Family Life Archives - Raising Kids With Purpose

February 6, 2025 By Adriane (Raising Kids With Purpose) Leave a Comment

Feel Like a Failure as a Mom? You’re Stronger Than You Think!

Inside: Feeling like you’re a failure as a mom can be overwhelming, but shifting your mindset can change how you show up and feel as a parent. This blog post explores how to move from a deficit-based approach to a strength-based mindset, making parenting feel more fulfilling and less stressful. Learn practical steps to identify your parenting strengths, reframe perceived failures, and create a more positive home environment. Grab the Strengths Toolkit at the end of this post!

Imagine the two of us are having a conversation and I say to you:

“You really need to get your act together. Your mom game is pathetic. You are never on time. You always forget snacks for your kids so they don’t have hangry meltdowns. The yelling is a bit much. Your cooking skills could use a little work. And your anxiety? Why aren’t you on meds?”

Did you even make it through that paragraph? It’s definitely hard for me to read because most of those statements are faults that my inner mean girl tells me I have. I’ve learned how to correct her as you’ll find out in this post!

It feels awful and super crappy when someone points out our weaknesses.

Feeling like a failure as a mom Pinterest pin

How to Shift from Focusing on Weaknesses to Strengths in Parenting

Sometimes, this may result in us making a change to work on those perceived deficits or it may lead to more shame and a feeling of defeat which can lead to all kinds of things like depression, a freeze state, sadness, or loss of motivation to make any changes.

But yet, look at how a lot of systems in our world are set up.

We focus on what’s wrong and try to fix it without even looking at the iceberg beneath the surface.

What I’m finding is a lot of times nothing is even wrong! It’s just different than the norm.

Wouldn’t it be more motivating if I started with your strengths first?

“Hey, mama, you have such a special way of making your kids laugh. And when you’re running late, you don’t freak out! I wish I could do that. The systems you have in place to get out of the door are quite impressive. I need to implement those in my house. Because of your anxiety, your worry totally saved your toddler from falling off that playground equipment. Your anxiety sure makes you strong!”

Sometimes we need to hear the raw truth, but how the message is delivered can either propel a person further or pull them behind.

Why the World Focuses on Fixing Weaknesses Instead of Recognizing Strengths

From the moment we enter school, we are placed in systems that highlight what we lack rather than what we excel at. Report cards don’t focus on the subjects where a child thrives; they point out where they struggle. **Psst, this is why we have found alternative education options for my kids like microschooling and homeschooling.

Job performance reviews often spend more time on “areas for improvement” than on celebrating what an employee naturally does well. Even in parenting, we tend to notice what’s not working, tantrums, messiness, disorganization, disobedience—before acknowledging what is.

This approach is deeply ingrained in our culture. Many of our institutions such as schools, workplaces, and even healthcare operate under a deficit-based model, which assumes that progress comes from identifying and fixing problems.

We take tests to see where we’re “below average.” We go to therapy to work on what’s “wrong.” We seek parenting advice to solve behavior “issues.” And while there’s nothing inherently bad about self-improvement, this model leaves little room for recognizing and building on strengths.

But what if we flipped this?

Instead of focusing so much on weaknesses, what if we started with strengths?

Studies show that when people are encouraged to develop their natural talents, they experience more motivation, confidence, and long-term success. This is especially true in parenting. When we acknowledge what is already working, we create a more positive and resilient mindset for ourselves and for our kids, too.

Rather than constantly searching for what needs to be fixed, we can shift our focus to what’s already strong and build from there. And that simple shift can change everything.

The Problem with a Deficit-Focused Mindset

When we constantly focus on what’s wrong with ourselves, with our kids, and in our parenting, it can lead to a cycle of shame, anxiety, and discouragement.

Instead of feeling empowered to grow, we end up feeling like we’re never enough.

Think about the last time you dwelled on a mistake. Maybe you snapped at your child after a long day, forgot an important school event, or finally lost it and screamed at the top of your lungs as your kids looked up at you with fear in their wide eyes.

Chances are, that one negative moment played on repeat in your mind made you feel like a “bad parent.” Meanwhile, all the good things you did that day like giving big hugs, making your child laugh, making a four-course meal (or on-course boxed meal, no one is judging!), reading a long bedtime story, or spending uninterrupted time with your kids, all fade into the background.

Why Our Brains Fixate on the Negative

This isn’t just a bad habit; it’s how our brains are wired.

Psychologists call it negativity bias, which means our brains are naturally more sensitive to negative experiences than positive ones. This bias is an evolutionary survival mechanism. Our ancestors had to quickly notice and remember dangers (like a saber-tooth tiger) to stay alive.

Today, however, it plays out in unhelpful ways.

Instead of scanning our environment for threats, we scan our parenting for failures.

We zero in on where we feel inadequate and completely overlook our strengths. Even if we get ten compliments and one piece of criticism, we will fixate on the criticism. The same thing happens with our kids. It’s easier to notice when they’re misbehaving than to acknowledge the quiet moments when they are playing nicely or showing kindness.

How This Shows Up in Parenting, Education, and Personal Development

Parenting: When we focus only on our parenting “flaws” (being impatient, struggling with routines, not having enough energy), we reinforce a negative self-image. This often leads to more stress, making it even harder to show up as the parent we want to be.
Education: Schools often emphasize weaknesses by grading students in a way that highlights deficits. A child who struggles in math but is a gifted artist may receive extra tutoring for math while their artistic abilities go unnoticed. This tells kids their weaknesses define them, rather than their strengths.
Personal Development: Many of us approach self-improvement from a place of “fixing” what’s wrong instead of growing what’s already strong. Whether it’s dieting, fitness, or mental health, we often focus on what we lack instead of celebrating and building on what we already do well.

The problem with this mindset is that it keeps us stuck in a cycle of self-criticism. But there’s a better way: one that starts with strengths instead of shortcomings. And when we make that shift, everything about how we parent (and how we see ourselves) begins to change.

mom, son and Aussie doodle puppy hugging

The Power of Strength-Based Parenting

Strength-based parenting is the intentional practice of focusing on and reinforcing what you and your child already do well, rather than constantly trying to correct or fix weaknesses. It’s not about ignoring challenges or pretending struggles don’t exist. Instead, it’s about shifting the foundation of growth from shame and deficiency to confidence and capability.

How I Stopped Feeling Like a Failure as a Mom and Started Focusing on My Strengths

I remember a season early in my parenting when I felt like a complete failure. No matter what I did, my son seemed to struggle with everything—following directions, staying focused, managing his emotions, and staying STILL!

Every day felt like a battle, and I found myself constantly pointing out what he needed to change:

“You need to listen better.”
“You have to stay on task.”
“You need to calm down.”

Every time I got an email from his teacher, the lecturing would begin again. I realized I felt like I was the one getting in trouble—and I don’t get in trouble! I’ve always been the one who follows the rules, who works hard to do things the right way.

And yet, here I was, feeling like I was failing as a parent because my child wasn’t fitting the mold.

Then one day, in the middle of one of our talks, he blurted out: “I’m bad at everything! I’m a horrible person!”

My heart sank.

He wasn’t just hearing correction—he was absorbing it as proof that he wasn’t good enough. And in that moment, I realized I wasn’t helping him grow; I was reinforcing his self-doubt.

The Shift to Strength-Based Parenting

Shortly after that, I read The Strength Switch by Dr. Lea Waters, and it completely changed the way I saw my son and myself. Instead of focusing on fixing what was “wrong,” I started intentionally noticing what he was doing well.

This even changed how I spoke about him to teachers.

Recently, while organizing his school paperwork like his gifted test results, 504 plans, IEPs, I found a packet of his strengths I had put together for his teachers. I used to hand that to every new teacher at the beginning of the school year so they would see his strengths first before anything else.

That’s when I realized: I had already been practicing strength-based parenting, I just needed to apply it to myself too.

mom and son making Valentine's gift together

I made it a habit to call out his strengths:

“You’re so creative! I love how you figured out a new way to solve that problem!”
“You have such a big heart. I saw how you helped your little brother just now.”
“That was a hard moment, but I saw you take a deep breath before reacting. That’s amazing self-control!”

Within weeks, I saw a change in both of us. When I looked for strengths, I found them. He started carrying himself differently, responding with more confidence and resilience. Instead of shutting down when things got hard, he started trying again.

Applying Strength-Based Thinking to Myself When I Feel Like a Failure as a Mom

Years after shifting to a strengths-based mindset, I realized something big:

I needed to look at MY strengths too: not just in parenting, but in who I am as a person.

For so long, I had focused on where I was failing as a mom. But when I started recognizing my own strengths like my ability to stay calm under pressure, my deep love for learning, and my intuition in understanding emotions, it truly changed everything.

Focusing on strengths, both in myself and my child, has transformed the way I parent. It’s given me confidence, joy, and a deeper connection with my son. I could never go back to a deficit-focused mindset because I now see the power of looking for what’s already strong and building from there.

And if this shift could change everything for me, I know it can do the same for you.

mom and son making a valentine accordion wreath

What Motivates People

Psychologists Edward Deci and Richard Ryan, who developed the Self-Determination Theory, found that people are more motivated when they feel competent, autonomous, and connected.

1. Competency – “I Am Capable”

Competence is the feeling that we can do things well, and that we are effective and successful in our actions. When parents feel competent, they trust their instincts, handle challenges with confidence, and see themselves as capable of meeting their children’s needs.

How to Build Competence as a Parent:

Notice and celebrate small wins (I helped my child calm down today. I handled bedtime without stress.)
Learn and practice new parenting skills with a growth mindset.
Remind yourself that being a good parent doesn’t mean being a perfect parent.

How to Foster Competence in Kids:

Give them opportunities to make decisions and take on responsibilities.
Acknowledge effort and progress, not just results (I saw how hard you worked on that puzzle!).
Support their learning with patience instead of stepping in too soon.

2. Autonomy – “I Have Control Over My Choices”

Autonomy means feeling like we have control over our decisions and actions. For parents, autonomy is about making choices that align with their values, rather than feeling pressured by outside expectations. For kids, it means having the freedom to make age-appropriate decisions and explore their independence.

How to Cultivate Autonomy as a Parent:

Trust yourself to parent in a way that feels right for your family, rather than following what others say you should do.
Set boundaries that feel good to you, even if they look different from someone else’s.
Give yourself permission to change and grow as a parent without guilt.

How to Encourage Autonomy in Kids:

Offer choices whenever possible (Do you want to wear the red or blue shirt today?).
Let them solve small problems on their own before jumping in to help.
Respect their emotions and perspectives, even when they differ from yours.

3. Relatedness/Connection – “I Belong and Am Loved”

Connection is the foundation of everything. Feeling deeply connected to others—especially in parent-child relationships—creates a sense of safety, trust, and emotional security. When parents feel connected to their kids, they are more patient, present, and engaged. When kids feel connected to their parents, they are more cooperative, confident, and emotionally resilient.

How to Strengthen Your Connection with Your Child:

Spend quality time together without distractions (even just 10 minutes of undivided attention makes a difference!).
Use eye contact, touch, and warmth to reinforce emotional safety.
Validate their feelings and let them know they are deeply loved, no matter what.

How to Strengthen Your Own Sense of Connection as a Parent:

Surround yourself with supportive people who encourage and uplift you.
Seek out community—whether through friends, parenting groups, or faith-based groups.
Practice self-compassion and remind yourself that you are not alone in this journey

Here’s an interview I did with Bill Stixrud, of The Self-Driven Child where we dive into this concept even more:

Why This Matters in Strength-Based Parenting

When parents and kids feel competent, autonomous, and connected, parenting becomes easier. Kids are more cooperative because they feel secure and empowered. Parents feel less overwhelmed because they trust themselves.

By shifting from a deficit-based mindset to a strength-based approach, we can meet these three core needs—for ourselves and for our children—leading to a more joyful and fulfilling parenting experience.

Dr. Lea Waters explains that when we focus on strengths, we activate the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for problem-solving, emotional regulation, and resilience. In contrast, when we constantly focus on weaknesses, people operate from a place of stress and self-doubt, which triggers the fight-or-flight response.

Strength-Based Parenting Builds Confidence

When parents focus more on what they do well, they begin to believe in their own capabilities. When we focus on our strengths, we give ourselves permission to grow from a place of confidence instead of guilt.

So the next time you feel like you’re failing as a parent, ask yourself: What am I doing well?

Because I promise you, this shift may be just what you need to keep connecting with your kids.

How to Identify Your Strengths as a Parent

When was the last time you paused to recognize what you do well as a parent?

It’s easy to get caught up in what we’re struggling with, but what if we intentionally looked for our strengths instead? Identifying your strengths isn’t about ignoring your challenges, it’s about seeing the full picture of who you are as a parent.

Start with Self-Reflection

Take a moment to consider:

What do your kids love most about you?
When do you feel most confident as a parent?
What parenting challenges have you already overcome?
What small things do you do daily that make a difference in your child’s life?

Even things that seem small matter.

Maybe you always make sure your child has their favorite bedtime story. Maybe you’re great at making them laugh when they’re upset. Maybe you’re a fantastic planner, helping your family stay on track with schedules and routines. These are strengths, even if they feel ordinary.

Practical Steps to Shift From Feeling Like a Failure as a Mom to Making Strength-Based Parenting a Habit

Shifting from a deficit-focused mindset to a strength-based approach doesn’t happen overnight, it’s a practice. The good news? Small, intentional shifts can lead to big changes in how you see yourself and your child. Here are some simple ways to make strength-based parenting a daily habit.

Adriane Thompson of Raising Kids With Purpose journaling

1. Start a Daily or Weekly Strengths Journal

Make it a habit to notice strengths, both in your child and in yourself. Try keeping a simple journal where you write down:

One strength you saw in your child today.
One strength you recognized in yourself.
A small win that happened in your parenting.

This doesn’t have to be long or complicated. Even a quick note on your phone or a sticky note on your mirror can help train your brain to focus on what’s working.

2. Practice Gratitude for What You’re Doing Well

Gratitude isn’t just about appreciating what’s around you, it’s about acknowledging your own growth and efforts. Every night before bed, try asking yourself:

What did I do well as a parent today?
What moment made me feel connected to my child?
What small thing did I handle better than yesterday?

When we focus on what we’re already doing well, it builds confidence, reduces stress, and helps us show up with more joy.

3. Surround Yourself with Strength-Based Voices

It’s easier to stay in a strength-focused mindset when you’re surrounded by people who reinforce it.

Follow parenting educators who emphasize growth over perfection.
Join communities that support strength-based parenting.
Find a friend who’s also working on this shift and encourage each other.

The more you practice seeing strengths, the more they will naturally stand out to you. And over time, this new mindset won’t just change the way you parent—it will change the way you see yourself as a parent.

4. Reframe Perceived Weaknesses as Strengths

Many of the things we consider “flaws” in our parenting have an underlying strength. It’s all about perspective.

“I have anxiety.” → I’m deeply aware and attuned to my child’s needs, which helps me anticipate challenges and keep them safe.
“I’m too emotional.” → I model emotional intelligence, showing my kids how to express and process feelings in a healthy way.
“I’m not patient enough.” → I’m passionate and engaged, which means I deeply care about my child’s growth.
“I struggle with routines.” → I’m flexible and able to go with the flow, which makes me adaptable to my child’s changing needs.

When we shift our mindset, we stop seeing ourselves as “not enough” and start recognizing the unique strengths we bring to our parenting.

Try This Today: Pick one area where you feel weak and reframe it into a strength. How does it change the way you see yourself as a parent?

The truth is, you already have so many strengths. You just have to start looking for them. And when you do, parenting feels a whole lot lighter.

Download Your Free Strengths Toolkit

I originally created this toolkit to specifically use for your kids. However, it can work for YOU too! Take the list of “simple phrases to encourage and motivate” and convert them to affirmations to tell yourself!

I mentioned my inner mean girl at the beginning of this post. We all have one, some are louder than others. But if we take the time to practice affirmations to point out our strengths, we’ll quiet her down real fast!

Lastly, consider this an invitation to use the list of strengths to create a Strengths Poster for your family.

Make it a fun activity during your next family meeting! Have each person share strengths they see in one another while you write them down. This simple practice can help everyone feel seen, valued, and appreciated!

The Power of Seeing Strengths

Parenting is hard.

The way we see ourselves and our children can make all the difference. When we shift from focusing on weaknesses to recognizing strengths, we create a foundation of confidence, connection, and growth.

Celebrating strengths doesn’t mean ignoring struggles. It means approaching challenges with a mindset that says, “We already have tools to navigate this. Let’s build on what’s working.”

It means choosing to see yourself, not as a mom who is failing, but as a parent who is learning, growing, and showing up every day.

Start small.

Choose just one shift in perspective today.

These small shifts add up. And before you know it, you’ll find yourself naturally seeing the good, both in your child and in yourself.

February 5, 2025 By Adriane (Raising Kids With Purpose) 30 Comments

Simple Family Meeting Agenda Ideas (Free Printable)

In this post, you will find what to discuss during Family Meetings and also can download your own family meeting agenda to make meetings run smoothly.

Originally written: October 8, 2019 Updated: February 5, 2025

On Sundays after dinner, there is laughter, discussion, and a whole lot of noise. It has become one of my favorite days of the week and although my kids wouldn’t admit it, I think they enjoy it as well. Who wouldn’t want to voice their opinion on rules? Or play an epic game of Outfoxed?

As kids go from dependent little babies to strong-willed toddlers to outspoken kids to opinionated teenagers who all have very different likes, dislikes, and thoughts, it’s important that they get to express who they are. The safest place for them to do this is in their own home. With you, their parents.

Family meetings provide this space. They offer structure, connection, and a chance for everyone’s voice to be heard.

Research shows that kids who grow up with clear boundaries feel more secure and loved. But giving them the chance to make choices within those boundaries isn’t permissive, it’s empowering. It teaches them agency, responsibility, and problem-solving skills that will serve them for a lifetime.

This post may contain affiliate links, see disclosure policy for details.

The absolutely best way to accomplish this is to have weekly or even monthly family meetings.

Start Giving Your Kids the Ability to Make Decisions

Can I ask you a hard question I often ask myself?

How can our kids grow up to make good choices if they’re never allowed to make any choices?

That one hurts for me because I tend to be an over-controller (times a thousand). We are parenting people who will become adults. Our focus shouldn’t be to only have kids who are “good” and always “well behaved”, but adults who are kind, driven, have great leadership abilities and who are able to support themselves. This all starts with giving them room to make their own decisions.

Family meetings create a space where kids feel valued, where structure and connection go hand in hand, and where everyone has a voice. Research consistently shows that children thrive when they grow up with clear, loving boundaries. These limits don’t restrict them; they give them a sense of security and belonging.

Within those boundaries, kids also need opportunities to make choices, contribute ideas, and take ownership of family life.

It’s empowerment.

Family Meetings are very important and useful. They allow kids to have some “skin in the game”, which in turn, helps them make better choices. They tend to feel valued so they behave better in front of you and when not in front of you, which is crucial! The question then is, “What do we talk about or do?” Coming up with a Family Meeting Agenda that you use at every meeting can really help!

Bonus! Sign up for the Raising Kids With Purpose Newsletter and receive The Family Meeting Agenda for FREE!

What to Put on Your Family Meeting Agenda

We keep our family meetings structured but efficient, ensuring they stay engaging and productive. Our basic framework keeps things short, focused, and (mostly) drama-free.

Topics of Discussion

Each week, we address any concerns, new rules, or issues that need a family discussion. This helps everyone feel heard and involved in creating solutions. For example, in recent meetings, our topics have included:

Solving Sibling Conflicts – The kids came up with a strategy to handle arguments and disagreements before they escalate. We revisited our fighting rules so they can solve conflicts without involving a parent.
Independence & Responsibilities – As they get older, they’re gaining more freedom, which means more responsibility. We set expectations for how they’ll handle time at the skatepark (checking in, coming home on time, being aware of younger siblings, and setting boundaries with friends).
Screen Time & Self-Regulation – We had an open discussion on how much screen time feels right for each of them, how to recognize when it’s too much, and why it’s important to take breaks. They also brainstormed ways to self-monitor their use (like setting a timer and using the parental controls app).
Chores & Household Contributions – Instead of constant nagging, we set up a zone cleaning so everyone knows what needs cleaned and when. They even watched the lesson with me from Chelsi Jo’s Systemize Your Life program!
Planning for the Week Ahead – We take a few minutes to go over any upcoming activities, school projects, or events so we don’t forget anything!

You can grab your own Fighting Rules poster here if this is something you’re working on in your family too! It’s never-ending reminders in this house!

This structure keeps our meetings productive while giving the kids a say in family decisions. Adjusting the agenda based on their ages and responsibilities ensures that they stay relevant, engaging, and developmentally appropriate.

Read Next: 18 Ways to Help Your Child Calm Down

Calendar Check-In

One of the most valuable parts of our family meeting is reviewing the calendar for the upcoming week. This helps everyone stay on the same page with events, responsibilities, and special plans.

What We Go Over:

Upcoming Events – Birthdays, holidays, school activities, and family commitments
Extracurricular Activities – Practices, games, rehearsals, and club meetings
Family & Social Plans – Date nights, outings, or visits with friends and relatives
Personal Responsibilities – Major school assignments, work shifts, or appointments

My husband and I love this part because it eliminates confusion and miscommunication. While I send him calendar invites, they don’t always get seen (or accepted), so reviewing everything together prevents last-minute surprises.

The kids also benefit from seeing what’s coming up so they’re more prepared, and we avoid, “You never told me about this!”

On the Family Meeting Agenda I created, there’s a dedicated spot to fill in the days of the week, making it easy to keep track of everything in one place.

Word of the Week

Our middle child loves to learn new words.

We pick a word from a “words to make you sound smarter” list or “words to study for the SAT”, discuss the meaning and try to use it throughout the week.

Back when I first wrote this, our word was aberration. My oldest, who had a ton of energy and sometimes struggled with behavior at school (to be honest, not much has changed since then), came up with a sentence completely on his own:

“It is an aberration for me to get a treasure box in my gifted class.”

And honestly… he wasn’t wrong! But what happened next was even better. This simple vocabulary exercise sparked a meaningful conversation about the choices he makes at school, how he can advocate for himself, and ways to work with his teacher to navigate hard stuff.

This isn’t something I originally planned to include in our Family Meeting Agenda, but it turned out to be a powerful way for him to open up about what’s happening in his life. We still love learning new words. They should be super prepared for the SAT when the time comes 😉.

The Skill of the Week

Each week, every family member chooses a personal skill to focus on. It’s a simple way to encourage growth, self-awareness, and accountability without pressure or perfection.

Some recent skills we’ve worked on include:

Managing Anger – Practicing calming strategies and recognizing triggers
Resisting the Urge to Correct Others – Learning when to let things go (especially with siblings!)
Being Present – Keeping phones away during family time, especially at the dinner table! Although only my teenager currently has a phone and we don’t have any plans to get the other two one any time soon.
Building Healthy Habits – Committing to consistent workouts at the gym and walks around the neighborhood.

By setting these personal goals together, we create a supportive environment where everyone can challenge themselves, reflect on progress, and encourage each other. It’s amazing to see how small, intentional changes can make a big difference in our daily lives!

Say Something Nice

Before we wrap up our family meeting, we take a moment to go around the room and share something nice about each other.

This could be:

An appreciation – “I really liked how you played catch with me in the backyard this week.”
A compliment – “You’re really funny, and I love how you make us laugh.”
A recognition of effort – “I noticed you worked really hard at your soccer game, and that was awesome!”

The only rule? It has to be positive (and no comments about poop or other bodily functions! 😆).

It’s a small habit, but it helps strengthen our connection as a family. Even if someone is having a tough week, hearing a kind word can remind them they are seen, valued, and loved

Read Next: Why Praise Doesn’t Work to Motivate Kids and What You Can Do Instead

Fun Activity

Family meetings aren’t just about discussions and planning. They should include some fun, too! Create memories of togetherness.

Most weeks, we incorporate a game during the meeting, but sometimes we like to end with an activity to keep things light and connected. Some of our favorites include:

Play a board game – Something short and fun, like Carcassaconne, Chronology, Telestrations, or a round of charades.
Ride bikes – A great way to get outside and move together.
Shoot hoops or play catch hoops or playing catch
Dance to fun music – Because sometimes, you just need to turn up the music and have fun!

Ending with something enjoyable keeps the family meeting from feeling like a chore and reinforces that spending time together can be something to look forward to!

Read Next: Here are some fun games referred to me by my Facebook Followers!

Other Agenda Item Ideas:

Instead of being broad with “topics of discussion”, you can specifically name what it is that you want to talk about every week. There are also additional “line items” that can be added to best fit your family.

Challenges and solutions | These can be challenges individuals are facing or challenges that are happening within the family.

Concerns for others in the family | Someone may be dealing with sadness or anger causing other family members to be concerned. With this one, be sure to address the problem and not to attack the person.

Meal planning | The whole family can get involved in what they want to eat for the week!

Open discussion | This can be a time when family members address anything that happens to be on their minds.

Things to celebrate/Things to fix | Was there a birthday, or something exciting happening at school or at a sport? Celebrate it! This can also be a time to find things that didn’t go quite well and come up with solutions on how to fix them.

Discipline tools and or strategies | You can introduce new rules at this time or ways certain situations will be handled in the future.

Conversation starters | By asking a question like, “What kind of superhero would you be?” can lighten the mood of the meeting. These kinds of questions are fun to hear what our kids come up with to get a better insight into who they are.

Something good and something bad | I’ve heard families call this Sweet and Sour or Highs and Lows. It’s a time when everyone thinks of something positive that happened the week before and also something that wasn’t a great experience.

Service or acts of kindness | The best way to teach our kids empathy is to get out and serve. Collecting items and donating money really benefits organizations. While kids are young though, they need to tangibly see the difference they are making. Seeing a person’s expression when they help out will help create a more compassionate person.

Memories made that week | We also write down fun activities or events that happened that week in our Monthly Memories sheet. You can grab your free Year of Monthly Memories Printable here!

Free Family Meeting Agenda

Our family uses this agenda weekly! We printed a bunch out, three-hole-punched those suckers and put them in a pretty binder. My kids take turns running the meeting so this agenda makes it very easy for them.

What is On Your Family Meeting Agenda?

Have you started to have family meetings? If so, what benefits have you started seeing? Do you have any additional ideas on how to run a Family meeting? I would love to hear from you!! Comment below.

Originally published Nov 1, 2018, and updated Oct 8, 2019

January 31, 2025 By Adriane (Raising Kids With Purpose) 4 Comments

Parent Coaching: What to Do When Parenting Is Overwhelming

The very first mom I ever worked with sat across from me, looking completely overwhelmed. When I asked her, “Where do you feel stress in your body?” she just stared at me, frozen like a deer in headlights.

She finally responded, “I don’t feel anything. Where am I supposed to feel it?”

That was my first clue—we had an incredible journey ahead of us and I was so thankful she trusted me enough to guide her.

Then she said something I’ll never forget. I don’t remember it word for word but it was something like:

“I have read countless parenting books, but I can’t seem to do what the books tell me to, or it just doesn’t seem to stick.”

She wasn’t lacking information. Instead, I could guess that she was disconnected from her body and heart, trapped in the logic of her mind. Beneath that disconnect were layers of limiting beliefs that kept her stuck, making it impossible to apply what the parenting books were telling her.

Until we uncovered and rewired those beliefs, she couldn’t bridge the gap between knowing and doing.

Over the next few months, I watched her transform from a mom who was constantly worried about what others thought every time her kids had a meltdown at the park to a mom who was confident, connected, and her kids’ fiercest advocate.

parent coaching; what to do when parenting is overwhelming

Bridging the Gap

This is why I became a parent coach—to help parents bridge the gap between what they know about parenting and what they can actually do every day.

If you’ve ever felt like parenting books aren’t enough… if you’re overwhelmed by your child’s big emotions… if you want to be a calm, confident parent but don’t know how to get there… this post is for you.

Parenting is one of the most rewarding journeys, but let’s be real, it’s also one of the hardest. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by your child’s big emotions, struggled to stay calm in the heat of a meltdown, or wondered how to build a strong, connected family culture, you’re not alone.

As a certified conscious parenting coach and founder of Raising Kids With Purpose, I help parents navigate these exact challenges. I specialize in working with parents of kids who have big behaviors, high emotions, and seemingly endless energy, kids who don’t always respond to traditional parenting tactics.

I’m here to help you not just manage your child’s behavior but deeply understand it, so you can parent with more confidence, joy, and connection.

I’ll break down everything you need to know about working with a parent coach: what a parent coach is (and isn’t), how to work with a coach, and how doing the work can truly transform your family.

mom and son showing chalk hands with graffiti behind them

What Is a Parent Coach?

A parent coach is a professional who helps parents navigate the challenges of raising children. Unlike therapy, which often focuses on past traumas, parent coaching is action-oriented, equipping you with strategies to handle real-life parenting struggles.

What a Parent Coach Does

A skilled parent coach will:

Teach you how to regulate your own emotions
Help you understand the root causes of your child’s behavior and your own behaviors!
Provide tools for tantrums (even teenage tantrums), power struggles, sensory meltdowns, and emotional outbursts
Help you build a strong parent-child connection
Guide you in creating a family culture aligned with your values

Connection impacts behavior in the most positive way than any other discipline strategy.

Who Needs a Parent Coach?

Parent coaching isn’t just for parents who feel like they’re “failing”.

It’s for any parent who wants to parent with more confidence, connection, and clarity. If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing everything “right” but still struggling, coaching can help you identify the hidden patterns, mindset shifts, and practical strategies needed to transform your parenting experience.

mom helping kids understand their emotions

Here’s how coaching can support you in some of the most common parenting challenges:

1. You Have a Child with Big Emotions and Struggle to Stay Calm

Some kids experience emotions more intensely than others. Whether it’s frequent tantrums, or sensory meltdowns, extreme frustration over small things, or an emotional rollercoaster throughout the day, it can be exhausting as a parent.

You may find yourself reacting rather than responding.

You may feel like the only solution is to yell, get frustrated yourself, or completely ignore the behaviors.

By the way, this is a common mindset about parenting, “Don’t give “bad behavior” attention or you’ll make it worse”, but child development experts are learning this doesn’t necessarily help the developing brain in the way they thought it did.

How Coaching Helps:

Learn co-regulation techniques to help your child calm down without escalating the situation.
Understand the nervous system and emotional development so you can respond in a way that actually helps.
Practice self-regulation strategies so you can stay calm, even when your child isn’t.

>> Imagine being able to confidently support your child through a meltdown instead of feeling like you’re losing control yourself.

2. You Experience Constant Power Struggles, Meltdowns, or Defiance

Do simple requests turn into battles?

Does it feel like your child is constantly pushing back, refusing to cooperate, or throwing a fit over the smallest things? Power struggles can leave you feeling like you’re always negotiating or fighting for control. This can make parenting feel incredibly hard.

How Coaching Helps:

Learn effective communication techniques that reduce pushback and increase cooperation.
Understand why your child resists authority and how to foster respect and independence.
Shift from a control-based parenting style to one that encourages cooperation without giving in.

>> Imagine replacing daily battles with conversations where your child actually listens and responds with cooperation instead of defiance.

3. You Feel Like Traditional Parenting Advice Doesn’t Work

Maybe you’ve tried time-outs, reward charts, or consequences, but nothing seems to stick. Perhaps you’ve read countless parenting books, but when you try the strategies, they either don’t work or feel completely unrealistic for your child.

How Coaching Helps:

Identify the root cause of your child’s behavior instead of just addressing symptoms.
Learn brain-based, developmentally appropriate approaches that work with your child’s unique temperament.
Create customized strategies that actually fit your family, rather than using one-size-fits-all advice. This is what you find in books because they don’t know YOU or your kids!

>> Imagine feeling empowered with parenting tools that work for your child instead of feeling like you’re failing when generic advice falls short.

4. You Want to Build a Strong Family Culture Based on Connection, Respect, and Cooperation

You want things to change from when you were a kid. Some adults 30+ were parented in a mutual respectful way, but I haven’t found many!

You don’t just want to manage behavior. You want to raise emotionally intelligent, confident, and kind kids. Maybe you dream of having a home where everyone feels valued and respected, where your kids feel safe to express themselves without constant conflict.

How Coaching Helps:

Learn connection-based parenting techniques that foster trust and emotional security.
Develop family values and traditions that create a strong foundation for respect and cooperation.
Shift from a discipline-heavy approach to one that prioritizes teaching and guiding.
Learn how to break generational patterns of power-over or power-under parenting.

>> Imagine having a home where respect is mutual, relationships are strong, and parenting feels more like a partnership than a battle.

5. You Feel Exhausted or Burnt Out and Need Fresh Strategies

Parenting is demanding, and sometimes, it just feels like too much. If you’re constantly running on empty, reacting instead of responding, and feeling like you’re just surviving, something needs to change.

How Coaching Helps:

Learn practical self-care strategies that actually fit into your busy life.
Figure out how to set healthy boundaries to reduce overwhelm.
Support you in reframing your mindset so you feel more in control and less stressed.

>> Imagine waking up feeling refreshed and ready to handle the challenges of the day instead of dreading the next meltdown.

Is Parent Coaching Right for You?

If any of these challenges sound familiar, parent coaching could be the missing piece you’ve been looking for. Instead of trying to figure it all out on your own, you’ll get the personalized guidance, accountability, and support you need to transform your parenting experience.

Book a Free Discovery Call and take the first step toward a calmer home and stronger relationships with your kids!

How Parent Coaching Works

Step 1: Understanding Your Parenting Challenges

Many parents come to coaching thinking their biggest problem is their child’s behavior—the tantrums, the defiance, the constant battles over bedtime, screen time, homework, lying or rebellion. But in most cases, these behaviors are symptoms of deeper issues.

The real challenges often stem from:

Hidden triggers – You might be unknowingly setting off your child’s stress response without realizing it.
Unmet needs – Children often act out when they are tired, overstimulated, hungry, or lacking emotional connection.
Ineffective communication patterns – The way we speak to our kids can either invite cooperation or fuel resistance.

In coaching, we take a deep dive into what’s really happening in your home. Instead of just trying to “fix” behavior, we uncover the why behind it.

I worked with a couple who were confused by their daughter’s behavior. Every time they corrected her, gave her a punishment or tried to discipline her, the little girl would laugh hysterically and act really goofy.

This would trigger anger in both parents because they viewed the behavior as disrespectful. They thought their four-year-old was being intentionally difficult but through coaching, we realized she was in protection mode.

Laughing became her coping skill to protect her from getting yelled at or having her dad standing over her in a really scary way, even though that wasn’t necessarily his intention. He just wanted her to listen! Instead of forcing her to go into time-outs when she behaved this way, we implemented connective strategies for both parents to use that addressed their daughter’s core need for neurological safety.

By identifying these underlying patterns, we can start making real changes—not just getting frustrated because of our kids’ behaviors.

Step 2: Learning New Tools & Strategies

Once we understand the root of the challenges, it’s time to equip you with the right tools to create lasting change. These aren’t generic parenting tips. You’ll learn brain-based, developmentally appropriate techniques that work with your child’s unique needs.

Some of my favorite tools include:

The Polyvagal Ladder: A simple yet powerful tool to help you regulate your emotions so you can respond to your child.
Declarative Statements & Questions: A way to communicate with your child that fosters problem-solving and cooperation.
The Co-Regulation Approach: How to calm your child’s nervous system (without saying, “Calm down!”—because that never works!)

kids working on empathy skills using a gratitude toolkit

Step 3: Practicing & Adjusting

Parent coaching isn’t just about learning new strategies. It’s about implementing them in real life. This is where the magic happens. Through coaching sessions, we troubleshoot what’s working, tweak what’s not, and help you build new habits so that parenting becomes easier and more natural over time.

What Makes Parent Coaching Different?

The biggest difference between parent coaching and simply reading about these strategies is that you get personalized guidance on how to implement them.

Every child is different, and what works for one family may not work for another. In coaching, we tailor these tools to your specific situation, troubleshoot obstacles, and adjust strategies as needed.

I’ve created many toolkits like this Family Values toolkit for you to use and create a stronger, healthier family culture. When you join my program, you’ll have access to even more tools!

Why Work with a Parent Coach Instead of Reading Books or Watching Videos?

There’s no shortage of parenting advice out there and the parenting section at Barnes and Noble just keeps getting bigger!

You can find thousands of books, YouTube videos, and online courses promising to help you become a better parent. But if you’ve ever found yourself consuming tons of information yet still struggling to apply it, you’re not alone.

Books, videos, and courses provide valuable knowledge, but they often fall short of helping parents actually implement what they learn.

Here’s why LEARNING Isn’t All You Need:

1. Information Overload Leads to Inaction

Many parents come to me saying, “I’ve read all the books, I’ve watched all the videos, but I still don’t know what to do at the moment,” just like the first mom I worked with. This is because:

Information alone doesn’t create habit change, action does.

Without guidance on how to implement strategies in real-time, parents can feel stuck, overwhelmed, and even more unsure than before.

2. Generic Advice Doesn’t Fit Every Family

Online courses and videos often provide general parenting strategies. I’ve already mentioned this but every child, parent, and family dynamic is unique. What works for one child may completely backfire for another. A parent coach tailors advice specifically to you: your child’s temperament, your parenting style, and your family’s unique challenges.

3. There’s No Real-Time Support

Books and courses can teach you concepts, but they can’t help you navigate a meltdown in real-time. When you work with a parent coach, you get ongoing support—someone who can troubleshoot problems as they arise, adjust strategies that aren’t working, and help you stay accountable.

In my program, I provide Voxer text and voice text support in between sessions so you don’t have to wait 7 days to get your questions answered!

4. Learning Without Practice Leads to Frustration

Imagine trying to learn how to swim by watching a video. That’s seriously funny to think about.

You can understand the theory, but when you actually jump into the water, you need hands-on coaching to actually learn how to swim and not drown.

The same applies to parenting. Learning about emotional regulation and discipline strategies is one thing, but being able to use them when your child is screaming at you in the middle of Target is another!!

5. Coaching Bridges the Gap Between Knowledge and Action

Parent coaching isn’t just about teaching you what to do. It’s about guiding you through the process of making those changes in real life. Instead of leaving you to figure things out on your own, coaching provides:

Personalized action plans based on your unique parenting challenges
Live feedback and troubleshooting when strategies don’t work as expected
Encouragement and accountability to help you stay consistent
Adjustments and refinements based on real-time challenges you’re facing

If you’ve ever read a parenting book, watched a video, or taken a course and thought, “That sounds great, but how do I actually do this with my child?” then it may be time to work with a parent coach.

How The P.U.R.P.O.S.E. Parent Transformation Program Works

Parent Coaching

My 12-week P.U.R.P.O.S.E. Parent Transformation Program includes:

Comprehensive P.U.R.P.O.S.E. Deep Dive Assessment
Two coaching options: 1:1 where you can personalized support and Group coaching where you go through the program with other parents
Weekly live coaching sessions
Personalized Family P.U.R.P.O.S.E. Blueprint
Customized Family Emotional Intelligence Roadmap
Repair and Reconnection Training
Communication Training
Sensory Calming Access Tools Training
Ongoing text/voice text support for real-time troubleshooting
Raising Kids With Purpose Resource Library

Join the wait list here!

Parent Power-Up Session

If you have a specific challenge you need help with, I offer Parent Power-Up Sessions. This is a 90-minute deep dive to help you tackle one major parenting hurdle with an action plan you can implement immediately.

This is great for parents who need quick, expert support without a long-term commitment.

Frequently Asked Questions About Parent Coaching

If you’re considering parent coaching, you might have a few questions about how it works and whether it’s right for you. Below are some of the most common questions I get from parents.

Is parent coaching only for parents who are struggling?

No! Many parents seek coaching not because they’re in crisis but because they want to be intentional about how they parent. I’ve had first-time moms reach out to me before they are having any challenges with their kids just to “get ahead” of it to make sure they’re ready for the toddler years and beyond.

Just like athletes work with coaches to improve their performance, parents can benefit from coaching to refine their skills, gain new insights, and create a home environment where everyone thrives.

Coaching is for parents who want to shift from reactive to responsive parenting, better understand their child’s brain and behavior, and improve communication, connection, and discipline techniques. Many parents I work with are already doing well but want to feel more confident and peaceful in their approach.

What if I’ve tried everything and nothing works in my parenting?

That’s exactly why parent coaching exists!

Many of the parents I work with come to me feeling exhausted and discouraged, saying they’ve read all the books and tried all the techniques, but nothing seems to work for their child.

There are a few reasons this happens:

Sometimes parents are using outdated methods that don’t align with modern neuroscience or modern culture. Whether we like it or not, our kids are influenced by the culture they live in and so are we!
Other times, a child’s nervous system is wired differently, making traditional discipline techniques ineffective and honestly, causing more damage. In many cases, a parent’s own stress responses influence how they react, making it harder to implement new strategies effectively.

A lot of the research on child development, emotional regulation, and brain science is fairly new, and many of us were raised with parenting techniques that we now know aren’t always effective.

Through coaching, I’ll help you understand why your child’s behavior is happening instead of just focusing on stopping it.

I’ll help you uncover hidden roadblocks that may be preventing certain strategies from working, and I’ll give you tools specifically designed for your child’s unique temperament and needs. Many parents find that once they have the right information that is personalized, they can finally see the changes they’ve been hoping for.

Is parent coaching the same as therapy?

No.

I briefly mentioned this earlier. While both can be incredibly helpful, they serve different purposes.

Parent coaching focuses on teaching practical strategies for handling parenting challenges, building stronger connections with children, making real-time adjustments to parenting techniques, and providing accountability and support to help parents stay consistent.

Therapy, on the other hand, focuses on healing past trauma and deep emotional wounds, processing childhood experiences that may be affecting parenting, and diagnosing and treating mental health concerns such as anxiety, depression, or PTSD.

Therapy is typically long-term and introspective, whereas coaching is more action-based and focused on immediate changes parents can make. If you’re struggling with deep-seated emotional wounds or mental health concerns, therapy may be the best option right now.

If you’re looking for practical tools to improve your parenting experience today, coaching is a great choice.

How long does parent coaching take to see results?

The timeline for results varies depending on your unique situation, but most parents begin to see positive changes within the first few weeks. Some quick wins can happen right away, such as learning how to pause before reacting, understanding how your child’s brain works, and making small shifts in communication that reduce power struggles.

For deeper transformation, such as rewiring parenting patterns, breaking generational cycles, and building long-lasting family culture, it takes more time. Typically, eight to twelve weeks of consistent coaching and practice is when parents see long-term, sustainable change.

The good news is that, unlike trial-and-error parenting, coaching provides a structured, guided approach so you can see real progress faster.

What specific parenting challenges are addressed by a coach?

A parent coach helps with a wide range of parenting challenges, providing customized strategies based on your child’s unique temperament and family dynamics. Here are some of the most common struggles addressed in parent coaching:

Managing big emotions and meltdowns
Power struggles and defiance
Reducing yelling and parental burnout
Navigating sibling conflicts
Handling transitions and life changes
Improving communication with your child
Setting boundaries without harsh punishments
Supporting high-energy or neurodivergent kids
Overcoming guilt and breaking generational parenting cycles
Creating a strong family culture

What if my partner isn’t on board with coaching?

This is a common concern. Many parents hesitate to start coaching because their spouse or co-parent isn’t on the same page.

The good news is that even if only one parent starts coaching, the whole family benefits. When one parent begins responding differently, kids will naturally start to adjust their behavior. Many partners come on board later once they see the positive changes happening at home.

Coaching can also help improve communication between co-parents, reducing tension and conflict in parenting decisions. Even if your partner isn’t ready for coaching, you can still take the first step toward positive change, and many parents find that their partner eventually becomes more open to new approaches once they see them in action.

mom and sons with lego head in front of garage

What kind of parents do you work with?

I work with parents from all walks of life, but I specialize in helping parents of kids with high energy, big emotions, and who may struggle with self-regulation and challenging behaviors. Raising my own kids has forced me to be an expert in this and I’m still learning!

Many of my clients are parents who are breaking generational cycles and want to parent differently than they were raised.

Others feel overwhelmed, exhausted, and like nothing is working. I also work with parents who want to create a family culture of respect, connection, and cooperation and are looking for guidance in making that a reality.

Whether you’re dealing with daily meltdowns, sibling fights, power struggles, or just want to feel more confident as a parent, coaching can help.

How do I get started?

The first step is a discovery call where we’ll talk about your biggest parenting challenges, your goals, and whether coaching is the right fit for you. This is a no-pressure conversation designed to help you gain clarity on what support you need and how I can help.

Ready to Transform Your Parenting?

If you’re ready to move from frustration to confidence, from yelling to connection, and from surviving to thriving, I’d love to support you.

Here’s your next step:

👉 Book a Discovery call and discover how parent coaching can help you.

If you’re not quite ready for a call, you can fill out this P.U.R.P.O.S.E. Deep Dive Assessment to see if coaching can help!

You don’t have to do this alone—let’s work together to help you become the parent you want to be.

January 30, 2025 By Adriane (Raising Kids With Purpose) 42 Comments

What I Wish I Knew as a Mom To a Very High Energy Toddler

Originally published: January 29, 2020
Updated: January 30, 2025

No joke. When my first son was very young, I scoured as many parenting book indexes to find information on what to do with a high energy toddler. When I couldn’t find “high energy”, I would scan the “C” section to see if I could find, “Crazy Toddler!”

I never found either in any book. Womp. Womp.

As a first time mom, I had already read the typical advice offered to discipline children. The positive discipline and positive parenting tactics worked great when it came to following instructions and sleeping at night.

He listened (fairly well), had very kind intentions, seemed to have an advanced understanding of differences in other children, and wanted to do well.

However, he literally bounced off the walls and acted CRAZY!! People will sometimes compare kids to the Energizer Bunny, well my high-energy toddler would give that bunny a run for its money! **I got his permission to share this and I keep checking in has he’s gotten older. He has seen the videos and concurs.

This post contains affiliate links, see disclosure policy for details.

I knew boys had a lot of energy—I was prepared for that. But this? This was beyond anything I ever imagined. At two and three years old, my son would literally sprint full speed into the wall just to see if he could knock himself out. I had watched my little brother grow up, but he was calm and easygoing. This was completely uncharted territory for me.

At the time, I had no understanding of behavior or that brains could be differently wired. I had no framework to make sense of what was happening inside my home.

Then came a pivotal moment while my husband was out of town. My son was in the shower, water flying everywhere, grabbing his brother, screaming at the top of his lungs—completely out of control. He wasn’t upset; in fact, he was thrilled. But he had absolutely no control over his actions.

I sat on the toilet with this thought…

“I quit motherhood.”

What I Wish I Knew When My Son Was a High Energy Toddler

As my son grew, started school and we learned more about how his brain was wired, a lot of things started to make sense.

If you find yourself in the same boat of not knowing what to do with your overly active hyper, maybe sometimes crazy child, here are some things I wish I would have known that may help you.

The Inner-workings of a Child’s Brain

If I could make The Whole-Brain Child by Dr. Daniel Siegel and Dr. Tina Payne Bryson required reading for every parent, I would! This book does an incredible job of breaking down what’s happening in your child’s brain in a way that’s both practical and easy to understand.

At its core, the brain functions best when it’s integrated, all parts working together in balance. Kids thrive when their right emotional brain and left logical brain work in sync, helping them live meaningful, creative, and well-balanced lives.

As parents, we can support this process by first connecting with our child’s right brain so we can meet them in their emotional state. Only once they are calm can we engage their left brain with logic and reasoning to help them process their behavior.

One of my biggest takeaways from the book was understanding the difference between the upstairs thinker brain and the downstairs reactive brain. The prefrontal cortex, the upstairs brain, doesn’t fully develop until the late 20’s. When kids have access to it, they can think clearly, make good decisions, and understand consequences. But when they’re stuck in their downstairs brain, things can get chaotic fast.

Dr. Siegel explains this with a powerful analogy: when kids are overwhelmed by big emotions—anger, frustration, sadness—a baby gate slams shut at the bottom of the stairs, blocking access to their upstairs brain. Our job as parents is to help open that gate by connecting with them first and guiding them to calm.

When I was navigating life with my wild, high-energy toddler, this concept changed everything. Instead of trying to control his behavior, I learned to get on his level, connect with him, name what was happening, and gently guide him back to a state where he could function like a calm human again.

How to Look Underneath the Surface

Behavior is communication. No matter how a child is acting, he or she is communicating with you.

Underneath every unwanted behavior is usually an unmet need.

Although my son wasn’t disobeying or making poor choices, there was a reason he was running full speed into the wall.

How a child acts on the outside is like the tip of the iceberg poking out of the water. It’s what is underneath the surface that gives us insight as to where the behavior is coming from.

For my high energy toddler, it was a sensory need. I still don’t have a full understanding of the proprioceptive system and sensory output versus input, but what I do know is some kids have challenges with responding to information that comes through their senses.

He had a need that required him to want movement and physical contact. It’s what is called sensory seeking. Here are signs to look out for:

Touches everything!
Is very physical and prefers to play rough (although the intent may not be to hurt)
Is clumsy or always falling
Has a high tolerance for pain
Squirms and fidgets a lot – it seems like he or she never stops moving!

Yep, this pretty much sums up my son as a toddler.

If I had this knowledge, I could have created more structure to his day with routines and given him tools to calm down (like in my calm down kit!).

I also wish I would have known about other outlets that we have found that work to fulfill his sensory needs such as fidgets, a weighted blanket, squeezy balls, mazes, joint compressions, a trampoline or anything else that allowed him to get energy out in a safe way. My friend, Julie, has a GREAT list of activities for kids to get the proprioceptive and vestibular sensory input they need.

Read Next: Routines for Kids: How They Work and & How To Create Your Own

The Difference Between Neurotypical and Neurodiverse Children

I always knew that every child was unique and special—I mean, I had entire school units on it in 5th, 6th, and 7th grade! But what I didn’t know was that there was something called asynchronous development or neurodiversity—and that these concepts would completely change how I understood my child.

In a neurotypical brain, development follows a relatively predictable pattern, where cognitive, emotional, and physical growth stay fairly in sync with peers of the same age. But in a neurodiverse brain, development can be wildly uneven: advanced in some areas and significantly behind in others. This is especially common in gifted children, where the higher the IQ, the greater the developmental gaps tend to be.

And here’s where things get tricky: our medical and educational systems in the U.S. are built for neurotypical kids.

The challenge is that culture and society will treat that child like their brain is that age instead of meeting where he or she is developmentally. This is where advocacy becomes vitally important.

So there I was, desperately seeking help, wondering why my son, a child who could create the most intricate paper sculptures, disassemble and reassemble electronics at three years old, and do complex math in his head, couldn’t seem to control his emotions, body, or impulses like other kids his age.

The only advice I got from professionals? “Just keep him safe.” And let me tell you, that alone was a full-time job.

What I really needed was a framework to understand his development. Simply recognizing that he wasn’t on the same trajectory as his peers or the kids he was being compared to by doctors and teachers would have helped me in a much bigger way. Instead of feeling like I was failing at motherhood, I could have focused on supporting his growth in the areas where he was behind, rather than expecting him to fit a mold that wasn’t made for him.

high energy toddlers struggle with self regulation

Connection is More Important Than Correction

When my son was little, I joined mom groups like Stroller Strides and MOPS (both have updated company names).

The number one topic I heard moms discuss was: How do we get our toddlers and preschoolers to listen? We were all searching for the magic formula to make our kids do what we wanted when we wanted.

Wow! My perspective sure has changed about how to get kids to listen. And honestly, I completely stopped asking that question because it was the wrong one. And let me tell you, it has made parenting so much less stressful. Looking back, I realize I could have saved myself so many frustrating moments I changed my perspective earlier.

Instead of focusing on how to get my child to listen, what I really needed to learn was how to connect before I corrected. Most of the time, my son wasn’t even misbehaving. He was typically overflowing with energy and enthusiasm which made me feel overwhelmed.

It wasn’t bad behavior; it was just more than I could handle at the moment.

And here’s the game-changer: kids respond best when they feel connected.

Instead of resorting to counting to three, time-outs, or the latest discipline hack I found online, all I needed to do was figure out what my high-energy toddler needed to connect.

For my son, that meant a hug, eye contact, and affirmations—even now as a teen, that’s still what works best for him. For your child, it might be playful interaction, physical closeness, or simply feeling heard.

Once I started focusing on connection first, everything shifted. I didn’t have to fight for control or constantly repeat myself. My son felt safe, seen, and understood—and that made all the difference in how he responded.

So if you’re feeling exhausted trying to get your child to listen, take a step back and ask:

How does my child like to connect?

You might be surprised at how much easier parenting becomes when you prioritize connection over correction. 💛

How to Make Self-Care a Priority!

Lastly, I didn’t really take care of myself. Instead, I put all my energy and effort into chasing after a crazy high energy toddler! How in the world could I have time to focus on myself?

What I found as my kids got older is when I focus on self-care every day (not just Sundays!), I have a whole lot more to give. Self-care doesn’t have to be this long day at the spa. Instead, it can be squeezing in a workout, spending time with friends, reading the Bible and praying, or heck, taking a shower and actually blow drying your hair! Some of these were extremely hard to do with a very high energy toddler running around screaming, but I should have made them a priority!

If you struggle with self-care, check out my free Taking Care of MYSELF Ebook when you sign up for my newsletter.

A Note To The Mama With a High Energy Toddler (Who May Be Driving You a Little Bonker Balls)

I want to tell you that I can relate. Seriously, if you don’t know where to turn and you’re struggling to help calm your child, CONTACT ME! I’d love to chat and help you figure out what’s under the surface.

Also, I’m here to let you know that it can get better. Stay focused on connecting with your child regardless of how tired he or she makes you feel and the rewards will be more than you could ever imagine.

What To Do If You Have a High Energy Toddler

Here is the condensed version of what I could have done differently and what I ended up changing as my son got older. Knowledge is power!

Get on your child’s level (or below eye contact if they’re not too low to the ground!), connect with him or her, and name it to tame it.
Provide outlets for your active child to get all the wiggles out! Don’t repress the movement! Use sensory toys, encourage playing outside, running, jumping, use a weighted blanket or do joint compressions at night.
Reframe your thinking about how your child should be acting. Look at his or her brain wiring, interests and developmental milestones compared only to your child, not other kids the same age.
Connect before you correct. Every time!
Work with a parent Coach! I have a 12-week P.U.R.P.O.S.E. Parent Program where we address what’s written in this post and so much more!

PS: If you don’t know what “bonker balls” is referencing to, then you are missing out and must check out the best podcast ever for kids. Shhhh, I even listen when I’m without my kids!!

Download Your Free Hyperactive Kids Toolkit

hyperactive toolkit for kids with high energy or ADHD

Need help with your hyperactive toddler? I created the Hyperactive Kid Toolkit just for you!

Hyperactivity Signs and Signals

The first page is a guide to signs and signals, making it easier to track your child’s behaviors. When my son was younger—toddler, preschooler, and even when he was in elementary school—he checked every box for hyperactivity. Now, as a teenager, I don’t notice it as much, but he’s still very active, which is why he wants to live at the skatepark, jujitsu gym, or basketball court every day! The good news is he has learned how to channel that energy on his own. 🙌

Parenting Strategies

The second page is packed full of parenting Strategies that I unpack in this post and that will truly help you parent a child with crazy amounts of energy.

Calm Down Toolkit

The last page is part of a bigger toolkit I have that helps kids with calming strategies. Oftentimes, hyperactive kids have BIG emotions. They need a little extra help in the emotional regulation department. You can grab the full Calm Down Toolkit here.

Does Your Toddler Have a Ton of Energy?

Are you currently in the toddler stage and don’t know what to do with all of your toddler’s energy? Or are you past that phase, but your child is still bouncing off the walls? I hope these tips help! If you know other moms who this information will benefit, please feel free to share!!! Click on the share buttons below.

Lastly, I mentioned this earlier, and I mean it. If you’re not sure where else to turn and traditional advice is not working, please email me!

December 30, 2024 By Adriane (Raising Kids With Purpose) 44 Comments

How to Turn Childhood Experiences into Life-Changing Memories

_{Inside: Once I learned that memories shape who our kids become, I had to learn more about how to turn Childhood experiences into life-changing memories that really stick. This post is full of information on how childhood memories form and includes a printable packet of memory posters to fill out every month.}

What we remember shapes who we are and who we become.

Think about that. Taking your kids to see their favorite baseball team play, camping at the beach, hiking in the mountains, making crafts together, or simply chasing your children down the hallway as they squeal impacts how their brains get wired. The moments we have together along with the feelings that come with those interactions is what shapes who are children will become.

This is why spending quality time with and providing memorable experiences for your children matters.

Our goal as parents is not to raise kids who stay kids all of their lives. Instead, we are focusing on raising resilient adults who flourish, thrive, and essentially become decent humans.

We do this by creating positive childhood memories and helping them through the tough ones. We don’t wrap our kids in bubble wrap to keep them from negativity; instead, we are present and communicate to them that we are on the same team. Reflecting on and recalling these experiences has a great impact on their development.

This is how we become the “gardeners” in our kids’ lives, giving them what they need to grow into the beautiful wildflowers God created them to be. The things we do together, in essence, are water, good soil, and sunlight.

This post contains affiliate links, see disclosure policy for details.

According to research studies published in the American Psychological Association, people who have happy childhood memories, especially those linked with their parents tend to be healthier!

Positive memories are linked to less depression, mental health issues, and less stress. Furthermore, young adults who have positive memories from growing up usually also have better quality work and personal relationships.

Bonus!! A great way to create a strong connection with your kids is by having family meetings. Receive a free Family Meeting Agenda when you sign up for my newsletter!

How Memory Works

Understanding how memory functions and why it matters is crucial, especially in the life of a child. Memory serves as the foundation for how we interpret and navigate the world, shaping our understanding and experiences.

As neuroscience tells us, “neurons that fire together, wire together.” This means that repeated actions and experiences strengthen neural connections in the brain. By recognizing this, we can better appreciate how to create meaningful childhood memories that have a lasting impact.

The Role of Memory in Development

Memories, particularly those tied to significant events or emotions, play a key role in development. When experiences hold personal meaning for a child, they are more likely to be stored in long-term memory and contribute to their growth and understanding.

The Brain’s Memory Systems

The brain organizes and stores information using three key memory processes:

encoding
storage
recall

Encoding

Encoding is the process of taking in information. Think of it as the brain’s way of processing the world around us. For example, toddlers often sit and observe their surroundings with fascination, soaking in details as they try to make sense of the chaos. This step is crucial for setting up memories that can later be stored.

Long-Term Memory

Once information is encoded, it can be stored in long-term memory. There are two primary types of long-term memory:

Episodic Memory: This type stores significant life events along with the emotions tied to them. Episodic memories form effortlessly, but we can strengthen them by revisiting or reflecting on those moments. For example, the joy of a birthday celebration or a family trip is often stored as an episodic memory.
Semantic Memory: This is where factual information is stored, requiring more effort to memorize and retain. Children often rely on semantic memory to learn new concepts and share what they are learning. For instance, my son loves reciting facts about human anatomy, weather patterns, or complex processes like cytosis—things he’s committed to memory by intentionally learning.

Recall

Recall is the ability to retrieve information stored in the brain. It involves organizing memories, identifying associated details like smells or textures, and making connections.

For instance, the smell of a Lovespell hand sanitizer can instantly transport me to memories of my firstborn’s nursery. This is because sensory cues often play a role in recall.

Another aspect of recall is working memory, which temporarily holds information as we process and encode it. If you’ve ever forgotten why you walked into a room, only to remember when you see an object that triggers the memory, that’s your working memory at work. Working memory is also what is used to memorize spelling words or math facts, both of which my son with ADHD struggles with learning. Kids with ADHD often are delayed in executive function skills and you guessed it, working memory is one of those functions.

By understanding these systems, we can create environments and experiences that support children in building memories that last a lifetime.

Organizing, Storing, and Reflecting On Childhood Memories

Naturally, kids are going to have experiences that turn into memories that impact who they are and become. Research shows that with rest and reflection, these moments can have a bigger bang for their buck, so to speak.

I picture it like this…

When I was very young, my aunt worked at Mellon Bank in the Pittsburgh Area. It was the most beautiful building with vaulted ceilings, marble floors, and fancy desks. I loved going to visit her!

At the very back was a huge vault that you could see into. This room was for employees only. There was a huge wheel that needed to be turned to the correct combination in order to get in. Inside that vault were piles and piles of money all sorted so that the employees could access it when a customer needed money. Or at least this is what I remember.

Kids (and adults alike) all have a vault in their brains. This vault is called the hippocampus. Instead of having money inside, there are experiences. These experiences are sorted by positive and negative associations.

When our kids are faced with a decision or choice or have a new experience, they go into that vault and access one of those childhood memories to help guide them. It can be instinctual or intentional.

If you had to go into a vault such as this to help you with life, which would you rather have to pull from? Positive or negative experiences?

mom and sons at the USS Midway in San Diego

Turning Childhood Experiences into Life-Changing Memories

Being intentional with the time we spend with our kids is what makes parenting truly fulfilling. As Tina Payne Bryson and Dr. Daniel Siegel explain in The Power of Showing Up, “a securely attached child is not only happier and more content but also much easier to be with and to parent.”

So, how do we foster that sense of security and connection?

boys riding a ride at Belmont Park in San Diego — boys making memories riding a ride at Belmont Park in San Diego

Make Time Together “Stick”

One way is to ensure the time and activities we share with our kids leave a lasting impression. This means creating moments that are memorable and meaningful, embedding them into their long-term memory.

The R.I.P. Memory Strategy

A helpful memory tool I discovered on Reading Rockets is the R.I.P. strategy, which stands for Repetition, Imagery, and Patterns.

(And yes, your brain probably associated R.I.P. with “Rest in Peace”—a clever mnemonic to help you remember the strategy. I fully embrace my nerdiness for loving that detail!)

The R.I.P. toolbox includes actionable strategies to help kids encode and store memories effectively:

Relax and Concentrate: Stay calm and focused.
Slow Down: Process experiences at a manageable pace.
Organize: Categorize and structure information.
Write Down or Repeat: Reinforce ideas by writing or verbal repetition.
Visualize: Picture concepts or experiences in your mind.
Translate: Simplify complex ideas into understandable terms.
Use Pictures: Incorporate visual aids to anchor memory.
Practice: Revisit and rehearse to strengthen neural connections.

Applying these strategies helps kids store meaningful experiences and information in long-term memory, making them easier to recall and build upon in the future.

Connecting Everyday Moments

Everyday life is filled with opportunities to create lasting memories—we just need to approach these moments with intention. It’s not about grand gestures or expensive outings; it’s about the small, consistent ways we engage with our kids and make them feel seen, valued, and loved.

mom and son hiking fat man's loop in Flagstaff, AZ

Start With Presence

Being fully present is one of the simplest yet most impactful ways to create a connection. Whether it’s during a walk to the park, a quick car ride, or even while doing chores, being attentive and engaged shows our kids that they matter. Ask open-ended questions about their day, laugh together, or simply make eye contact and listen without distractions. These moments may seem ordinary, but they create a foundation of trust and connection.

My favorite thing to do is lie with my kids at bedtime. I used to see it as annoying and one more thing I had to do before “me time”. Now that I have a teenager, I cherish every second my younger kids want to spend time with me, especially at night. My youngest son and I will look through old photos or read books that make us belly laugh together. Such a wonderful way to spend the last 20 minutes of the day.

Celebrate the Small Wins

Everyday moments can be powerful when we acknowledge and celebrate them. Did your child figure out how to tie their shoes for the first time? Did they show kindness to a sibling?

Celebrate these achievements, no matter how small, and highlight the emotions and effort involved. When kids see that their small victories matter, those moments are more likely to stick in their memory.

Incorporate Rituals

Rituals add rhythm and predictability to our lives while creating opportunities for meaningful interaction. It could be as simple as a bedtime routine where you share three things you’re grateful for, a weekly pizza night, or a silly handshake before school drop-off. These consistent, intentional moments become a treasure trove of positive memories.

Use the Power of Senses

Memories tied to sensory experiences are often the strongest. Incorporate smells, tastes, sounds, and textures into your interactions.

For example, baking cookies together might become memorable not just because of the activity but also due to the smell of cookies in the oven and the feel of dough between their fingers. Similarly, listening to a favorite song or taking a nature walk and noticing the crunch of leaves can anchor these moments in long-term memory.

Turn Challenges Into Stories

Not every day will be perfect, but even challenges can become opportunities to connect. When something goes wrong—a missed bus, a burnt finger, or sickness that prevents your family from going to a planned activity —frame it as an adventure. Laugh together about the mishaps, find the silver lining, and reflect on how you worked through it as a team.

These “imperfect” moments often become the most cherished stories over time.

Recently, our entire family was hit hard with sickness. We had to cancel so many holiday activities and events that we attend every year. Instead of getting upset about it, when we were able to get out of bed, we played Scattegories for the first time as a family and made special treats. We still created special memories even though they didn’t include a Christmas parade or hot air balloons.

Revisit and Reflect

Help your kids hold onto everyday moments by revisiting them regularly. Ask them about their favorite part of the day at bedtime or share photos and mementos from the week. Reflection helps solidify memories while encouraging gratitude and perspective.

By finding ways to connect during the mundane and weaving intention into our interactions, we can turn the ordinary into something special. These shared experiences don’t just fill our children’s memory banks; they also strengthen the bonds that form the heart of our relationships.

How to Preserve Your Monthly Memories

To help families capture and reflect on their shared experiences, I created a Year of Monthly Memories printable. This simple tool encourages families to document and celebrate the moments that matter most.

Here’s how it works:

Print a Cover Page | Write the year on it.
Print Monthly Sheets | Use one sheet for each month.
Keep in a Common Area | Place the sheets where everyone can access them.
Document Your Memories | Encourage family members to write, draw, or add printed pictures of the month’s highlights.
Store Completed Sheets | Collect and save them to create a treasured memory keepsake.

Free Download!

To help kids remember their experiences so they can grow from them, I created a year of monthly memories printable for families. *Click here to download!

This is how it works:

Print out a cover and write the year
Print out the sheet for the month
Keep in a common area
Encourage everyone in the family to write down, print pictures, and draw about the memories made during the month
Store the finished sheet

Instructions

1. Print Out the Cover

Print the cover for your year of memories. It’s okay if you’re starting in the middle of the year. Writing down what year it is will help you keep all the memories organized.

There is a big white space on the front for the date. At the end of the packet are a few other cover options. I like options.

2. Print the Monthly Memory Sheet at the Beginning of Each Month

I am writing this at the beginning of the year, so I just printed out, January.

Ideally, using card stock or thicker paper will make these last longer and be able to support any glue or creations added.

3. Keep the Monthly Memory Sheet in an Easy-to-Access Location in Your Home

For us, the kitchen is the most commonplace in our house. It’s where we have family dinner together every night, where homework takes place, where we prepare food and hang out the most.

In the corner of our kitchen is a small command board. It’s nothing fancy but rather a simple dry-erase board calendar where we put our family meeting agenda items, needed grocery items, chore assignments, routine charts, our lunch items list, and packing lists.

Related: Routines for Kids: Why They Work & How to Create Your Own

Also, next to our fridge is an area where we have a small basket of pens and pencils along with mail. These two spots would be the place to put our reflection sheet so it is visible to everyone.

4. Write Down (or Draw) Experiences You Have Throughout the Month

This is a task for EVERYONE in the family. Now, my three-year-old is not going to be able to write down his childhood memories, but I can ask him what he would like me to write for him.

You can do this however you’d like! Come up with how your monthly memory sheet is going to look like as a family.

Here are ideas on how to record your memories:

Use bullet points
Assign a different color marker to each person to write with
Encourage drawings as well as words
Print out photos
Staple ticket stubs or items from places you visited

Drawing pictures is great because it allows a person to synthesize the information, make choices about the information, and store it in memory in a way that’s easier to recall.

Everyone can either add to the sheet whenever they want or make it an agenda item during your weekly or monthly family meetings. I like the idea of doing both!

Your kids can write down any of their childhood memories they would like. You may be surprised at what they choose as it may be different than what you think is most important.

For example, if you went on a vacation to visit caves but also camped or swam at a hotel pool, they may think swimming in the pool was more fun and memorable than the actual caves.

Anything goes! Also, have your family members (you included!) write down when goals are accomplished such as climbing to the top of an indoor rock-climbing wall for the very first time.

5. Save the Monthly Memory Sheet Once the Month is Finished

After that month is finished, put your sheet into a binder or you could even attach them all to a big binder ring.

Included in the Monthly Memory Printable is a cover sheet. This can be used to put the year or season or however you would like to organize this reflection activity.

Download The Year of Memories Reflection Printable

Share The Love

If you found this post about childhood memories and how to create stronger connections with your kiddos helpful, please share or pin it for later. I would also love to know if you use your monthly memory sheets.

Post pictures and tag me on Instagram or Facebook. That would fill my heart with so much joy! As always, I love hearing from you in my inbox – adriane@raisingkidswithpurpose.com.

Originally written on: January 12, 2020
Updated on: December 30, 2024

November 16, 2024 By Adriane (Raising Kids With Purpose) 6 Comments

The Busy Mom’s Guide: 5 Simple Systems for Managing Kids, Home, and Work

_{Inside: Stop feeling overwhelmed as a mom! Below you’ll find what I found to be the best systems for busy moms. This post contains affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to purchase through my links, at no cost to you.}

Moms are busy.

The “workload” often increases with each beautiful bundle you bring into the world. Additionally, each of those humans can bring his or her own unique set of needs, talents, and wants. Again, moms are busy.

My boys are all neurodivergent meaning they have additional developmental needs than typical children. As I meet parents worldwide, I see that the needs list is getting longer for kids. It may be because we know much more about how brains develop or our world contains stuff that developing brains don’t like.

All these “extras” add to a mama’s schedule and mental load!

Looking at my life, each of my boys is in a different school environment because the one-size-fits-all education system we have in America didn’t work for them. This means we have three different school schedules, four different locations for school, and additional extracurricular activities such as sports, private classes, and co-ops. We even have a “no-more-than-one-sport-per-kid-per-season-no-club-sports” rule but activities and sports still fill up the calendar.

To top it off, I work to help provide for our family. Because of this, I found myself constantly drowning in the endless to-do lists and competing priorities.

Between managing my boys’ needs, running this blog, and trying to maintain a clean-ish house, let alone making sure I was meeting my own needs, I felt like I was constantly dropping balls.

Have you been here?

You get in bed at night and your mind is racing with all the things you forgot to do and all the things you need to remember for the next day.
You’re constantly apologizing for missed deadlines or forgotten commitments because there’s just so much to keep track of.
You haven’t taken your kids to the dentist in over a year because you had to cancel the appointment they automatically scheduled for you and you just haven’t made the time to call and schedule the dang thing?

Or is it just me?

Whether you’re juggling a child with special needs, running a business from your kitchen table, or simply trying to keep up with the endless demands of modern motherhood, the overwhelm is real. Sometimes it feels like we’re expected to do it all, be it all, and somehow look like a supermodel while doing it all. Thanks, social media!

That’s why discovering Systemize Your Life by Chelsi Jo was such a game-changer!

Systemize Your Life isn’t just another “get organized” program. Believe me, I have read so many productivity and organization books, have read blogs about it, and listened to the latest organization tips. I applied a lot of what I learned and still felt like something was missing.

I figured it out! I didn’t need another tool, I needed to have a paradigm shift about time; how I spend it and a simplified way to implement this new mindset.

I found Chelsi Jo while searching for podcasts on how to manage my chaotic life. I scrolled back to the very beginning of her podcast and listened to these episodes:

I then downloaded her freebie, Done For You Time Blocks, (click here and scroll down to download the freebie) from her website on how to set up a productive week and immediately felt a difference in how productive I felt. In turn, my overall mental health felt better as well.

I finally found someone who understood me and my busy life. Chelsi understands that moms, especially moms running businesses, need more than just pretty planners and motivational quotes. We need real, practical systems that work with our complex lives, not against them.

Chelsi Jo’s program is the first I’ve found that has FLEXIBILITY built in and reminds you that life is messy. I never have two days that are the same. Chelsi completely gets that because she is a busy mom, too. She has found a way to systemize even that!

In this post, I want to share how implementing Systemize Your Life has transformed my daily life from overwhelming to manageable (most days, anyway!). Because you deserve to feel in control, capable, and present – both for your family and dreams.

When “Just Get Organized” Isn’t Enough

You know you’re overwhelmed when you find yourself standing in the grocery store, staring at your list but not really seeing it. Or your kid walk into your office to ask for breakfast, and you keep saying, give me a second, until finally, you feel so stressed out that you can’t seem to get even one simple task done before being needed for one. more. thing.

How Overwhelm Can Show Up

The Mental Load Never Sleeps: As you get into bed, you suddenly remember you need to order supplies for your son’s upcoming science lab. You pick up your phone and order it quickly on Amazon. You start to fall asleep then you sit up, wondering if you responded to that important email. Your brain refuses to shut off because it’s trying to hold onto every detail.
Decision Fatigue Hits Hard: Standing in front of your closet for 15 minutes because choosing an outfit feels impossible. Even small decisions like what to make for dinner become overwhelming because you’ve already made 1,000 decisions about everyone else’s needs today.
The Productivity Paradox: Having 15 browser tabs open with half-finished tasks, jumping between them all day, but somehow getting nothing done. You’re busy all day long but can’t point to what you actually accomplished.
The Guilt Spiral: Feeling like you’re failing at everything because you’re trying to do everything. Missing a deadline because your child had a meltdown. Ordering Cafe Rio (again) because you didn’t have time to meal plan. The guilt piles up with each “dropped ball.”

Why Traditional Advice Doesn’t Work

When well-meaning people advise you to “just get organized” or “plan, prioritize, schedule, and execute tasks”, they don’t understand a mother’s reality. As moms, especially those of us parenting children with additional needs while working, we experience:

Unpredictable Schedules: Your perfectly planned day can be derailed by a sensory meltdown, a sick child, or an urgent appointment. Traditional time-blocking systems don’t account for real life with kids.
Complex Family Needs: Traditional organizing advice assumes you’re only managing your own schedule. They don’t consider coordinating multiple school drop-offs, monitoring multiple schedules, or managing little people’s developmental and sensory needs throughout the day.
The Mental Load: Standard productivity tips don’t address the invisible work of motherhood – remembering everyone’s preferences, monitoring supplies, coordinating appointments, and maintaining the household’s emotional climate all the while working on your own stuff so you can co-regulate.
Limited Time Blocks: Business advice often assumes you have long, uninterrupted hours to work. But when you’re fitting work between kid requests, homeschool, school pickups, or whatever other tasks you have to do with your mom hat on. This means you need a different approach.

This is why those beautiful bullet journals and standard planning systems often collect dust in our desks. They’re designed for people with predictable schedules and fewer variables to juggle. As moms running businesses while managing complex family needs, we need something different – something that bends and flexes with our unique challenges while still providing the structure we desperately need.

The Life-Changing Impact of the Right Systems

Having systems in your life decreases so much unnecessary stress. Having systems goes much deeper than just having a tidy space – it’s about creating a foundation that supports your family’s well-being and allows you to show up as the mom you want to be.

Mental Health Benefits

When I first implemented proper systems in our home, the most surprising change wasn’t in our schedules or our space – it was in my mind. Here are ways having systems in place that lead to more productivity can benefit you mentally:

Decreased Stress: Instead of carrying every detail in your head, reliable systems become your external brain. No more waking up in a panic wondering if I forgot something important.
Reduced Decision Fatigue: With clear routines and systems in place, you don’t need to make decisions about every little thing. You can put a lot of what you do on “auto-pilot”. This frees up mental energy for what really matters – connecting with your kids, growing in your marriage and work, and taking care of yourself.
Decreased Anxiety: Knowing that important tasks are tracked and managed by systems rather than your stressed brain dramatically reduces daily anxiety.
Present-Moment Living: When systems handle the background tasks, you can be present with your family and yourself instead of constantly planning the next thing in your head.

Read Next: 4 Easy Steps for Teaching Life Skills to Kids

Building a Strong Family Culture Through Systems

The beauty of well-designed systems is how they shape your family’s daily life and long-term values:

Shared Expectations: When everyone knows what happens and when it creates a sense of security and belonging. From morning to bedtime routines, these predictable patterns become the heartbeat of your family life.
Quality Time Protection: Systems help carve out and protect dedicated family time. When you completely separate work from home tasks, you can fully engage in family activities without guilt.
Values in Action: Your systems can reflect and reinforce your family values. Whether it’s regular volunteer activities, family meetings, or dedicated one-on-one time with each child, systems help you live out what matters most.

Bonus! Click these links to download a Free Quality Time Printable or the Family Values Toolkit!

The Benefits of Predictability for Kids

As a mom of three neurodivergent boys, I’ve seen firsthand how transformative the right systems can be for children:

Emotional Security: Children thrive when they know what to expect. Predictable routines create a sense of safety and control in their world.
Reduced Anxiety: When kids can anticipate what comes next, they’re less likely to feel anxious or overwhelmed by transitions.
Independence Growth: Clear systems help children develop autonomy as they learn to follow routines independently.
Sensory Management: Regular routines help children prepare for and process sensory experiences throughout their day.
Transition Support: Predictable systems make transitions smoother, reducing meltdowns and resistance.
Self-Regulation Tools: Built-in rhythms and routines support better emotional regulation and coping skills.

The Ripple Effect of Good Systems

When you have the right systems in place, something magical happens:

Your kids feel more secure and behave better
You have more energy for meaningful activities
Your business runs more smoothly
Your home feels more peaceful
Your family connections grow stronger

The key is finding systems that flex with your family’s unique needs while providing enough structure to keep everyone grounded. It’s not about rigid schedules or perfect execution – it’s about creating a framework that supports your family’s well-being while helping you achieve your personal and professional goals.

5 Simple Systems for Managing Kids, Home, and Business

When I discovered Chelsi Jo’s Systemize Your Life framework, it was like someone finally understood the unique challenges of being a mom with big dreams.

Her approach isn’t about perfect schedules or unrealistic schedules – it’s about creating sustainable systems that really work for busy moms. Here are the core systems that I have been implementing and are transforming my daily life:

1. Five Time-Block Method

Rather than trying to multitask everything (which never worked!), Chelsi taught me to create focused blocks for five parts of my day. This was much simpler to follow than creating inconsistent blocks like I tried in the past.

Morning Block – This is my “me time” before anyone in the house wakes up. I was already walking the dogs almost every morning but having a dedicated block ensures I start my day with self-care. My morning block includes getting dressed, walking the dogs, going to the gym for a 30-45-minute workout, and getting back to my house to read a devotion before getting the kids ready for school.
AM Block – This includes time WITH my kids as they are getting ready for the day. This block ends once my kids are at all the different schools that fit their individual needs.
Work Block – This is dedicated time where I GET TO WORK! I have a homeschooler, so he is home a few days of the week when I have my work block so I can’t completely separate work from home but we figured out a system that works for us.
PM Block – This has been the most important part of my day to get right. It includes everything we do after the kids are done with school for the day. Before implementing Systemize Your Life, I wasn’t starting dinner until close to 6 or 6:30 pm delaying the whole rest of the night and setting us up for disaster the next morning. Now, I have a solidified time of 4:30 pm to start dinner so we can have family time before starting the bedtime routine.
Evening Routing Block – Lastly, this is when my husband and I hang out and I get myself ready for bed. I wash my face, brush my teeth, and read something for my soul before closing my eyes for the night.

I have assigned colors to each block so I highlight them every week in my paper planner and because sometimes I need extra help, I created laminated sheets for each of my blocks using the same colors!

2. Routine Stacks

I implemented “habit-stacking” before (and even wrote about it) but routine stacking was a new concept to me. It’s essentially stacking up the habits and labeling them so it’s a no-brainer of what you need to do and when.

Chelsi says, “Routine stacking is all about making the most of your day by layering complementary tasks together.” “Instead of jumping from task to task, routine stacking allows you to seamlessly transition between activities that fit naturally together, making your day flow more smoothly.”

I could NOT remember my routine stacks at first so this is where my laminated sheets came in handy.

3. Hybrid Planner Method

One of the most revolutionary things I learned from Chelsi was her Hybrid Planner method. As someone managing multiple school and class schedules, business tasks, and family needs, this system was a game-changer.

I have always loved a paper planner, but I don’t want to carry it around with me everywhere I go. Google Calendar is great, but there’s something special about writing down what I have planned for the week, my family to-do list, and what I’m thankful for. Chelsi to the rescue, again! She has figured out a way where I can still get my writing fix which is much better for my mental health while also integrating a digital calendar so I don’t miss appointments.

I’ve taken what she’s taught me and have broken it down like this:

Digital Planning

My Google Calendar acts as my go-to appointment and schedule tracker. It’s color-coded for each family member. This is what I put on it:

All appointments and school drop off’s
Recurring events and reminders
Multiple calendars shared with different “stakeholders”
Business meetings and deadlines

Paper Planning

I use a physical planner for a weekly overview:

Daily top priorities
Gratitude practice
Self-care tracking
Menu planning
Cleaning schedule
Scheduled work time
Routine Stacks
Meal Prep time

4. The Weekend Reset

This weekly ritual helps set up the whole family for a successful week no matter how busy we are. Here are the things I’m resetting every Saturday and Sunday:

Google Calendar – I review it for the upcoming week and make sure I have all drop-off and pick-up times scheduled.
Light cleaning and tidying – This is something I’m working on getting better at. I try to at least clean the kitchen. The boys help with floors, bathrooms, and surfaces.
Reviewing the week ahead – I grab my weekly planner and plan out my time blocks for the week then I write down all my fundamental needs and routine stacks.
Meal Prep – I plan my meals using a Google Sheet I’ve had for years! I have 15+ meal plans that I rotate about every month. I pull this up on Sunday mornings. I either order my groceries online or I go to Sprouts before my kids wake up and shop in person. When I get home, the whole family helps by cleaning out the fridge and stocking it for the upcoming week.
Laundry – I can usually get all of our laundry done on Saturday. The boys help fold and put away their clothes which is a huge time-saver! If I do it every week, we average only 2-3 loads. I’m working on what to do after a big camping trip or when it piles up!
Homeschool Prep – We use Alveary and LOVE it but there is a lot of prep that goes into it so I take some time every weekend to make sure my son has everything he needs to complete his lessons with his private teacher.

Exciting news! If you’re interested in learning more about Alveary and signing up for the first time, use this link for $25 off!

5. Systems for Business

Last but not least, if you are a working mom, Chelsi even has systems that will rock your work life. I am still diving into all of her core workflows. She teaches you how to put your weekly, daily, and monthly tasks into a system so you know exactly what to do and when. There are also systems for events, projects, and ways to hit those quarterly and yearly goals. I could have used this even when I wasn’t running my own business and working for a company.

If you have your home systems in order but are looking for more help with your business life, you can enroll in Systemize Your Business here.

What Makes These Systems Different

What I love about Chelsi’s approach is that it’s:

Flexible: Systems bend to fit your life, not the other way around
Realistic: Designed for real moms with real challenges
Scalable: It can be simplified or expanded based on your season of life
Family-Centered: Includes everyone’s needs and contributions
Growth-Oriented: Supports both family life and business goals

Implementation Tips I’ve Learned

Through trial and error, I’ve discovered that it’s okay if it takes me a while to get a system working well. I’ve literally put one foot in the other.

It’s cool to look back a few months when I joined Systemize To Scale to see how far I’ve come. It felt so hard at first, but now it’s a part of my daily life.

Getting dinner started at 4:30pm has been the biggest game-changer!

I’ve also learned that every day will be different and it’s okay to pivot. The biggest takeaway is to be patient and remember there’s a learning curve. However, if you stick with it, Chelsi’s systems WORK! I wish I would have found her earlier.

How to Stop the Overwhelm

Your version of “organized” might look different from mine, and that’s exactly as it should be. The goal isn’t to create an Instagram-perfect life – it’s to build systems that support your unique family’s needs and your dreams.

If you’re looking to transform your day-to-day and stop feeling so overwhelmed as a busy mom, you can start any of Chelsi’s courses now! I’m in Systemize Your Life because I wanted extra support as I grow my parent coaching business, but she has stand-alone courses for home and work!

How to Sign Up for Chelsi Jo’s Courses:

To see similar transformations in your life and productivity, you can find each of Chelsi’s courses below. You can sign up at any time.

During the time I’m writing this post, I am currently enrolled in Systemize to Scale and it’s worth every penny! I’ve received so much support, encouragement, and specific advice on how to grow my business. I highly recommend following Chelsi’s systems because you deserve to feel capable, calm, and in control – even in the beautiful chaos of raising your unique and wonderful family.

As always, email me at adriane@raisingkidswithpurpose.com if you have any questions!

September 9, 2020 By Adriane (Raising Kids With Purpose) 17 Comments

The Best Way To Keep Kids Entertained WITHOUT Screens

Inside: Learn how to keep kids entertained and fight boredom without screens. Included is a September sale Bookroo is running. Scroll to the bottom to check it out! This post contains affiliate links. I will make a small commission if you make a purchase through one of these links, at no extra cost to you. I only promote products that I love! See my disclosure policy here.

A few years ago while I was at my son’s football practice I heard a little boy next to me whine to his mom, “I’m bored.” Then a few minutes passed as he grumbled again, “I’m reallllly bored.” This went on for probably 20 minutes until he finally demanded, “Give me your phone. I need something to do.”

Around that same time, I read an article about how parents are doing a disservice to teachers for constantly letting their children be entertained by screens.

Teachers of all grades were finding that the students don’t ever experience boredom as their brains are constantly (over) stimulated by games, videos, flashing lights, and sounds.

Some of the kids even felt physical pain if they had nothing to do.

I talked to a few Kindergarten teachers who concurred this is what they are seeing in their classrooms which is a drastic change from even ten years ago.

Point blank: Kids don’t know how to handle being bored and this is a problem.

Yes, handing a screen over to a child is WAY easier, and faster and the kids typically LOVE it. However, we are finding out that it may come with a price!

Researchers are finding that screens can displace activities that are vital for healthy brain development amongst other challenges such as anxiety and depression problems, inattention and focus delays, expressive language delays, fine motor and executive function delays, academic performance problems, empathy reduction, and challenges with obesity and sleep.

Obviously, screens affect every child differently and the CONTENT being consumed matters, but it is important we look at these factors as we strive to raise competent, well-adjusted, kind humans.

Questions that often come up are, “How do we keep kids entertained without screens?” “What do parents do when dinner needs to be cooked, they have to get work done or they just can’t sit and make sure their child has something to do at all times?” Well, there are lots of things!!!

The Benefits of Boredom

Sometimes it may feel like it is our responsibility as a parent to entertain and keep our kids busy and stimulated at all times.

However, research shows that this can be more harmful than it is beneficial for many different reasons.

Kids need to experience boredom.

In fact, boredom can help kids become more creative as their mind wonders and their brain isn’t distracted or constantly stimulated.

Teresa Belton, a Visiting Fellow with the University of East Anglia in the UK says, “Parents often feel guilty if children complain of boredom. But it’s actually more constructive to see boredom as an opportunity rather than a deficit. Parents do have a role, but rushing in with ready-made solutions is not helpful. Rather, children need the adults around them to understand that creating their own pastimes requires space, time, and the possibility of making a mess…”

As I’ve seen in my own house, I couldn’t agree with her more.

Another reason boredom is good is that all humans are born with a need to feel competent and have a sense of autonomy.

If kids are constantly being entertained with structured activities, by an adult or with a screen then these innate needs don’t get met. The result is high levels of stress which can cause a slew of other mental and physical health problems.

Instead, we can keep kids entertained by teaching them to entertain themselves! Daydreaming, staring out the window, and sitting and resting can all be positive things for the growing brain.

If you’re like me and want a list of benefits of boredom, here are other reasons why it’s beneficial:

Boredom helps kids look inside themselves which can strengthen self-awareness.
Kids can discover new interests when they’re bored which can impact who they become and what they do as adults.
When there is nothing to do, kids can tap into creativity to figure out how to entertain themselves.
Kids can develop life skills and learn how to become independent which then leads to a feeling of competency and self-reliance.
Lastly, kids can become more resilient.

If it’s just too hard for you to let your kids be bored and you feel the need to keep your kids entertained, I suggest reading this article, Bordomtunity: Why Boredom is The Best For Our Kids. She has amazing tips that are very practical and easy to follow through!

The Power of The Imagination

Einstein said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge.”

Children discover their world through imagination.

In fact, we know that this helps with emotional and psychological development which leads to learning how to solve problems, become empathetic, develop resilience, create new possibilities, and honestly, make a positive change in this world.

The imagination bridges the gap between a child’s inner emotional world and the outer physical world.

So when kids are bored, their imaginations can run wild!

Boredom gives them the space to be able to think in new ways that can’t happen when someone is telling them what to do or they have a screen in front of their face.

There are just so many opportunities for learning when a child is able to fully use his or her imagination.

The Best Way to Keep Kids Entertained Without Screens

Now that we know how beneficial boredom can be and why kids MUST use their imaginations to develop a healthy sense of self, this question remains, “What should our kids do?”

Since my boys don’t have the option to play video games, watch TV, or surf the Internet Monday through Thursday, they have figured out how to entertain themselves without my involvement. And they don’t even complain or whine because it’s the expectation that we have set.

Now, my husband and I do play with our kids. We also try to have FOCUS Time where we spend one-on-one time together to create a strong connection. However, there are multiple hours in the day where our boys must figure out how to entertain themselves.

Guess what! They have gotten quite good at it!

PSSST: If you want simple easy activities to do with your kids, sign up for the Raising Kids With Purpose Newsletter and as a gift, you will get a free Quality Time Activities Printable.

I would have to say that my toddler is probably the best at fighting boredom.

While camping this past weekend, I could hear him acting out different characters. One was flying up while the other character fell down. Then he proceeded to sing, “Another One Bites The Dust.” It was hilarious!

I didn’t want to interrupt his play so I glanced over without him noticing and do you know what I saw him playing with?! SOCKS!

I thought he was playing with his superhero toys. But nope! The light gray socks didn’t even have a face but he still managed to give them both personalities and transform them into people with his mind.

He was supposed to put the socks on his feet, but instead, he was using his imagination to turn them into two guys helping each other climb a mountain while one of them “bit the dust.” How ingenious, creative, and FUN!

If we constantly kept him entertained with our agenda, these kinds of moments wouldn’t happen.

Over the years my boys have discovered that they enjoy playing with building toys, creating with recycled materials, folding and building with paper, jumping on the trampoline, riding their bikes, listening to podcasts and….

read!

My boys have developed so many new skills by playing but nothing has been more beneficial than watching them read book after book.

This is why we have found reading to be the absolute best way to keep kids entertained without screens.

All we do is provide them with lots of books that are in line with their interests and reading levels.

In my boys’ school, they have an online portal to record goals, achievements, successes, and failures and track the books they are reading and have read. In just over two weeks, my eight-year-old has read over 50 books totaling over 9,000 pages! Not only are his reading and literacy skills improving, but he’s also learning how to be more empathetic towards others. And guess what, he rarely complains about being bored! SCORE!

Benefits of Reading

I’m sure you already know that reading is amazing for kids.

But you may not realize that the research is also telling us that kids need to be reading real books they can hold; not read from a device.

In Unselfie by Dr. Michelle Borba, she states, “Evidence shows that children who read exclusively on screens are three times less likely to say they enjoy reading, are a third likely to say they have a favorite book and are far less likely to be strong readers.”

I also remember reading in Reset Your Child’s Brain by Dr. Victoria Dunckley a similar message about how reading from a screen just isn’t the same as reading a book you can feel. Even an e-reader can overstimulate the autonomic nervous system.

I only mention this so our children can get the full benefits out of reading which include:

The more kids read the stronger reader they become.
Reading makes the brain stronger by creating more neural pathways and exercising those neural connections which become more sophisticated.
Focus and attention skills are strengthened.
Vocabulary and communication skills increase.
The imagination gets stronger and more vivid which then leads to higher levels of creativity.
Kids can develop a strong sense of empathy (especially when reading fiction) by understanding what the character is feeling and experiencing.
A strong connection can be formed between the child and the caretaker as they read and discuss books together.
Children who read a lot tend to do better in school.
And lastly, a no-brainer!!! Reading provides entertainment and prevents boredom!

3 Easy Ways to Get Kids Reading

There are many resources out there on how to get kids reading. The three top ways that work best for our family is by

1.) Let our kids read anything that sparks their interest

2.) Visit the library often, and

3.) Subscribe to services like Bookroo to make getting new books exciting!

Even though our library is closed to foot traffic, we are able to request what we want and pick it up in the parking lot. It’s been amazing!

Then, to add more books to our own personal library (which we try to keep small to stay decluttered and organized), we can use services like Bookroo.

This month, we opted to get their picture books since we have school-aged kids and a toddler. The books they sent were perfect for our older boys to read to our little guy. They were books we have never heard of before with beautiful illustrations and heartfelt inspiring messages.

Sale!

For the month of September 2020, Bookroo is offering 20% off any three-month subscription when you use the promo code KEEPCALM. Sale runs from September 1, 2020 – September 30, 2020.

What You Get With Bookroo

Bookroo offers book clubs for three different age groups:

Ages 0-3 years old: Comes with 3 sturdy board books
ages 3-6 years old: Comes with 2 picture books
Ages 7-10 years old: Comes with 2 chapter books

After deciding on the book club you want to get, pick how many months you want books for and that’s it.

The cost of the books is less in the subscription than if bought individually, which in my opinion is totally worth it!

Not only do you get a book, but you also get the excitement from you kids as they discover individually wrapped books in super fun wrapping paper that they get to tear open!

I really felt like that added touch made them want to read the books more.

They also strive to find books that are “hidden gems”. And if you happen to already own the book they send, Bookroo suggests you donate the book and they’ll give you a credit.

The only downside I see is that you don’t have a choice over the book selection. This can teach kids to be grateful no matter what they get, which is a great lesson to learn.

Keeping Kids Entertained Without Screens is Hard

I wanted to end with the reason behind Bookroo’s Keep Calm and Read On event as I whole-heartedly believe in what they are doing.

School as we knew it has been flipped on its head (for most of us here in the US even if kiddos are back in the school building). There is so much uncertainty, anxiety and worry about what each month, heck, what each week or day will look like. Because of this, Bookroo wanted to provide a little reprieve by encouraging parents and kids to keep calm and read on.

As I stated in this post, reading is powerful.

It is more than just something to do for school. Reading can empower lifelong learners, shape who kids are in a (hopefully) positive way, and build so many other character qualities.

Reading is one of the best tools we have to keep our kids (and ourselves!) happy and productive this school year that doesn’t involve a screen!

The American Academy of Pediatricians backs up all the positive benefits of reading. It states, “Reading regularly with young children stimulates optimal patterns of brain development, strengthens parent-child relationships at a critical time in child development, which, in turn, builds language, literacy, and social-emotional skills that last a lifetime.”

All of those skills are what most of us want to develop in our children. It’s all possible with an activity that is so simple and enjoyable. AND it’s a real cure for boredom!

August 19, 2020 By Adriane (Raising Kids With Purpose) 30 Comments

Practical Daily Schedules For Kids That Make Life Easier

Inside: Kids thrive when they have a routine and predictability in their day. Here are daily schedules for kids to use for being at home when school is in session or for a homeschool daily schedule.

With a schedule and routine, comes calm.

At least this is what I have found to be true in my own home as well as what I’ve come across in the research.

Having daily schedules for kids doesn’t just bring calm, but it also helps kids with time management skills, focus, and attention skills, and feel a sense of stability and safety amongst a slew of other things I break down in this “routines for kids” post.

When the brain feels safe, it can grow and change in a healthy and positive way.

According to an article on Melbourne Child Psychology, “In what some researchers have described as an ‘epidemic of anxiety’, the predictability and familiarity that comes with routine offer the perfect ‘safe space’ that kids need.”

This post may contain affiliate links. I will make a small commission if you make a purchase through one of these links, at no extra cost to you. See my disclosure policy here.

I know there are some naysayers out there who have even gone to the lengths to create memes about how routine charts are so overrated.

This simply is not true.

We know from years and years of research and many studies on the topic, that having daily schedules for kids is extremely beneficial.

This is an excerpt from the abstract for the research document titled, “The Importance of Creating Habits and Routine,” by Katherine Arlinghaus and Craig Johnston:

“An apple a day keeps the doctor away. This popular expression indicates that apples are good for one’s health, and highlights the importance of routinely eating them. Often the message individuals take away from the apple-a-day health advice is to eat more apples. However, perhaps the more important take away message is to eat nutritious foods regularly. The term lifestyle change inherently means that changes are made such that they can be followed for the lifetime of an individual. Implementation of a lifestyle change implies that a routine is followed and habits are formed. A healthy lifestyle includes habitual consumption of nutritious foods, regular physical activity, and consistent sleep.”

Have a I convinced you yet? *wink wink*

Daily Schedules For Kids May Feel Too Hard To Implement

For some people, implementing a daily routine comes naturally.

However, for many, it feels daunting.

It may feel like it’s just way too much work so they don’t even try. If you fall into the latter group, I want to give you hope.

Setting up and keeping a daily schedule for kids doesn’t have to be hard AT ALL…with the right tools. Sooo guess what?! I am providing you the very tools you need in this post.

At the beginning of summer, I wrote about the benefits of routines and schedules as kids have a lot more unstructured time out of school. The daily schedules were such a big hit that I decided to make some slight changes so you can use them for your everyday life. Also, many schools are not reopening this Fall, so you can utilize what works best for the situation you are in.

PSSST: Are you trying to figure out how to work from home WHILE homeschooling or while your kids are doing distance learning? I’ve been hearing from a lot of working parent friends that it’s not going well. Check out this course, “Work From Home With Kids Who Thrive” by Kathryn Haydon of Sparkitivity.

She gives you ALL THE TOOLS you need to keep your sanity, help your kids learn all while staying productive in your job. Enter the code: THRIVE25 for 25% off!

sparkitivity work from home with kids who thrive

Daily Schedules For Kids

I love all the different ways you can develop and maintain a daily routine. Some families prefer a block schedule where they chunk their day into the same themed blocks every day. For others, a daily checklist works better.

The key is to discuss what your kids want their days to look like. Get their input! A great time to do this is during Family Meetings. It may take some trial and error, but remember, do what WORKS for you!

In fact, we have a schedule as part of our Family Meeting Agenda (my most popular printable that you can grab here for free when you sign up for the Raising Kids With Purpose Newsletter).

We first go over rules or other topics that came up during the week that we want to change or expand on. Then we go over our weekly schedule. Within our schedule are our built-in daily routines which include the same tasks for the morning, after school, and bedtime.

Not only are we bringing more calm to all of our lives, we’re spending less mental energy on things we do every day. There sure is power in creating habits!

Grab Your Free Daily Schedules for Kids when you subscribe to the Raising Kids With Purpose Newsletter

Daily Schedules For Kids – Block Style

This kind of schedule and routine is a big hit for many families. The reason is that there is flexibility paired with predictability. It sure helps me be more productive when I chunk my days into sections. I mean, schools have been doing this for eons so it’s about time we parents caught on!

I created a blank schedule and also one filled in with this basic block schedule for kids who are in school during a big chunk of the day:

free download daily block schedule school

8:00am – 9:00am (Block 1): MORNING ROUTINE – Get dressed, eat, brush teeth, get ready for the day
9:00am – 2:00pm (Block 2): SCHOOL
2:00pm – 4:00pm (Block 4:): ENERGY BUSTER – Go somewhere to play, jump, run, and have fun!
4:30pm – 6:00pm (Block 5): DINNER – Prepare and eat dinner then clean up after dinner.
6:00pm – 8:00pm (Block 6): BEDTIME ROUTINE – Hang out, read, and prepare for bedtime.

Lastly, here is a block schedule for families with kids who are not yet in school or have more flexibility because of homeschooling:

7:00am – 9:00am (Block 1): MORNING ROUTINE – Get dressed, eat, brush teeth, get ready for the day
9:00am – 12:00pm (Block 2): FUN ACTIVITY – Go somewhere fun or plan something to do at home on days you don’t feel like going anywhere.
12:00pm – 1:00pm (Block 3): LUNCH & CLEAN – Eat and clean up the kitchen.
1:00pm – 4:00pm (Block 4:): QUIET TIME – Nap, rest, quiet or room time.
4:00pm – 6:00pm (Block 5): DINNER – Prepare and eat dinner then clean up after dinner.
6:00pm – 8:00pm (Block 6): BEDTIME ROUTINE – Hang out, read, and prepare for bedtime.

Daily Checklist For Kids

These types of daily schedules for kids are especially beneficial for kids ages 10 and up. They may not want to follow a specific routine, but we parents want to make sure their brains and bodies are getting all they need in a day.

If you have a pre-teen or teenager who is doing distance learning on a computer all day or is drawn to wanting to only be glued to a screen, this checklist should help! It can even be used to be completed BEFORE playing video games or getting on a device.

Here are the items that they should complete every single day:

Personal Care | Basic hygiene
Contributions | Chores, helping a sibling, help prepare meals
Learning | Some kind of school such as homeschooling, unschooling, going to a school building or staying at home on a computer
Mind Care | Mindfulness, gratitude practice, breathing exercises
Exercise | MOVE!
Connection | Hang with family or friends, talk on the phone, FaceTime
PLAY! | Have some kind of fun

Daily To-Do Schedule

Again, this is a great kind of schedule for a child who is 10 years old or older and is developing more advanced time management skills.

This is what I personally use to go over my day each morning. We have our weekly schedule and daily routines and then I have my personal daily “To Do” sheet that I fill out so I don’t forget any appointments or scheduled events. It just helps me plan my day before it starts.

Basic Weekly Schedule

This schedule came in handy over the summer since we didn’t really know what we were going to do every day especially with so many places closed.

This is very simple to use. I suggest laminating it so you can write with a dry-erase marker to reuse over and over again.

At the beginning of the week, you would simply write what you have going on for the week. With school being in session, the schedule may remain the same most weeks with a few events or activities to fill in as they come up.

Homeschool Daily Schedule

Lastly, I wanted to share with you what we used for our daily homeschool schedule when we had stay-at-home orders.

This homeschool schedule can be used for any kind of school at home. Our kids go to a school called Prenda so we took their basic structure and adapted it to homeschool.

Having a schedule like this gave us a framework to follow. This can work well if you are teaching or are using an online program or doing distance learning.

I also created a homeschool daily schedule for regular homeschooling.

Here are instructions on how to use this daily homeschool schedule:

Print out each week (or print once and laminate so you can reuse it!)
Write down what subjects, tasks, and activities you are doing for each hour
Your kids, check off when they complete it for the day!

I know one of the attractive qualities of homeschooling is all the flexibility you can have in your day. However, as mentioned above and in this post about summer schedules and this post about morning and evening routines, having a schedule will increase your child’s learning experience.

Get Your Free Daily Schedules for Kids Here

You can all these daily schedules for kids and home-school daily routine charts for free when you sign up for the Raising Kids With Purpose Newsletter. Fill out the form below or click on the image.

What Kind of Schedule Do You Use?

What kind of schedule or routine does your family follow? I would love to know so I can create more helpful tools!

Also, please share this post with parents friends, and families!

August 4, 2020 By Adriane (Raising Kids With Purpose) 63 Comments

The Ultimate List of Over 225 Home Education Resources

Inside: Here is a master list of home education resources for parents including live videos, virtual field trips, supplemental educational lesson plans, subscription boxes and more! These resources allow you to sign up without a school account. Originally posted: March 21, 2020; updated August 4, 2020 with more resources)

Back in March, we left for our spring break vacation and came back to empty grocery store shelves and headlines that told us to socially distance ourselves from other people to prevent further spread of the coronavirus.

This post contains affiliate links, see disclosure policy for details.

Most states (if not all) here in the United States closed down all public schools. And now as we approach the 2020-2021 school year, it’s looking like a lot of schools’ doors will stay closed. School administrators, teachers, and parents are working hard to find the best solution that keeps mental and physical health in mind.

It’s much easier said than done, but it’s important that we do not panic.

Just because we are supposed to stay home does not mean our children’s education needs to stop.

The structure of our kids’ day does not need to look the same as it does when they are in school, but learning can continue.

Many parents are now faced with needing to educate their kids at home.

I have heard from many parents who have decided to switch completely over to homeschooling as they have the means to do so. However, many are not looking to homeschool full time or purchase curriculum, but rather, find resources that will supplement their children’s educational experience, like distance learning or online school. And some need educational resources to simply keep their kids busy at home until school doors reopen.

PSSST: If you are working full-time from home and it’s NOT working with having kids who are attending school at home, check out the brand new course, Work From Home With Kids Who Thrive course from Sparkitivity. Use the coupon code THRIVE25 for 25% off. My readers will also receive a free pdf workbook on how to create an invention station kids will love. You can also find more tips as to what to do here: 7 Practical Tips for Homeschooling and Working Full Time

This is why I’ve compiled a comprehensive home education list for Pre-K – 8th Grade (and everything in between) to assist parents who are needing to continue their children’s education.

The list is broken down into categories with learning resources that include both online and offline options.

How to Use This Resource (Free Download)

Okay, so I know this is information overload with so many different resources. Here is how we have been using it:

Save the eBook (download yours here!) to my desktop for easy access
Pick a subject to work on each day of the week
Look for a website that offers projects and activities for that subject
Write it down on our schedule for the week. Here are some great summer schedules that can be used at any time of the year.

Pick one or two activities or websites to focus on at a time (unless you’re researching homeschool curriculum) or it will be too overwhelming.

DOWNLOAD: The Ultimate Educational Resources List: Helping Kids Learn At Home for you to download for free.

Tips For Doing School At Home

In January 2020 (before the pandemic), our boys moved to an in-home school environment. It has been an adjustment to go from teacher-led learning to self-guided learning. However, it can be done especially if you don’t have the bandwidth to go to work or work from home while educating your kids at the same time.

Before I get into the resources, here are a few tips for educating your kids at home to help lessen frustration and make at home learning work:

Give kids the autonomy to choose where they want to learn and what they want to do.
Set up a basic schedule. Most kids thrive with structure. Be flexible with change. If not, you may be setting yourself up for frustration.
Designate a space in your house that is for homeschooling. I absolutely love this homeschool station Sumer of Grace, Giggle s and Naptime created for her kids!! It’s bright, colorful, organized, and such an inviting space to learn. She also mentions how it was quite easy to do!
Change your mindset of what “school” is. You don’t need to mimic the school setting.
Use your environment to learn. Go outside and use what you have.
Include recesses into your daily schedule. Let your kids have recess whenever they need a break.
Pull out the craft supplies and allow your kids to get creative and maybe even messy.
You do not need to “teach” your kids. Use the resources your school has provided or what you will find below and allow your kids to empower themselves to learn. You may be surprised at what they accomplish without a person teaching them.
Do what you can. And remember to give yourself lots of grace!

Home Education Resources for Families

The one bonus of this happening in today’s world is that we have more than enough technology available to use. There is a ridiculous amount of online educational resources that bring the classroom into your home!

Most of the resources are for elementary to middle school-aged kids. For some great educational programs for preschoolers, check out this post from Mom Teaches Mindset.

Please note that I visited EVERY single one of the websites to weed out any clickbait and to ensure the resource allows parents and students to register without a school account.

*If there are quotation marks around the descriptions, that means they have been directly copied from the website linked or from the company’s description.

1. School At (Or Someone Else’s) Home

Prenda School is where our boys have been attending school and absolutely love it. They offer micro-schools that are run by Guides out of their homes or a safe space for kids. It feels like a mashup between Montessori, traditional school, and home school. It is such a great model for any kind of learner but especially those who need to move or have a hard time learning in a classroom environment.

What’s great about this program is that they offer a Prenda Family option. You can do the program with your kids from home. While we were social distancing, we essentially did Prenda Family.

It was nice to have structure and resources so our kids could continue schooling without having to invest in curriculum or other programs. If you are in Arizona, the tuition is free through their charter partners. For students not in Arizona, it’s a minimal cost per month.

Once signed up, you will gain access to a portal called Prenda World that will offer some structure and support to educate from home.

2. Home School Resources

Here are great home school resources including online school options. There are full curriculums, unique or specific subjects, and other ways to supplement education at home.

Elementary

Kids Cook Real Food

Think Home Ec for homeschool! This is a comprehensive curriculum that organizes 30 kitchen life skills into logical steps. It’s also a great way to create strong connections between family members in addition to teaching skills kids will use all their lives.

All About Learning

They provide products that teach reading and spelling. I love how there is no prep work involved. The method they use is multi-sensory meaning this is great for all types of learners.

Christian Homeschool Entrepreneurship

I love the idea of this curriculum! It teaches kids how to be entrepreneurs while growing a biblical worldview.

THiNK OUTSiDE for Homeschool

This company as mentioned under the subscription boxes section below also offers the curriculum and lesson plans to get your kids OUTDOORS and in nature.

Techie Homeschool Mom Online Courses

These courses are tailored to specific projects and topics. A few examples are Ancient Eqypt, Famous Artists or the Solar System. They are very reasonably priced and great to add into your child’s curriculum.

Intoxicated On Life

Their mission is “to present Biblically grounded encouragement, fused with solid research, and practical experience. Nurturing bodies. Cultivating minds. Inspiring souls.” They have so many different types of resources and curriculum for homeschooling that are biblical-based.

Warm Hearts Publishing

Susan has over 20 years of experience teaching and provides so many resources. “They include hands-on learning resources, writing prompts, incentive charts, posters, games and puzzles, flash cards, mini-books, activity packs, and more! Most can typically be used by parents, teachers, homeschoolers, after school programs, homeschool co-ops, distance learners, tutoring services, daycares, and churches.

SQUILT Music

“SQUILT is a music appreciation curriculum that is easy to teach. Each volume is simple and affordable. It is for the parent with limited or NO musical knowledge. SQUILT is for the parent that wants to learn alongside their child. It is for the music teacher that needs something they can pull out that takes NO work.” This is a great music curriculum for homeschool and supplemental education. They offer self-guided voluntes AND live classes!

Be Wild and Free

Monthly content bundles as well as a podcast with amazing information.

Brave Writer

Writing resources for homeschoolers

Discovery K12

Free online homeschool that offers Language Arts, Reading/Literature, Math, Science, History/Social Studies, Visual/Performing Arts, and Physical Education.

Easy Peasy All-in-One Homeschool

“We exist to help families homeschool. We enable families to homeschool who thought they couldn’t because of a lack of finances, a lack of time, or a lack of know-how.”

Miacademy

Online K-8 learning program for homeschoolers. Also, here is their Facebook group!

Galileo

Self-directed online school for students aged 8-18

Match Fishtank

Match Charter School provides its entire curriculum online!

The Good and The Beautiful

Free course sets (Levels 1–5) that combine and thoroughly cover phonics, reading, writing, spelling, literature, grammar, punctuation, art, and geography.

123 Homeschool For Me

Free learning worksheets for kids.

Dad’s Worksheets

They have a growing collection of printable worksheets, online calculators, games, puzzles, and other tools… All of these are completely FREE. They help kids love learning math!

Early Learners

These resources are mainly for learners ages two up to seven or eight.

God’s Little Explorers Preschool Curriculum

Thematic units with a new letter each week all incorporating exploring God’s World.

Educational Coloring Pages

They offer educational workbooks for ages 3-7

All Kids Network

Thousands of activities such as printables, coloring sheets, connect-the-dot sheets, and more.

Hooked On Phonics

I can’t believe this curriculum is still around! They teach early learners how to read and spell.

Worksheets for Preschool

Worksheets and printables for kids ages 3-6 that teaches them the basic skills they need for Kindergarten.

3. Virtual Classes

Here are a few art studios and companies that offer (free and paid) online classes. You can find their lessons on their websites, YouTube, and/or Facebook pages.

Creative Bug

They are “a team of dreamers and makers who believe that everyone has a creative side – even you! {They} pride ourselves on bringing the latest in art and craft education to our members, and we work with renowned artists to do just that.” They have a bunch of art classes from oil painting to crochet. Click here to Get 2 Months of Creativebug for FREE!

UCode

UCode is your one-stop-shop for all education in coding and computer science. They offer camps and regular classes that can fit around any schedule. Your kids can learn experiential problem solving, how to code using Python, computational thinking, and more. UCode Membership starts at $99 a Month!

Lindsay’s Art Cart

They are entertaining and a joy to watch! They walk you through how to paint or make an art project. You can find their videos on Lindsay’s Art Cart Facebook Page.

McHarper Studios

This studio has tutorials that last about an hour and cover different types of mediums that kids can do with their parents. They have all the supply lists on their blog. You can catch the replays on their YouTube Channel. Check out the McHarper Studios Facebook Page as well.

Megapixels School for the Arts

Meg of Megapixels offers free online art classes through her Facebook Group. You can join here!

Loog Guitars

“Loog solves this: our 3-string guitars reduce chords to the basic triad, allowing for an easier and faster learning process. With a Loog, kids can play songs on day one, feeling rewarded and encouraged to keep on playing and learning.” When you buy on of their guitars, you also get flashcards and free zoom classes that teach kids how to play!

4. Online Education/Supplemental Classroom Websites

These sites are more than just educational games. They are used by a lot of teachers and in the schools to supplement education. I was shocked at how many incredible companies that are providing full-blown lesson plans, activities and materials. What great resources to have while doing school at home. These are both paid and free educational resources.

All Subjects (English Language Arts, Math, Science & More)

Scholastic (Grades K-9)

Scholastic is offering a learn-from-home section on their website that is extremely educational and fun to do! Scroll down to choose the grade level you want to work on. “Every day includes four separate learning experiences, each built around a thrilling, meaningful story or video.” There are even questions at the end.

Hand2Mind

I didn’t know where to put this resource because it’s not all online, but that made me love it even more! They offer so much including supplemental materials that you can purchase to have at home or in the classroom for your kids. They “support teachers, inspire students, engage parents, and champion learning by doing.” They provide students with hands-on learning!

Center For Interactive Learning and Collaboration (Grades K-6)

“Beginning March 23rd we will offer, free of charge, interactive, live-streamed programs from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm Eastern time. The programs are delivered by our highly professional content providers. Registration coming soon!” Seriously, you may want to jump on this one for kids in Grades K-6th.

IXL (Grades K-12)

Comprehensive K-12 curriculum. IXL provides a ton of resources to help families continue their children’s education at home. This site is LOADED with resources such as printable worksheets and workbooks!

BrainPop (Grades K-12)

BrainPop is a supplemental resource that provides “engaging learning games, animated movies, and activities.” They have free access during this time of social distancing.

Khan Academy (Grades K-8)

This is what our boys use through Prenda School for Math. The video lessons are very easy to follow. To test their knowledge, they take unit tests and don’t move on until they have mastered the content. This is a great resource if you are working from home and need your kids to do schoolwork without your help. Additional resources while stuck at home: Khan Academy home learning schedule for parents

Actively Learn (Grades 6-12)

This website has so many ways to educate your kids from home. “Actively Learn is a digital curriculum platform for grades 6-12 English Language Arts, Social Studies, and Science. Our catalog includes over 3,000 texts, videos, and simulations that include embedded questions, scaffolding notes, and multimedia to support all learners.”

DK findout!

DK, the maker of the best non-fiction fact books has “built a safe place online for your child to see, learn, and explore almost everything.” This website includes videos, quizzes, and an abundance of fact pages. There are resources for both parents and teachers.

Raddish Kids Homeschool Lesson Plans

Amazing lesson plans that incorporate Reading, Geography, Social Studies, Culture studies, AND Home Economics!

PBS LearningMedia (Grades PreK – 12)

“PBS LearningMedia is a free, PreK-12 digital media service available to educators nationwide. Our free service offers access to more than 30,000 learning materials aligned to state and national standards, including 25,000+ videos, interactive lesson plans, media galleries and more to enrich classroom instruction.”

3D Bear (Grades Pre-K – 12)

“[3D Bear] has lesson plans available for Pre-K, elementary schools, middle schools, upper secondary and libraries in ELA, Social Studies, Math, Science, Coding, Design Thinking, Computational Thinking, and STEM/STEAM. It is also a great tool for Career and Technical Education (CTE).”

Teachers Pay Teachers (All)

A great resource for school activities, games, printables, and more. A lot of the resources are free and the others are available for a small fee. When you buy from this website, you are supporting teachers!

Education.com (Grades K-5)

“Independent Study Packets: [Each packet has a] week’s worth of offline activities tailored to grade levels covering English Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies for K-5. Ready to print.”

Achieve 3000 Literacy at Home (Grades 2-12)

SCROLL DOWN the page to find the “any student” section. Students in grades 2-12 can set up an account to be able to read articles on the topics of science, entertainment, technology, current events, and other fictional stories. Also included are short lesson activities and poll questions.

Great Minds (Grades K-12)

Great Minds is a knowledge-building website that provides written materials for math (Grades K–12) and daily instructional videos for English Language Arts (Grades K–8), Math (Grades K-12), and Science (Grades 3–5). “We will post new video lessons and update our content daily.”

Circletime (Grades PreK – K)

“Circletime provides interactive “Mommy and Me classes” that are convenient and engaging for parents and fun and educational for children… The hands-on sessions are evidence-based and promote healthy play activities that continue beyond the class.”

Fluency & Fitness® (Grades K-2)

” Fluency and Fitness® helps students review essential K-2 reading and math topics while providing a movement break.” Currently, they are offering free weeks for parents to use with their kids at home.

Curriculum Associates (Grades K-8)

This is a curriculum company that is offering math and reading packets including worksheets kids can do at home.

Izzit (Grades K-12)

This site ” offers FREE, high-quality educational materials to educators: teachers, homeschoolers, parents, grandparents, scout troop leaders – to anyone interested in learning/teaching!” Content covers all subjects from STEM to ELA to Art and Business.

Lakeshore Learning Free Resource Library (Grades PreK – 5)

Lakeshore has stores and sells educational products. They also have a huge online resource library with lessons, activities, and crafts in the subjects of Math, Language, Writing, Science and Social Studies.

MobyMax (Grades PreK-8)

MobyMax provides lessons to help find and fill learning gaps for kids. They are currently offering their software for free.

Outschool (Grades PreK – 12)

Live online classes for kids ages 3-18 covering just about every subject even including music and life skills. Here is what they are doing during school closures.

E-Learning For Kids (Grades K-6)

E-Learning For Kids “offers free, best-in-class curriculum-based learning for children ages 5-12 in Math, Science, Environmental skills, Computer skills, Health, Language and Life skills. We currently offer 800+ e-lessons and are continuously developing new ones.”

Reading, Writing & Grammar

Lalilo (Grades K – 2)

Phonics and comprehension program for grades Kinder – 2nd Grade. Kids work on adaptive exercises in phonics, word recognition, and comprehension.

NoRedInk (Grades 4-12)

“NoRedInk builds stronger writers through interest-based curriculum, adaptive exercises, and actionable data.”

Rockin Resources – Rockstar Writers (Grades 3-5)

Rockstar Writers class offers educational student writing videos. “These student version educational videos cover sentence structure, paragraph writing, narrative writing, opinion writing, and informative writing. Each video is a mini-lesson and numbered in the order of the Step-by-Step Writing Program and Professional Development Course.”

Litfilmfest (Grades K-12)

Purposeful writing projects for kids of all ages. They provide free English and classroom projects. Also, they have put resources and activities together for independent learning, homeschool, or home education. Check out their YouTube channel for updated writing challenge videos.

Readtheory (Grades K-12)

“Personalized reading comprehension exercises for K-12 students.”

ReadWorks (Grades K-12)

“Provider of the largest high-quality library of curated nonfiction and literary reading passages in the country, along with reading comprehension and vocabulary activities, formative assessments and teacher guidance.” They have a free webinar on their school closure page that walks you through how to use their platform.

Institute For Excellence in Writing (IEW) (Grades 3-12)

With their programs, Structure and Style for Students and Fix It! Grammar, IEW offers English Language Arts instruction. These programs include writing, grammar, vocabulary and poetry memorization passages.

Squiggle Park & Dreamscape (Grades PreK – 10)

A Reading skill-building and comprehension program that uses fun games to help kids increase their literacy skills. Squiggle Park is for ages 3-8+ and Dreamscape is for ages 8-15+.

Math & Science and/or STEM

The Tech Interactive (Grades K-12)

“Silicon Valley’s favorite science center has compiled their favorite STEM, maker, and design challenge activities into one place for teachers and parents.” The Tech Interactive offers virtual tours, building and making activities, global good activities, and IMAX educational films.

cK-12 (Grades K-12)

There are so many math and science lessons to choose from! And it’s always free! Each has a reading passage, videos, optional review questions, and self-graded practice questions.

Cignition (Grades 3-6)

Cignition is offering a free math game as well as the ability to purchase math tutoring sessions.

Astrostem

“Astrostem.org is an online platform for courses, activities, applications, workshops, games, current science and educational news, and users can create their own content in this area, designed to support and develop STEM literacy in the field of science.”

Defined Learning (Grades K-12)

Defined Learning offers project-based learning projects including real-world STEM projects to do at home.

DreamBox (Grades K-8)

“Online math program that looks at how a student is solving problems to adjust accordingly and build a unique learning path for them.”

Prodigy (Grades K-8)

Prodigy offers a math-aligned curriculum for Grades K-8 that encourages self-paced math practice at home.

Learning Blade (Grades K-12)

Offering free STEM lessons to help parents that may be working from home. Included are Table Talk Starter Questions, research prompts and experiments.

Teaching Garage (Grades 2-5)

“Free digital STEM curricula for elementary-aged students.” “Teaching Garage continues to build creative and practical tools that will support teachers and parents in project-based learning that inspire innovation and creativity.”

National Integrated Cyber Education Research Center (NICERC) (Grades K-12)

The NICERC is offering free projects to help kids stay engaged and continue to develop cybersecurity literacy. There are some fun activities including how to build an enigma machine from a Pringles can!

The PAST Foundation – Maker Mania (Grades 4 – 12)

“The PAST Foundation is here to provide parents/guardians and educators with access to some of our STEM educational resources!” Maker Mania includes at-home activities for students that parents/guardians can download or print.

Population Education (Grades K-12)

“Population Education creates classroom activities for K-12 students that focus on human population change and related issues including natural resource use, environmental sustainability, equity, well-being, and more.” They are providing free lesson plans in Math, Science and Social Studies.

Science and/or Coding

Mystery Science (Grades K-5)

Another fantastic resource that has open-ended science lessons. It’s a full K-5 science curriculum which includes hands-on projects. Here is their School closure planning page. There is also an additional website called Mystery Doug that has many science videos for kids to watch.

American Chemical Society Inquiry in Action (Grades K-5)

“Inquiry in Action is a FREE teacher resource of fully-developed lesson plans in physical science for grades K-5. All Inquiry in Action lessons are aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for “Weather and Climate” (Kindergarten) and for “Structure and Properties of Matter” (2^nd and 5^th), are based on phenomena students observe and explore through hands-on investigations and are presented in a 5-E format (Engage, Explore, Explain, Evaluate, and Extend) and include student activity sheets for 2^nd and 5^th grades.”

Generation Genius (Grades K-5+)

Amazing Resource Alert! This is a science resource that has videos as well as lesson plans, activities, quizzes, reading material, discussion questions and more. The videos are produced in partnership with the National Science Teaching Association and have been aligned to standards in all 50 states. Currently, the videos are for K-5 but will be extending to older grades in the future.

Create & Learn (Grades K-12)

Professionally trained instructors teach online classes using Scratch, Minecraft modding, Python, robotics and AI. They offer free introductory classes.

Creosity Space (Grades K-5)

“CreositySpace is a unique inquiry-based, learner-directed science curriculum that connects ALL K-5 students to science and capitalizes on their creativity and curiosity.”

Steve Spangler Science (All)

This is loaded with all things science including a huge experiment library. It’s a nice one-stop-shop for easy to follow science experiments and projects.

Quark Academy (Grades 6-12)

“We bring the most up to date science to live streaming interactivity with world-class scientists responsible for everything from training astronauts in the world’s only underwater saturation laboratory to developing robots that interact with us as equals and engineers who create tech to use on Mars, all to inspire and excite your students to embrace and explore science in school and in life.” Curriculum for Grades 6-12.

Social Studies & Economics

Kids Discover (Grades K-8)

“With a paid subscription to Kids Discover Online, you can gain unlimited access to our entire library of award-winning science and social studies articles from any internet-enabled device. Select the plan that best meets your needs!” Only $4/month!

Discover the World Education (Grades K-12)

“Discovery Education Experience is an online K-12 service combining curated curriculum resources with on-demand teaching strategies. Along with the Geographical Association, they are providing a variety of free geography resources.

Academy 4SC (Grades 6-12)

Academy4SC is a video series on various psychology, rhetoric, logic, reasoning, and economic topics. Great for Grades 6th – 12th. Each video comes with an explanation of the topic as well as a lesson plan.

C-Span Classroom (Grades 5-12)

Comprehensive Social Studies lesson plans, videos and bell ringers.

Social-Emotional Learning

Character Strong

Tons of resources around Social-Emotional Intelligence and Character education. Included is a resource library, an upcoming Whole Child Summit, virtual assemblies and a kindness journal.

Learning Through Landscapes

This isn’t necessarily a supplemental education company but wow! they sure have a lot of amazing resources! Learning Through Landscapes is a UK-based charity dedicated to enhancing outdoor learning and play for children. During the social distancing and quarantines around the world, they have created a Facebook group where they will be posting tutorials, learning plans and discussions.

Respectful Ways

“Respectful Ways is a PreK-12 digital curriculum offering 300 FREE online activities that teach children social skills and emotional intelligence. Students need to feel connected during uncertain times. This is a great opportunity to teach them empathy for others, how to persevere through tough times, and the responsibility to do the right thing.”

5. Educational Videos

We don’t watch a ton of videos online but there are some incredible websites and YouTube channels that can really help your kids learn. Since this list can get very long, below, I only included our favorites.

For a list of even more educational YouTube channels, check out this free educational resource list over on Marifer’s World. She also has some great apps on the post too!

PBS Passport

If you make a donation to your local PBS station, you’ll gain access to their entire library of videos on their app including Nova science programs!

MIT Open Courseware

MIT has free courses on their old content.

Stanford University Videos

We don’t watch much on YouTube but Stanford University’s YouTube Channel has many very fascinating videos on what they are testing and researching in many different fields.

Greater Good Science Center

One other YouTube channel that comes from UC Berkley. It has great videos teaching kids about the psychology, sociology, and neuroscience of well-being. Their focus is to foster a thriving, resilient, and compassionate society. All that we’re about here at Raising Kids With Purpose!

Discovery #Mindblown

The Discovery Channel’s website for kids offering a ton of science videos that are very entertaining and educational.

ProjectExplorer

Free educational videos from around the world for Grades 3-12. This website is easy to navigate with videos categorized by grade.

Doodles Academy

Art curriculum for 1st through 5th Grade. ” Each project includes video tutorials and thorough lesson plans so that anyone can feel comfortable teaching art, regardless of their background or experience level. More, the art projects are aligned to topics and themes found in literacy, math, social studies, and science, so while students work through an art project they are building knowledge and context around other subjects.”

Crash Course

They upload educational videos including subjects like Chemistry, Literature, Psychology, Film, Sociology, Physics and more.

6. Learning Websites

Here are as many educational and learning websites that have good content (and not just a bunch of ads) for kids of all ages.

National Geographic Kids– Science and culture fun
Smithsonian Learning Lab
Zoowhiz – Learning games
MentalUP – Brain exercises and mental boosters through games
Go Noodle – Short videos to get your kiddos moving!
PBS Kids – Educational videos, shows and games
NASA Kids Club – Games and activities about NASA
The New York Times: The Learning Network – Educational articles
Crayola – Art activities
Ranger Rick – Crafts, activities, games and jokes with an animal focus
Instructables – Lessons and instructions for makers
Chrome Music Lab – Hands-on music experiments
Classroom Cereal – Printable short story Grammar exercises
Invent.org – STEM Activity guide (pdf)
Club OASIS – Free STEM club for kids
Code.org – Teaches coding to kids
Seusville – Games and videos
Magic Tree House – Games and books
Playmada Games – Chemistry games
Science Buddies – Free STEM activities
Connected Camps – Free and safe Minecraft server
Cool Math 4 Kids – Math games
Dreamscape – Reading game for 2nd – 8 th Grade
codeSpark Academy – Self-paced coding K-5 platform; use “schoolclosed” to get 3 months FREE
Breakout EDU – Digital games in all subjects
Arcademics – fact fluency and multiplayer learning games
Busy Kids Do Piano – online piano lessons
Minecraft Education Edition
Starfall – Educational games
Highlights Kids – Activities, jokes, games and videos
Mathseeds – Math games for ages 3-9
My Shakespeare – Digital shakespeare plays
Free Rice – Synonym awareness game/app
Bedtime Math – Math games and apps
FunBrain – educational books and games
Science News for Students – Science articles for ages 9-14
Piper – Computer kits you can purchase; they also have a lot of educational resources for parents and kids
Gamilab – Find and create online educational games
Scratch – Create and play stories, games and animations (coding)
Teachers 2 Teachers Global – Global math stories
AppyTherapy Handwriting Heroes – Handwriting help
Homer – Lessons, activities, songs. stories for ages 2-8
Carmen Sandiego™ Fearless Kids Around the World – discussion guides, videos and activities
Newsicle – News trivia for families
PenPal Schools – Connects PenPals from all over the world
Nitrotype – Typing games
I Know It – Math practice for K-5
Dr. Panda – educational app for early learning
Johnnie’s Math Page – Math games and activities
Joy Sun Bear – Global education videos and activities
Nomster Chef – Cooking for kids!
Poptropica – Educational games from ages 6-12 around the book series
Fuel the Brain – Educational games
Mrs. Nussbaum Learning + Fun – Educational games and activities
The Old Farmer’s Almanac For Kids – Facts and jokes
Grammaropolis – All things grammar
DOGO News – Kids current events and news
Reading Eggs – Reading program for kids
Let’s Talk Science – Science resources and lessons
Makermaven – STEM challenges
ABC Ya – Educational games and apps
Eduprintables – Thousands of activities, games and worksheets
Enchanted Learning – Information pages, printable worksheets, crafts, coloring pages, etc.
Animated Anatomy – Videos that help you learn about the entire body
Math-Drills.com – Math worksheets
Spelling Shed – spelling games
Vocabulary Spelling City – Spelling practice program. Free right now with code VSCFree90
Word Search Wizard – Print, and create traditional word search puzzles
SplashLearn – Math practice and games
Story Jumper – write and share stories with the option to print book
Teach Your Monster to Read – Early learning reading skills game
Typing Club – Typing lessons for kids
Unite for Literacy – Easy online readers and stories for young kids
Switch Zoo Animal Games – Animal education through games
Turtle Diary – Online educational games for Pre-K – 5th Grade
Volunteer Crowd – Find volunteer opportunities for students
Newverest – Scratch-off maps to track your adventures

7. Educational Subscription Services

Kiwi Co

The boxes kids get every month with Kiwi Co really are incredible. I’m blown away with what they can squeeze into a small pamphlet and shoe box. Use code SHARE30 for 30% off.

Creation Crate

Tech education in a box! These boxes promote kids to be makers and creators. When you sign up, you get an UNO R3 (arduino compatible), a breadboard, and all the needed components. Then there are videos that teach your kids how to use it. This is definitely a one-of-a-kind subscription box that kids who love computer science will love!

Superpower Academy

These boxes look amazing. Their website had me at, “Raising good humans.” Superpower Academy helps parents teach kids about managing emotions, becoming empathetic and making good choices with secret missions, comic books, maker projects, and parent tools. Use the Code: SPRINGFUN for 10% off.

Groovy Lab In A Box (in partnership with Popular Mechanics)

This is another amazing STEM box kids can get monthly. “Each box activates thinking, questioning, inquiring, and original creation as we guide children through the ‘SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY & ENGINEERING DESIGN PROCESS.’ Our product features all the supplies needed to complete activities, experiments, and design challenges outlined in our custom, subject-specific lab notebook.”

Kidstir

“Kidstir’s award-winning cooking kits have one very important mission: to help parents raise children who have a healthy and happy connection to food. We believe good food can be fun for kids—whether they’re shopping at the farmers’ market or whipping up a batch of their very own granola bars in the kitchen. By educating and empowering our kids about food, we can prepare them to make smart, healthy choices. Plus, they’ll develop key kitchen skills and cook up plenty of family memories!” They have many different subscription options!

Little Passports

Little Passports offer monthly packages filled with activities for your kids to explore everything from science to different parts of the world.

THiNK OUTSiDE

“THiNK OUTSiDE is a monthly subscription box full of outdoor gear and resources that will get your kids away from a screen and outside exploring nature!”

Orange Art In A Box

“A collection of projects every month or on demand to inspire your artist.” Each box comes with one featured activity adn a few smaller projects.

Bookroo

Monthly books club for kids. They have boxes of board books for ages 0-2, picture books for ages 2-6 and chapter books for ages 7-10. I love that they have so many purchasing options.

Raddish

In addition to their free lesson plans mentioned above, Raddish also has a membership club. Once you sign up, your kids will get a monthly cooking kit, digital bonus recipes and activities.

Little Global Citizens

“Little Global Citizens is the only subscription box that introduces your child to countries of the world AND their cultures.”

Green Kid Crafts

STEM projects that are hands-on and delivered every month for ages toddler to 10+. These boxes are loaded with a magazine, eco-friendly materials, a book, and STEAM projects.

Preschool In A Box

“Monthly preschool activities that encourage learning, reading and creativity in children ages 3-6!”

The Preschool Box (2 Kids)

toucanBox

Craft boxes for kids. You can choose from different themes such as Under the Sea, Space Explorer, Outdoor Adventure Box or Story Time.

Sensory TheraPlay Box

Items in this subscription box help kids with self-regulation. These are perfect for kids with learning or attention challenges and need a little extra support especially when learning at home.

For Purpose Kids

For Purpose Kids has “quarterly Toolkits teach kids how to be kind, do good and make the world a better place for others, animals and the environment through simple, fun and easy-to-do activities.”

Just Right Reader

Choose curated books for readers in K-3rd. After your kids read the books, you send them back to get more. It’s like a library but through the mail!

Color In Kind

Color In Kind offer creative art boxes. Although not a subscription service, they have many different themed boxes you can choose from.

8. Screen-Free Activity Ideas

Here are many ideas on what to do inside with kids:

65 Indoor Activities- includes free printable (Self-Sufficient Kids)
Supplies and Activity ideas to keep toddlers busy (Raising Kids With Purpose)
25 ScreenFree Activities (Kids Activity Blog)
The Creative Moms Guide to Learning at Home (ADDitude Magazine)
5 Minute Crafts (Kids Activity Blog)
Crowdsourced resources, ideas, and links to help parents during the quarantine (Camp Corona)
At-Home Activities for Kids (Educational Insights)
Free Sewing Patterns for Kids (Felt With Love Designs)

Activity Pinterest Boards

Check out these Activities Pinterest Boards. Click “Follow” to see more pins as they are added.

One More Resource!! You can sign up right now (March 18 – March 29) for a Play Alongside Me Challenge with Hands On As We Grow.

9. Books – Digital and Audio

We are a huge fan of podcasts. Here is my master list of kid podcasts. In addition to podcasts, here are ways kids can listen to or read digital books.

Epic!

Epic! is a digital library for kids 12 and under. Sign up now and read FREE for 30 days!

Hoopla

You need to log in through your local library system to access books, audio files and movies all for free!

Libby by Overdrive

This service is also connected through your local library. It offers thousands of ebooks and audiobooks for free.

Pinna

Pinna is an ad-free, screen-free audio streaming service for kids. They have some great audio programs available!

Awesome Stories

From the Awesome Stories website, “5,390+ robust, original stories based on primary sources and presented in various media formats: written, dramatized narrations, videos, audios, images, maps, manuscripts, documents, recordings, first‐draft versions of famous speeches (and more). All are evidence-based and linked to 100,000+ primary sources resulting from hand‐curated searches of the world’s most‐reliable online archives.”

Bamboo Books

“Bamboo Books offers narrated stories and exercises to help children improve listening comprehension…There are 3 different levels to ensure an engaging experience for pre-readers, early, intermediate and advanced readers.”

Audible Stories

Audible is offering Audible Stories for Kids with hundreds of audiobooks, from folk tales to small children’s books, and from elementary school reading material to literary classics.

Heifer International

“FREE resources (downloadable books, mazes, word searches, and more) from Heifer International’s school programs — with topics in social studies (geography, economics), science, language arts.”

Storyline Online

“Storyline Online, streams videos featuring celebrated actors reading children’s books alongside creatively produced illustrations. Readers include Viola Davis, Chris Pine, Lily Tomlin, Kevin Costner, Annette Bening, James Earl Jones, Betty White and dozens more.”

Novel Effect

“Read aloud with your favorite print books and our free, award-winning app follows along playing music, sound effects, and character voices at just the right moment.”

10. Virtual Field Trips

Virtual field trips have been a great way to visit locations from around the world. I got most of these links from a google doc I saw floating on social media. So thank you, Mrs. F! I took what she had and added a few more “trips”.

Live Cameras

11. Videos with Children’s Book Authors

We Are Teachers posted a master list of all the book authors who are doing virtual readings, classes or activities across websites and social channels.

You can find them all here: “The Big List of Children’s Authors Doing Online Read-Alouds and Activities”. Some of the authors are no longer reading live but you can still find most on their websites or social media accounts.

Some of our favorites include:

Josh Gad (the voice of Frozen’s Olaf)
Mo Willems (author of Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus)
James Dean (author of Pete the Cat series)
Bruce Hale (author of Class Pets)
David Shannon (author of David books)
Jennifer Trafton (author of Henry and The Chalk Dragon)
Jeff Kinney (author of Diary of a Wimpy Kid)

**A huge thanks to the sources of many of these websites:Amazing Educational Resources, Faith Bound Travel, Raising World Children, ADDitude Magazine and Prenda School .**

Download Your Ultimate List of Education Resources

I know this a HUGE list of educational websites and resources so I created a printable for you!

Share the Love

Please feel free to share this list of resources for parents who are continuing their kid’s education at home!

July 13, 2020 By Adriane (Raising Kids With Purpose) 65 Comments

The Scary Truth About Sending Kids Back to School & What Experts Say to Do

Inside: Parents are at such a crossroads with what to do with their children’s education. Sending kids back to school can feel scary. I interviewed experts from The Childhood Collective on ways we can help our concerns and move forward in a healthy way. And don’t forget to download your Emergency Emotional Toolbox.

My mom-friend recently sent me the document she got from her children’s school outlining how the school will function when it reopens the doors. Her text to me said, “This feels like prison.”

She’s not the only one who feels this way.

In the past month or so, I don’t think I’ve gone a day without seeing or hearing parents posing questions about whether or not to send their kids back to school or whether or not schools are going to reopen. Many of these parents are really contemplating keeping their kids home regardless if they work or not.

This is a hot topic because education matters. Our kids’ social and emotional development matters. How we interact in this world and what we learn matters. How we overcome adversity and scary times matters not only for the time being but for our future; for our kids’ development and for their future well-being.

This post contains affiliate links, see disclosure policy for details.

Parents’ Concerns About Kids Returning to School

I posed the question, “What is your biggest concern about kids returning to school when schools reopen?” on my personal Facebook page as well as a Facebook group I’m in. I got an overwhelming amount of insightful responses.

Here are some of the comments I received from moms:

“Wearing masks all day and our kids not getting the exercise they need by being stuck in the same room all day at a desk. Our kids even have to eat lunch in the room. The cafeteria staff will be bringing the food to them. Will they even get bathroom breaks or will those be limited too?” Danielle Phelps, Holistic Life & Business Coach

“So many questions about what the school year will look like – concerns about the schedule, it then changing, mandatory masks, mandatory temperature checks, social distancing what that would look like, no specials (we pay for his education to be above and beyond so what are we paying for if he doesn’t get what we originally “signed up for”), mandatory va-x — all of which we could navigate one by one, but as a whole, I think this year is so unstable from ‘what to expect'” Heather Shriver Burns, Mindset and Business Strategist

“Consistency. Having the district decide on a plan, then having to change it because of a rise in cases. Also not going back full time. Our district is considering a plan where they go one or a few days a week…my kids cannot handle the constant transition.” Connie S. Hurlburt, Online Health & Wellness Coach and Digital Media Marketing Strategist

“…Concerned about mental health for everyone, kids, teachers, families. This is still real and affecting everyone. Will everyone be anxious? Will kids be stressed? Acting out more in class? Will the environment be as good for learning as it was before this happened? Or is staying home better, for now, to be with family? Many of the staff, teachers even could be very anxious, scared, could even have lost family members or have had personal experiences with the virus. That’s a lot to go through and expect to go back to work like usual.” ~Amy, RN working with COVID patients

“The use of face masks and the physical distance as that’ll affect teaching and their [the children’s] sense of self.” Zoia, Natural Nutrition Health Coach

“The stress and chaos have me the most worried. I will be keeping kids home because of this more than my health concerns.” Jasmine Holdren

“I hate the idea of mandatory masks…and temperature checks and social distancing and anything else that will give young children anxiety. My son has fought a battle with chronic strep throat a few years back. I saw many doctors, shed a lot of tears, and spent a ton of money getting his immune system back on track. We now see an amazing chiropractor and he takes daily supplements and hasn’t had it since but…I refuse to start at square one again. I keep reading that strep is on the rise from wearing masks due to bacteria growth inside the mask. I just can’t fathom making him wear a mask…it gives me anxiety. My question is what if a child passes out from wearing a mask at school? And honestly how effective will they be? What if some kids parents never wash them or don’t provide clean ones? What if the kids touch them all day? 🤷🏻‍♀️” Echo Muncie, Former Preschool/Daycare Co-Director

“That my oldest child’s anxiety is going to go through the roof.” Jenn Paterson

Teachers’ Concerns About These Uncertain Times

With so many concerns about teachers, I reached out to a friend, Amanda Kortright, who is a school improvement consultant/coach. She wrote this post on Facebook, “You know what would be neat? If an article said, ‘Here’s what experts say schools should look like next year.’ And then those experts that they went on to quote WERE TEACHERS. Teachers. Teachers are experts on school.”

I couldn’t write this post about sending kids back to school without including what teachers’ concerns are as well. Amanda does a great job at summarizing what she has seen in the education communities.

Amanda writes:

“Every teacher I have spoken with is worried about their students and the learning gaps that have and that will widen. The abrupt end to the year caused havoc to their systems of delivering instruction and to student achievement growth.

They are all busy this summer (no extra pay, of course) trying to figure out how to assess the kids and catch them up! All are worried about the most disadvantaged, obviously. Some kiddos get their only hug or meal of the day at school.

Some want to go back face-to-face because they haven’t had any training in how to deliver instruction virtually. Despite the fact that there are record numbers of teachers spending their own time online in training on how to do so, they don’t even know if they’ll be delivering the content remotely or in-person because no one in government can make up their mind.

And don’t get me started on the two days on/three days off “blended” learning plans. Teachers are not being included in the conversation unless they have an awesome superintendent who wants to hear from them. How do they plan on teachers delivering instruction if they don’t know whether or not it’ll be on Zoom/Google Meets or in person?

And if teachers and students are in the classroom, that forces a whole new method of delivering instruction because of all of the regulations/rules.

Here are a few questions to ponder, ‘How do teachers teach reading when kids can’t see their mouths because of having to wear a mask? How does a teacher put 30 first graders in a small classroom and keep them 6 feet apart? How do they give the kids recess or gym class and keep them from spreading the virus?’

And I’ve seen some districts that cancelled recess altogether; a teacher’s worst nightmare.

Since masks mute voices, many teachers are also buying (with their own money) sound projection mic systems. Others are purchasing the mics that will record their voices to live feeds because their districts have ordered them to deliver instruction to kids who are sick at home, whose parents aren’t comfortable, or who have immunity issues. All of this is expected with no technology training.

Some teachers are terrified for their lives. New York City Schools stayed open one week longer than most other districts in the spring. They were worried about sending the most disadvantaged home to abusive households, homes with no food, etc. (Educators get sick to their stomachs in June for some of their kiddos for the same reason.) NYCSD lost 68 teachers/staff/lunch ladies/bus drivers/principals as a result because they died in March/April from COVID.

Some can’t bear the thought of homeschooling their own kids while delivering online instruction.

Some are worried they will bring COVID home to their own families – grandparents, immune-compromised kids, etc. They are praying for online instruction.

Some believe it’s a hoax and no worse than the flu. But they do know they get strep throat, colds, the flu 2-3 times a year because schools are cesspools of germs.

Bottom line: Teachers MUST be included in the conversation. Many teachers are feeling left out. This is not new. Only the wisest administrators/community leaders/politicians bring teachers to the table for education talks. And politicians (on both sides) typically bring in business people to decide on big issues – like state learning standards and testing. Lastly, teachers absolutely don’t make enough money for what their jobs require and compared to other professions that require the same higher education and licensure requirements.

From what I see and hear, most teachers have the safety and learning of their students on their minds and hearts.”

Parents And Teachers Are Worried

Only days after I was seeking out answers on this topic, it really started to explode all over Facebook. Parents and teachers alike are worried and many are fearful for a myriad of reasons.

After reading through hundreds of other posts, this is what I’m seeing that parents are most concerned about:

Kids getting sick, dying or spreading it to at-risk populations.
Schools not reopening at all; or on the flip side, that schools will open.
The social and emotional health of our young kids because of social isolation, mask-wearing, lack of play and recess, being stuck in the same room all day, no bathroom breaks, not being able to see facial expressions, not being able to make new friends, and a break in connection between teacher and child.
Being able to survive at home because of feeling like in-person school is not an option.
Disruption to schedules and routines.
No real learning will take place or kids will continue to fall behind.
The teachers’ mental and physical health or that teachers will quit.
Kids being able to social distance and how that will be enforced.
The chemicals they will use to clean and the carbon dioxide inhaled all day in a mask.
Special needs being met or educational issues with kids with IEP or 504 plans.
Parents’ own anxieties and fears about all the changes.
Kids who rely on schools for their well-being.

The Scary Truth

The scary truth about sending kids back to school is the uncertainty.

No one knows what is going to happen nor do we know the implications our decisions are going to have on our kids’ overall development or how it will affect our precious teachers.

The plans and rules are constantly changing.

Every time an email comes through from the school, parents hold their breath to see what new restrictions or rules are being proposed. In-person school start dates in some states are already getting pushed back and some schools are planning on starting virtually then moving to in-person when they are given the permission to do so.

There is no concrete plan nor can there be. This is not a situation where a one-size-fits-all approach will work. There is going to be trial and error and hopefully it’s not at the cost of our kids’ and teachers’ emotional and/or physical health.

Another scary truth about sending kids back to school is that we don’t know what the residual effects of social isolation, mask wearing, increased level of anxiety, and abrupt changes are going to have. How are these changes going to affect the future?

What Can Parents Do?

I keep seeing concerns but not much about what we should be doing.

For a better insight into what we can do, I interviewed mental health experts with The Childhood Collective. Their online parenting site (and amazing Instagram feed) is run by two psychologists and a speech-language pathologist. I wanted to get their professional insight on…

What can we do to help our kids come out on the other side of this pandemic as resilient, gritty, and emotionally strong individuals?!

You will see I categorized the questions so you can scroll down and find the information that will be most helpful for you and your family. All the italicized questions are what I asked the experts at The Childhood Collective and the information provided is all written by them.

Lastly, I wasn’t planning on making a printable, but I just wanted to have something you could print, hold, and use to write down your feelings to help you overcome these challenging times as a parent who cares deeply about your children. I named it The Emergency Emotional Toolbox so you can have some very practical tools to use.

Download: If you need something to help you walk your child through this time, download The Emergency Emotional Toolbox. It’s a quick little worksheet that helps you get your feelings out and gives you reminders on how to be your child’s emotion coach.

Disclaimer: The responses provided are opinions of The Childhood Collective unless otherwise noted. The information provided is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any type of medical condition and is not intended as personalized medical or psychological advice. Any decision you make regarding you and your family’s health and medical treatments should be made with a qualified healthcare provider.

Communicating With Kids About Going Back to School and All of The Changes

How should parents talk to kids about all the upcoming changes? Are there phrases to avoid or does it depend on the child?

HOW To Communicate To Kids

Anytime we are sharing important information with children, we want to consider that what we are saying is just as important as how we are saying it. Children are amazingly in-tune with us… often more than we realize!

If our stress, frustration, worry, or discomfort with the upcoming changes moves our conversations from factual to emotional, our children will respond accordingly. So, first and foremost, we must talk with our children about these changes when we are in an emotional state that allows us to convey the information in the most accurate way possible.

This is not to say that we can’t acknowledge the challenges of the present situation (indeed, we must in order to validate their experiences and feelings!), but we must take care to ensure that our message isn’t lost in translation because of the way it is delivered.

Yes, this is often easier said than done!

What To Communicate to Kids

When it comes to the content of this conversation, keep it factual and developmentally appropriate.

Help your child get a picture of what a typical day in the classroom or at home may look like, and supplement with developmentally-appropriate details about why it will look like this. Do your best to convey confidence and reassurance that the adults are doing their best to keep kids healthy and happy through these tough times.

Finally, once you’ve talked through these changes with your child, provide the space for questions.

Many times, what we anticipate will be an issue is not a concern for our child. Similarly, we may not anticipate certain questions or concerns that they have. Providing a space or “check-in time” regularly as the time approaches to return to school (whether physically or through distance learning), is just as important as your initial conversation.

Emotional Concerns

How do we help kids recover emotionally?

Become Your Child’s Emotion Coach

As the pandemic wears on, you’re not alone if you are seeing big emotions bubbling over in your child. The most important thing to keep in mind is that all feelings are allowed.

One of the ways you can best support your child emotionally during these times is to be an emotion coach for them. This entails allowing all feelings (though not all behaviors are acceptable), labeling and validating the feelings you observe, listening to hear rather than respond, and providing a safe space for your child to problem-solve.

To provide an example, you may be tempted to say something like, “I’ve already told you, you can’t see your friends! It’s not safe. I don’t want to keep repeating myself!” This statement shuts down the emotion. Your child may stop talking to you about it, but that doesn’t mean the underlying emotion goes away.

A more helpful, emotion coaching alternative would be, “You seem upset. It’s hard when you can’t see friends the same way you used to. I miss my friends, too. Even if we can’t see friends in person, I’m wondering if you have an idea about how we can make this all a little bit easier?” With this statement, you are labeling and validating their feelings. You are holding the same boundary (which, in this case, is not being able to see friends in person), but you are opening the door to problem-solving rather than shutting your child down.

Fostering Resilience

How do we help our kids become resilient during this time instead of emotionally damaged?

Emotion Coaching and Finding Passion-Igniting Activities

Emotion coaching, again, is a great way to foster resilience. It empowers children to manage their tough feelings and engage in helpful problem-solving.

Another great way to foster resilience during this time is to find activities that excite and ignite your child’s passion. Time that used to be invested elsewhere (sports, carpools, outings, etc.) can now be poured into other things that build your child up.

Encourage them to pick-up that hobby that has been on the back-burner or go “all-in” with something they already love. Doing something you love, and doing it well, is a great way to build resilience and protect emotional well-being.

finding children's interests and passions

Choosing the Best Schooling Option

What are some considerations to take when deciding to 1.) send kids to school 2.) keep them at home for homeschool 3.) do online distance learning?

Do What Will Work Best for You and Your Child

This is where I encourage parents with the… “You know your child best.”

The fact of the matter is that, right now, there is no perfect answer. There probably won’t ever be.

You must consider your child’s personality, temperament, skill level, etc. You must also consider your personality, interest level, and availability! This is a situation where it may actually be helpful to write down your options, consider the advantages and disadvantages of each, and proceed with confidence knowing there is no perfect answer.

Try to find a good enough answer based on your family’s circumstances.

Handling Change and Transition

How to help kids with constant change and transitions? How do we help kids with transition especially those who are neurodiverse and already may face more challenges?

Reframe, Hold Constant and Have Open Conversations

How does that saying go? Something like… “The only constant in life is change.”

I like to reframe all of these changes as an opportunity rather than a detriment.

Our kids are learning how to adapt and manage changes. Some will do this better than others, but we as parents have the capacity to help them weather this storm.

My first piece of advice would be to hold constant as much as possible. Have open conversations with your kids about how things are changing and that you’re here to help them. But also point out how much hasn’t changed.

Keep essential routines firm, like bedtime, mealtimes, and mornings together.

When change is inevitable, do your best to prepare your child by doing some pre-teaching. This may include talking about what to expect, talking through possible scenarios, and role-playing if your child needs that level of support. Oh, and can I circle back again to the importance of being an emotion coach? That, too, will help during times of inevitable change.

https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/i7w0n7

Benefits of Keeping Kids In School (If Schools Reopen)

What are the benefits of keeping kids in school even if there are going to be so many changes like mandatory mask-wearing, no specials, no recess, strict social distancing rules, etc? Or do you think it’s better for parents to homeschool if they have the means to do?

Attune To Your Child’s Needs

Again, this is very family specific.

At the time that I am writing this, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has actually urged for the goal of children returning to in-person schooling, citing the academic, social, and emotional well-being of children. EDITED: The AAP came out with a new statement urging for a safe return stating, “Public health agencies must make recommendations based on evidence, not politics.”

There are children that are greatly feeling the effects of social isolation, experiencing abuse in the home, and reporting increased symptoms of depression and suicidal ideation. These are all important things to consider when making the best decision for your family.

It’s hard to say what exactly the in-person school day will look like; these are very district-specific things. So, again, I urge families to stay as up-to-date as much as possible with their district’s plans in order to make a decision that sits well with their family.

Coping Skills For Kids

What are coping skills parents should be focusing on teaching their kids? Do you have resources for this?

Self-Calming and Relaxation Strategies

The importance of self-calming and relaxation strategies cannot be understated. These are some of the most overlooked life skills that come in handy on a daily basis.

We have a free Relaxation for Kids guide for families that provides different relaxation strategies for kids of all ages, including deep breathing, muscle relaxation, and guided imagery.

There are some great online resources for guided imagery and relaxation. A quick Google search for relaxation tools/apps will reveal tons of options! Some apps for kids include Calm, Smiling Minds, and Headspace.

I would also recommend that families talk with their kids about other helpful coping strategies, such as physical movement, mindfulness, and connecting with friends. Depending on your child’s age, you may even make a “menu” of coping skill options to help in stressful times and remind your child that there are tools at their fingertips.

Psssst: Check out Generation Mindful’s amazing tools! They have a game called Peacemakers that builds emotional IQ, a Time-In Toolkit, a plush toy collection called SnuggleBuddies, and an Online Positive Parenting class that all focus on teaching emotional health and coping skills to kids. Should we be concerned about kids not being able to see facial expressions? If so, what can parents do to help kids adapt or gain social skills?

Mask-Wearing Effects on Social-Emotional Health

What effects do you think mask-wearing will have on emotional health? Not being able to see facial expressions, be able to hear as well, etc?

Use Books or Other Tools and Practice

It’s really hard to predict how this will play out for our children.

However, keep in mind there are some countries with residents that regularly wear masks due to air quality (granted, not usually in the classroom).

Encourage your children to notice how people communicate what they are feeling outside of what their mouth does, including other facial cues, gestures, words spoken, and tone of voice.

If your child is in need of extra support, foster social and emotional understanding with books and educational shows. Make the experience interactive by making observations and asking questions (though be careful not to overdo it here!).

Make sure to allow time to practice wearing a mask before having to wear it at school all day. Your child will likely feel more confident and comfortable interacting with others in a mask if they have had time to adapt to it at home first.

Signs of Anxiety or Depression

What are signs parents should look for that their child is experiencing too much stress or if it’s turning into anxiety or depression? When should a parent seek professional help?

What to Look For

I always encourage parents to err on the side of seeking help if they think their child may need extra support.

You may consider seeking professional help if you notice:

changes to your child’s sleeping or eating habits
your child seems more fearful
your child is more tearful or emotional; your child frequently complains of physical pain/symptoms with no clear cause
they express to you thoughts of self-harm or suicidal ideation
they spend more time in isolation
they stop finding pleasure in things they once enjoyed.

Again, parents, you know your child best. If something seems “off” or you have a gut feeling that something is wrong, it may be time to seek a professional opinion. Many psychologists, therapists, and counselors are offering telehealth services from the comfort of your own home. If you’re ready to take that next step, we have a blog with tips about finding the right counselor for your child.

Thank you to The Childhood Collective for these incredible tips!

Additional Concerns

Do you have any concerns that weren’t covered? Comment below and I’ll try to do a follow-up post to address those.

And don’t forget to download the Emergency Emotional Toolbox to write out your thoughts and feelings to help walk your children through this time.

If have decided or are considering keeping your kids home for their education, check out 7 Practical Tips for Homeschooling and Working Full Time. Also included is a course that can really help working parents maintain sanity and emotional health for their whole family. It’s called “Work From Home With Kids And Thrive.” Enter the PROMO code: THRIVE25 for 25% off! We are going to have to make changes to make it through this thing without detrimental emotional scars. Thank goodness we were created to be resilient (with the right tools)!

And if you’re looking for online educational resources, download my free Master Home Education Resources eBook. It’s loaded with over 200 resources!

Encourage More Parents!

As I mentioned this is a very popular topic as I see constant posts and comments about parents’ concerns and worries in regards to sending their kids back to school. As they should be!

These tips that The Childhood Collective have provided can really help a lot of people but will only be seen if you share. Share in parent groups you’re in, with your school groups, or any other social media channel. Thank you so much!!!

How to Shift from Focusing on Weaknesses to Strengths in Parenting

Why the World Focuses on Fixing Weaknesses Instead of Recognizing Strengths

Get Your Free Strengths Toolkit!

Thank you!

The Problem with a Deficit-Focused Mindset

Why Our Brains Fixate on the Negative

How This Shows Up in Parenting, Education, and Personal Development

The Power of Strength-Based Parenting

How I Stopped Feeling Like a Failure as a Mom and Started Focusing on My Strengths

The Shift to Strength-Based Parenting

Applying Strength-Based Thinking to Myself When I Feel Like a Failure as a Mom

What Motivates People

1. Competency – “I Am Capable”

How to Build Competence as a Parent:

How to Foster Competence in Kids:

2. Autonomy – “I Have Control Over My Choices”

How to Cultivate Autonomy as a Parent:

How to Encourage Autonomy in Kids:

3. Relatedness/Connection – “I Belong and Am Loved”

How to Strengthen Your Connection with Your Child:

How to Strengthen Your Own Sense of Connection as a Parent:

Why This Matters in Strength-Based Parenting

Strength-Based Parenting Builds Confidence

How to Identify Your Strengths as a Parent

Start with Self-Reflection

Practical Steps to Shift From Feeling Like a Failure as a Mom to Making Strength-Based Parenting a Habit

1. Start a Daily or Weekly Strengths Journal

2. Practice Gratitude for What You’re Doing Well

3. Surround Yourself with Strength-Based Voices

4. Reframe Perceived Weaknesses as Strengths

Download Your Free Strengths Toolkit

Get Your Free Strengths Toolkit!

Thank you!

The Power of Seeing Strengths

Start Giving Your Kids the Ability to Make Decisions

What to Put on Your Family Meeting Agenda

Topics of Discussion

Download Your Free Fighting Rules For Siblings Posters

Thank you!

Calendar Check-In

What We Go Over:

Word of the Week

The Skill of the Week

Say Something Nice

Fun Activity

Other Agenda Item Ideas:

Free Family Meeting Agenda

Get Your Free Family Meeting Agenda!

Thank you!

What is On Your Family Meeting Agenda?

Bridging the Gap

What Is a Parent Coach?

What a Parent Coach Does

Who Needs a Parent Coach?

1. You Have a Child with Big Emotions and Struggle to Stay Calm

How Coaching Helps:

2. You Experience Constant Power Struggles, Meltdowns, or Defiance

How Coaching Helps:

3. You Feel Like Traditional Parenting Advice Doesn’t Work

How Coaching Helps:

4. You Want to Build a Strong Family Culture Based on Connection, Respect, and Cooperation

How Coaching Helps:

5. You Feel Exhausted or Burnt Out and Need Fresh Strategies

How Coaching Helps:

Is Parent Coaching Right for You?

How Parent Coaching Works

Step 1: Understanding Your Parenting Challenges

Step 2: Learning New Tools & Strategies

Step 3: Practicing & Adjusting

What Makes Parent Coaching Different?

Get Your Free Family Values Printables!

Thank you!

Why Work with a Parent Coach Instead of Reading Books or Watching Videos?

Here’s why LEARNING Isn’t All You Need:

1. Information Overload Leads to Inaction

2. Generic Advice Doesn’t Fit Every Family

3. There’s No Real-Time Support

4. Learning Without Practice Leads to Frustration

5. Coaching Bridges the Gap Between Knowledge and Action

How The P.U.R.P.O.S.E. Parent Transformation Program Works