Mindfulness and Purpose in Early Childhood Education

                                             Since 2013, this little blog has been my space to share ideas, reflections, and encouragement for those just starting out in early childhood education. My focus has always been on supporting new ECEs and students, and weaving mindfulness into the work we do with children. After more than a decade of writing, I feel like I’m all blogged out! While I won’t be posting new material here, the blog will remain available for you to read and revisit anytime. You’re welcome to keep exploring the posts, and you can also find more on my landing pages: Mindfulness in ECE and English for ECEs . I’m still very much involved in the field—I continue to teach ECE and English classes at my local college, and I also do consulting work. It’s been such a joy to connect through this blog, and I’m grateful for everyone who has read along over the y...

  WAYS TO PROTECT YOUR PEACE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON FOREST BATHING Developed in Japan during the 1980s, forest bathing, forest therapy (or shinrin-yoku) broadly means taking in, using all of one’s senses within the forest atmosphere. It is not simply a walk in the woods, it is the conscious and contemplative practice of being immersed in the sights, sounds, and smells of the forest. Think of it like a calming meditation that helps you appreciate the calm beauty of your surroundings that allows you to relax and reflect while improving your focus in a soothing setting. Leave your electronics or any other distractions behind, so you can be fully present to wander aimlessly and allow your body to take you wherever it wants to. Pause from time to time, to look more closely at a leaf or notice the sensation of the path beneath your feet. Walk slowly and stop often. Find a comfortable spot to take a seat and listen to the sounds around you.   SLOW LIVING Slow living is mak...

Time to organize your professional development? Wondering where to start for your CPL? The Mindful ECE answers the call... The Mindful ECE's Professional Development Workbook is a hands on, living documentation for ECEs to develop professional goals, expand their expertise, and record their emerging inspirations into a useful chronicle of their growth.

  SLOW DOWN SCHOOL AGE CHILD CARE Step back and breathe ·        Reduce the noise by slowing down your school age child care day. ·        Streamline activities and routines so they have more time to wander and play. ·        Plan for simple PD days ·        Use more exploration and inquiry ·        Provide more provocations and time for projects ·        Create a variety of journals ·        Show them how to make their own learning stories  Download a free copy

I’ve often wondered how to teach my children a true sense of spirituality, a way to nurture their inherent spirit, and intrinsic desire to connect with what is good, healthy and ideal in this world?   I’ve heard it said that spirituality is something that develops over time, and that people view somebody who is spiritual as older, wise, stoically connected with nature, God and the universe.   But, when does that connection start?   Birth, puberty, after a life-altering event?   I think children are naturally spiritual, and as a parent I want to foster that inherent spirit into a reliable foundation from which my children can grow and develop.     Where can parents start teaching these grand lessons of life?   As an early childhood educator, I have a healthy respect for structured learning.   Children learn important lessons in school, as well as in formal child care.   Successful learning often happens within the comfort of everyday rou...

  A physical detox is always a good idea for your body's health, but have you considered a digital detox for your mental health? Digital detoxes are on the rise, and people are now going on technology free retreats to cleanse the body and mind with distraction free real life adventures and down time.   THE BENEFITS OF A DIGITAL HOLIDAY? Mind Calm – quiet without any beeping, pinging and ringing notifications.   You mind is free to just experience blissful quiet. Simplicity – Return to reading a hard copy book instead of a screen.   Let your mind wander and day dream.   Have a conversation without distractions and take some memory photos just for yourself and not social media.   A DIGITAL CLEANSE FOR THE WARY Start with a digital staycation: SHIFT FOCUS – now that technology is not within reach, notice how much you've come to depend upon it?   What did you do before you could just pick up your cell phone … to call … search for informa...

In this ever changing world of early childhood learning and theories, early childhood educators should never forget the roots and spirit of their early childhood education:   CHILD DEVELOPMENT .  ECEs are masters in early child development.  It’s what we do.  We know young children and how they develop. OBSERVATION SKILLS .   We watch and learn, so we’re fully aware of where children are on the developmental scales. PROGRAM THROUGH PLAY . We set up play based environments based on our observations of children.  And  every  ECE, who wants to calls themselves an ECE, should be able to: •Make play dough. •Run circle time.  •Capture and maintain the creative imagination of young children.  

  MAINTAIN MENTAL and EMOTIONAL HYGIENE .   The first and most important thing is, don't over think or over analyze situations .   This will keep your mind out of repetitive thinking loops.   STAY AWAY from negative social media and doom scrolling.   Read that again.   A bsolutely no doom scrolling . Doom scrolling can lead to anxiety, depression and mental fatigue.   BE GENTLE and compassionate with yourself. Take some time to be quiet and drink hot tea or coffee.   Forgive yourself for past mistakes; treat them as learning experiences and move on.   DO NOT ruminate.   Ruminating is replaying a bad experience in your head. We all do it and it can become a habit, which is bad because the distress clutters our mind and can lead to a repetitive negative thinking loop. Concentrate on something else.   Look for five things around you to focus upon.   This will help your mind to change gears.   Then, focus on the pos...