Mindful Kids Inc.

It can often be tricky to see the growth in oneself in the midst of this very masculine, hustle society we are born into. BUT if you have the courage and take the time to give yourself space and reflect on a certain period of your life, you can notice all the great growth that has occurred in your life!

My experience doing this - the time period of moi, launching into entrepreneurship from the traditional education world (two very opposite fields I might add) has afforded me my great growth perspective. My growth experience has been:

The ability of being seen and feeling good about it: Seems silly right? I was seen by my students, co-workers, and school families all day every day, but putting myself out there in entrepreneurship - being seen by my entire city, neighbouring cities and towns on social media, for some reason was uber scary for me! Taking it one day at at time, putting in the inspired work and working with my feminine cycle made things flow differently, more easily - the confidence it has created is immense

Being comfortable with being heard: Supporting kids of various ages has always been my wheelhouse in many ways, mostly academic, until I made the jump - then all of a sudden I had more parents hearing what I was saying, listening to my perspective on things and it again became a wee bit overwhelming. My monkey mind would pop up and be fierce with all the unkind things - until one of the very mindful tools I teach became one I used. I began to deeply integrate into my everyday life - increasing my positivity and characteristics that others saw in me but I couldn’t - such a self esteem boost that remains consistent!

Speaking my truth: This phrase learned from a mindset mentor mind has stuck in all the good ways, “you are worthy, simply because you are human” - I never had to work for it, I never had to prove it, I simply was - game-changer in being me!

Being free to lead my own way that felt right for me: There was something very uncomfortable in feeling like I was on the bottom of the ladder when being in the position I held within a school board, until that uncomfortable feeling became a very loud shout, that said “no more” and I finally listened and jumped. The freedom, the flow, the balance to my days, my business and my family - I had it backwards my entire life.

Overall I am more open minded, bold, confident, outgoing, social… because I stepped away from what I thought I should be, into how I was always meant to be and it is beautiful. All because I took a leap!

I LOVE what I do 💜

Building rapport is essential to gain connection with children so they feel safe to feel the benefits of mindfulness.

Picture “MMFI” on all child’s foreheads - Make Me Feel Important (because they are). Meaningful compliments go a long way with kids… and they can sniff them out in a heartbeat if they are not meaningful coming from you.

Only saying “no” when it's essentially important - phrases such as “here’s the thing” or “help me understand” creates validation in kids where they are much more open to share and then work through situations using their feelings and mindful communication.

Be a kid yourself sometimes! Your inner child will also love this and kids connect with this when it's from the heart.

Leave any child you interact with, with an impression of increase. Make them feel special because they are in all that makes them, them - find it, notice it and tell them!

Give them more positive statements in their day than negative. Mindfully ignore any undesired words, actions, behaviours (unless life threatening) and immediately focus and give them feedback on any little positive thing they are doing. This slowly snuffs out the undesired, negative stuff - children bloom through meaningful heart lead statements

Beware: the following feelings will occur as a licensee during a summer camp season!

Joy → campers are living their best life when with you

Love → of what you do and planned for in real time coming into fruition

Grateful → that you created alignment for yourself and your life

Proud → for being able to serve children and families in your community through positive wellness in a unique mental health way

Inspired → a whole 365 days before the next round of summer camps

Fulfilled → seeing and feeling the difference your are creating in children’s lives

Worthy → simply because you are amazingly you

Have you ever noticed all that negative self-talk going on in your mind? That constant loop or hamster wheel of thoughts?

We call that monkey mind! It affects every single aspect of your day, regardless of the level of awareness you have with it AND it usually leans on the negative side of self things.

So how do we quiet that monkey mind, and give ourselves all the POSITIVE self-talk? I’m here to tell ya 😁

1. Take some time to sit quietly and notice what negative self-talk is there. Let it be there and come to the forefront of your awareness.

2. Now you are going to flip that monkey mind statement into the exact opposite. This turns into your mindful mantra - Ex. I am awful at this → to → I am amazing at this!

3. Now add your breath to it for a greater connection to the present moment. This pauses the mind from wandering and negative thinking and gives you one focus - “I am” (breath in) “amazing at this” (breath out)

4. Repeat 5x or until calm or a settled feeling is felt. Disclaimer: if the negative self-talk is deeply ingrained, it will feel very uncomfortable in the beginning when you switch to the positive - KEEP GOING - it will get more comfortable the more you practise this (because P.S. The positive mindful mantra has always been true, that monkey mind is just taking up too much space!)

5. For deeper connection, place a hand on your chest. This creates a mind/body bridge that is in perfect alignment to feel the benefit of calm and then you will want more of that - “yes please, more of that 😉”

6. Create this as a stacking habit of “mindful moments” during your day - this means adding this to something already consistent in your every day! Ex. everytime you sit down at your desk, every morning when your hand touches the door k**b to leave the house, after washing your hands, before you close your eyes at night or just after they open in the morning - the possibilities are endless 💜

7. Let us know in the comments what your mindful mantra is and where you habit stacked it in your day!

Mine is in the comments 🙌🏼

Did you know that rooting a child’s mindfulness practise as a “pro-active measure” trains the brain with the mindfulness and sets up the mind for success when big feelings occur?

It’s like the mind goes - “YES! I’ve got this” because it has been practised. Raising confidence and independence in children during the “out of routine” months 💜

💜💜💜

What to expect:
It’s a continuous celebration of who you are and the gifts you bring to your community - think of it as a heart-centred approach to serving the children in your community. To see children as they are meant to be seen with mindfulness at the core. To learn more from your kiddo campers even though they are there to learn from us - it is truly a gift!

Why is this exciting?
It’s exciting because no two kids, camps or camp groups are the same, even with the same blueprint ready to go. You can create your own hours, be your own boss, and have your own business under the Mindful Kids Inc. brand. To see the children you serve out and about in your community, shining like the bright light they are because of the mindful tools they have empowered themselves with while with you!

Why should you join the MKI family?
Create your own money and income streams!! Be your own boss, and live life as you want to. All while creating more balance in your life and the life of kids in your community.

It’s time to listen to your intuition and follow your passion, dreams and goals!

Funny story…

I have been an educator ALL my life - yes, you read that right, all my life… right from the time I was about 4 yrs old. There is picture evidence taken by my mom of me, educating all my imaginary friends, playing “school” fully equipped with tables as desks, mini chalkboards and me teaching them all the things. To note - I had never, up until that point, entered a traditional school setting yet!

Fast forward through graduation of elementary school, secondary school and college - I went right back into the elementary school system in the role of education assistant for close to 20 years where I taught students anything from math and reading, to how to walk and pronounce words… from how to manage emotions and behaviour in positive ways, to how to manage and support insulin levels.

It was a beautiful mixed bag of job roles with students anywhere between the ages of 4-13 and do you know what really happened during that time? That as hard as I was trying to lead students to learn what was perceived as the best for them - each and every single one of them ended up teaching and leading me with what they needed and wanted, in the best way possible for them (which is no easy feat in the system as it was set up)

I found myself in a precarious place of following what was asked of me, but tailoring it to what my students were very obviously showing me what they needed to be in alignment, to be successful, to be happy. It then became very apparent to me to step out of the system, and out of my comfort zone to begin what is now Mindful Kids Inc.

Mindful Kids Inc. is a place where children are open to be themselves and are encouraged. A place where we honour and celebrate all emotions. A place where we teach tangible, interactive calming strategies that children can immediately begin to use in their everyday situations by using mindfulness as their secret superpower.

We do this in the form of mindfulness camps throughout the year, celebrating kids for HOW they were meant to be - calm, happy and focused, just like I did at 4 yrs old, playing school, being the leader, and teaching my imaginary friends.

Funny how things work out, huh? 😁

The power of the five senses are powerful mindful tools.

They are innately with us wherever they go and we can access the calming nature in them on demand as needed in children’s everyday life.

→ Sense of Sight - putting one's entire focus on one thing around them… noticing and paying attention to everything (ex. all the little things like a cloud in the sky, the colour, the shape, the dimension, etc.)

→ Sense of Hearing - concentrating on all the sounds you hear around you. The big obvious sounds and the little behind sounds (ex. sitting on a bench at park and letting all the nature sounds be noticed)

→ Sense of Touch - letting a child’s entire body pay attention to different sensations coming to them without having to seek them out (ex. the sun on their face, the collar of their shirt resting on their neck, their feet on the ground, or that feeling of their feet in their shoes)

→ Sense of Smell - taking big, comfortable deep breaths and becoming aware of any smell noticed. Smells like freshly baked cookies, freshly cut grass… the possibilities are endless!

→ Sense of Taste - focusing on their mouth, their tongue and noticing any taste that is there. (Ex. mint toothpaste, their favourite juice flavour, something they just ate for snack etc)

A child’s senses are powerful mindful tools because they create a pause in a child’s mind. This stops the mind from thinking too far into the future or too far into the past and all those big, sticky, heavy feelings that sneak in.

The senses bring a child’s mind into the present moment… “doing” only one thing - which brings calm, which strengthens focus and can have a child find and feel their happy!!

✨A child’s sleep improves✨

Whether it’s falling asleep at night, or getting back to sleep in the middle of the night - children’s minds are more clear and better rested with mindfulness! 

Now that’s a win ⚾️ 🙌🏼 💙

Mindfulness + Community

The ripples of mindfulness reach far and wide in communities as campers take in mindfulness with us, then go and apply it in their everyday life - long after their camp week or day with us!

Think of sports.

Mindfulness campers who take in mindfulness in different ways to increase their focus in their sports teams they are part of - lengthening their concentration while in the middle of what can sometimes be a tough game, using mindfulness as a way to create greater awareness of HOW to flip or keep a positive mindset. Paying attention to certain unhelpful feelings and with the ability to find their calm and continue to play, recover from injury, move on from a call that they didn’t agree with - settling big feelings and leaving the game on the court, ice, field, etc. Subsequently, knowing how to calm the anxious, nervous and scared feelings long before a sporting event occurs. Feeling confident to talk to a trusted adult or coach about something on their mind or not knowing how to solve an issue on their own and perhaps the biggest - the ability to increase their physical skill because their mental skill has been practised too!

This makes the whole experience enjoyable for athletes themselves, the coaches, officials, parents and the community as a whole. It all begins with the HOW in mindfulness for our sports campers in the communities they are a part of.

Happy Easter Weekend 🐣

May your weekend be filled with friends, family, and sweet treats!!!

You may have heard the term “turn-key” in terms of real estate - purchasing a house where no work is needed. New owners can simply move in and enjoy their new house and life….but what exactly does it mean with us? We are here to share!

Turn-key with Mindful Kids Inc. means you are supplied with a licence that includes ALL the business things needed to jump start your own business as an owner of your location - you too can simply begin… enjoy your new business AND life in a new way, which means:

No need to come up with a logo concept
No need to choose branding colours
No need to create the day plans
No need to figure out all the backend systems & workflows
No need to search to invest in extra children’s mindfulness training
No need to create your own graphics for social media
No need to create a domain for a website
No need to create and design your website,
No need to create a business email address
No need to think of all materials needed
No need to have all the answers
No need to do this all on your own!!!

Under Mindful Kids Inc. we have all of this ready to go for you - which takes the stress out of starting up your own business. No guesswork at all, which is part of our mission - calm leadership, happy communities & focussed days - for the children in your area, for your community and most importantly, for you!

BONUS - Licensees also receive the option to have monthly one to one Q + A calls with me, founder of Mindful Kids Inc. and owner of the Stratford ON location, along with the option to participate in monthly group calls with a focus on various topics of personal and professional growth.

Doesn’t that make “turn-key” sound delectable? 😁

One of the key benefits of mindfulness - a child’s self regulation improves.

The power that a child feels when they are AWARE that they have control over a feeling, rather than a big feeling taking control over them, is a game changer!

It also eliminates the nasty word “consequence” because children are now responding vs. reacting in a more meaningful and appropriate way.

Children are happier and feel more empowered because they know how to find their calm independently using mindfulness.

Does your mind wander and can’t stay in the present? Perfect!

Do you immediately think you are “doing it wrong?” Bingo!

Plot twist - You get mindfulness right every time you try it or practise it 😍

The more you begin to notice that your mind is wandering and your awareness of this increases, the more able you will be to pull your focus back to where you want it.

You are making your mind muscle stronger every single time! Hence the term “training the brain with mindfulness”

Today we honour and celebrate the incredible strength, resilience, and achievement of women around the world - whether it be in the boardroom, classroom, home, or community.

Let's empower, support, and uplift women everywhere, today and every day. Happy International Women's Day!

Forever feeling grateful for this feedback!!

The timing will never be “right”... so what better time than now to dive in and start something new - listen to your intuition… It’s time to do things differently. Stop waiting for the “perfect” time.

Imagine if one said to self, “I’m going to wait a little longer” and held off for two months, four months, six months - think of all the experiences, income, career advancements and SO MUCH MORE that one misses out on.

The children in your community are waiting for you… they need you!

It took me a long time to “jump before I was ready” but once I started from this perspective, it changed my life. I wasn’t willing to wait any more, I was ready to put ME first, my goals first, my dreams first, my career first… it was time.

“Jump before you are ready” is my go to motto and it has served me abundantly in growing my business, my personal life and everything in between!

Take this be your sign - acknowledge it, welcome it, grab hold of it and get ready for your life to totally change with this business opportunity.

I cannot wait to say to you… “Welcome to the MKI community” - we got you!

When you become a part of the MKI family, we offer you magic ✨

What magic you might ask? Mindfulness Training 💜

This is an in-depth certification course that is specifically geared toward mindfulness for children, with a closer scope in particular to summer, and other camp type settings.

What is all included:
+ A “go at your own pace” children’s mindfulness certification course
+ Monthly 1:1 calls with Melissa for support, and have your questions answered during the licence term
+ Monthly licensee group call with continued training and elevating in all scopes of business owning - including business, mindfulness, self care, wellness, mindset, work/life balance

Happy Love Day!!

Summer camp registration is fast approaching. Check out the summer camp info fair this Sunday Jan 28th 10-2pm for lots of summer camp ideas and information.

.stratford inc

Come visit us on Sunday, January 28th at the Country Club. Get your kids all signed up for summer camp.stratford .inc