Self-esteem, mindfulness, making good choices, it’s just part of our conversations!

12/06/2021

Something that took me way too long to learn, but grateful to know now is that there is always an opportunity to choose peace. Not every action requires a reaction and YOU are responsible for your own inner peace. It is a gift to yourself that is full of love. When you begin to practice these feelings of inner peace, and accept that as your standard of living, you will notice how anything that could potentially disrupt that peace falls out of line. You are worth it, you are enough, and you deserve true peace. You will begin to recognize, and walk away from peace disruptors in all forms of your life. If we know this as children, we can carry this through our lives and not only be the peace, but share that ease with others.

10/01/2021

I am the mom who calls the school often, I collaborate with my child's teachers forming connected partnerships around them. I am in their business with guidance and boundaries, I speak up with them and voice concerns with them. While I am not always the favorite parent the school sees, I am honest, I am authentic and I care deeply about the influences in my children's lives. Teachers, Coaches, Students, teammates, friends, cousins...if you know my child, you know me! I form alliances around my children's lives and interests to support amazing outcomes. I am a mindful mama with an empathetic backbone that will 100% be the voice that empowers children to be their true self and shine as bright as they can!

09/30/2021

I do not always try to rush in and fix. There is peace to be found in every emotion.

I think about the circumstance and the emotions at play. I lend myself as a regulated energy to simply be in that emotional space. There is nothing to do here...only to be here.

09/27/2021

My kids are always happy to take a minute to breathe. They are capable of so much more than we think. They have their own ideas and emotions, and the more we let them lead, we see more of who they are and will become. It's so beautiful. We teach them now, so they will grow with their emotions and not away from them.

09/25/2021

With so much attention being given to, "mental health", as a mental health mentor, I wanted to lend my voice to the topic.

If we are still treating mental health as fitting into the, "normal" parameters, provided by the same criteria, the DSM and society, then are we really progressing? Or are we accepting the same old busy as a badge of honor, no work life balance, socioeconomic disparity, race to nowhere, overwhelmed mama perspective?

Mental health needs are as individual as nutritional needs. Yes, there are some basics, but mostly, it's about honoring self.

We use the buzz word of the moment with amazing intentions, but I urge you to double click. Is this the same old game that we have been playing? Because if it is, remember, we were in mental health crisis before covid...which means what we had done until that point, was not successful.
It's okay to admit this, it's a learning opportunity.

To me, leveling the playing field is at the forefront. Love and acceptance needs to be attuned, true self awareness, and total truth examined.

Truth transforms trauma, love heals and you do not have to fit YOUR mental health into society's perception of mental health. This is about you and your journey. After all, it's YOUR mental health.