Kenya Malcolm, PhD

Ribbon cutting! High five to my peeps putting in the WERK to make this happen!

IMH Week!!

Check out ZERO TO THREE’s Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) Guiding Principles

Yep! It’s still Infant Mental Health Week!

It’s Infant Mental Health Week!

An IMH framework aligns with the “Diversity Tenets.”

The Diversity-Informed Tenets for Work with Infants, Children and Families (Tenets) are a set of ten strategies and tools for strengthening the commitment and capacity of professionals, organizations and systems that serve infants, children and families to embed diversity, inclusion and equity principles into their work. They provide critical guidance for implementing healing-centered practice across settings.

Did you know that June is Professional Wellness month?

Let's amplify best practices for healthy, supportive, and inclusive workplaces! Please share in the comments about positive experiences you have had and shout out employers who are doing it right.🌟

Celebrated across the U.S., Professional Wellness month is an opportunity for employers and organizations to enhance existing wellness programs and encourage their employees to take proactive steps for improved physical, mental and emotional well-being in the workplace.

Infant Mental Health Week!

Tenets: Early experiences matter including having consistent relationships with regulated adults who care about us.

Infant Mental Health Awareness Week 2024

Tenet: relationships are the context of growth and learning.

Blog post from Healthy Children Project Center for Breastfeeding

“This summer, we are revisiting some of our previous publications as they relate to various national celebrations.

This week is Infant Mental Health Awareness Week, so we are re-sharing “Breastfeeding is…” a 2014 piece. Based on an interview with Barb O’Connor, this piece describes how breastfeeding is so much more than nutrition, including establishing secure attachments which are fundamental to infant mental health.”

Read the blog:

Celebrating Infant Mental Health Awareness Week - Our Milky Way This summer, we are revisiting some of our previous publications as they relate to various national celebrations. This week is Infant Mental Health Awareness Week, so we are re-sharing “Breastfeeding is…” a 2014 piece. Based on an interview with Barb O’Connor, this piece describes how breast...

This seems even more relevant today than when I shared it seven years ago. 🤨

Children whose parents spend time on mobile devices have more behavior issues The study involved 170 two-parent families with at least one child older than 1 years old.

It’s Infant Mental Health Awareness Week!? Yay!!

I love the stuff I get to do!
In May, our Healthy and Equitable Futures team went to two breakfast with the principal events in RCSD to share info about Mental Health.
HEF is a collab between The Greater Rochester Health Foundation, The National Parent Leadership Institute, and several local organizations to increase parent voice in important work for children 0-8.
Our parent leaders are AWESOME!

I actually cackled.

New website to obsess over and a DBA because I love a logo. 🥰

Obviously, I got stickers. 🤣

Home | Herding Ducks Consulting Behavioral health consultation, training, and supervision

Ok y’all. Don’t get mad at me for saying your kids are like donkeys. 🫣But this is exactly what I’m talking about when you come to me because your toddlers “like to argue.” 🤣🤣

Fable: DON'T ARGUE WITH DONKEYS
The donkey said to the tiger:
- "The grass is blue".
The tiger replied:
- "No, the grass is green."
The discussion heated up, and the two decided to submit him to arbitration, and for this they went before the lion, the King of the Jungle.
Already before reaching the forest clearing, where the lion was sitting on his throne, the donkey began to shout:
- "His Highness, is it true that the grass is blue?".
The lion replied:
- "True, the grass is blue."
The donkey hurried and continued:
- "The tiger disagrees with me and contradicts and annoys me, please punish him."
The king then declared:
- "The tiger will be punished with 5 years of silence."
The donkey jumped cheerfully and went on his way, content and repeating:
- "The Grass Is Blue"...
The tiger accepted his punishment, but before he asked the lion:
- "Your Majesty, why have you punished me?, after all, the grass is green."
The lion replied:
- "In fact, the grass is green."
The tiger asked:
- "So why are you punishing me?".
The lion replied:
- "That has nothing to do with the question of whether the grass is blue or green.
The punishment is because it is not possible for a brave and intelligent creature like you to waste time arguing with a donkey, and on top of that come and bother me with that question."
The worst waste of time is arguing with the fool and fanatic who does not care about truth or reality, but only the victory of his beliefs and illusions. Never waste time on arguments that don't make sense...
There are people who, no matter how much evidence and evidence we present to them, are not in the capacity to understand, and others are blinded by ego, hatred and resentment, and all they want is to be right even if they are not.
When ignorance screams, intelligence is silent. Your peace and quietness are worth more.

Welp! I need to get some of this chocolate! For the babies!

Introducing our Nurturing Baby Chocolate!

Available in dark, milk, or white chocolate, and as most of our favorite products, this one comes with a story - and our donation of choice merits some context.

Having just signed a lease for Laughing Gull Chocolates first Brick and Mortar, our founder Lindsay walked down East Main Street in the North Winton Village to Beautiful Birth Choices LLC. Wearing newborn Alex, Lindsay Tarnoff stepped in to that most welcoming space, and encountered Allison B Zukoski, her daughter Lucy, and Karla Rae and her son, Dylan. The three women, and their babies, became fast friends - and soon business partners.

This Nurturing Baby chocolate mold is representative of our love for our children, and how Laughing Gull Chocolates has grown. We are proud that in addition to changing the world with chocolate, we are redefining women's role in business as we navigate balancing it all. We have nurtured - and are continuing to love and care for five babies between us.

We are proud to announce that with each purchase of this chocolate, we will be making a donation to Healthy Baby Network to support their work to ensure that every parent in our community has the information and support needed to bring a healthy baby into a nurturing home.

Gorgeous!
Words:
Pictures:

I can't stop the rain.

But I will hold the umbrella.

Even as my children get older,
taller,
and closer to grown.

Even as I know life is both.
Sunshine and rain.
Immense joy and immense hard.

I can't stop the rain.

Despite giving it my all.
Despite deeply cherishing.
Despite loving unconditionally.

The rain comes.
In aches. In grief. In uncertainty. In trials.

I can't stop the rain.

And I'm not meant to.

Because I know it's on me
to protect them from life's storms,
but to also give them the skills to navigate the waters.
To guard them from the floods,
but to also understand some rain is needed for growth.

It's a sacred dance we do as their mothers.

It's a back-and-forth rhythm of shielding,
while trying to grow their independence.
It's trying to raise them to be ready and capable,
while still protecting and nurturing.
It's holding on,
while gently letting go.

I can't stop the rain.

And it's my job to teach them to maneuver through it.

But for as long as I'm able,

I will hold the umbrella.

Because while I can't stop the rain,
I can give them the gift of knowing
that whatever they're going through,
if the storm becomes too much,
there is someone who will stand beside them

and hold the umbrella.

(words You Are Loved - Emily Roussell)

The first week of May, from May 1st to May 7th, is Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week in the US. The American Psychological Association recognizes the National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day on May 7th each year. The goal of Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day and Week is to increase public awareness and advocate for improved efforts to manage mental health challenges in children. Understanding youth mental health can be beneficial in reducing stigmas surrounding mental health conditions and symptoms in those under 18.

Dropping here to read tomorrow!

Infant mental health: Michigan clinic aims to build resiliency for a lifetime | Bridge Michigan Michigan families say the state’s behavioral health system is overwhelmed and understaffed. A new Detroit clinic offers a jump start on mental health — sometimes just days after birth.

In some ppl’s workplace, this new mug would be ✌🏾inappropriate✌🏾🤣🤣

Happy Monday! I have a goal to drink non-coffeed water. I’m not there, yet. 😅

Throwback to unprecedented times…

I may have ordered a few. For the kids! 🥧🥰