by Suzanne | Jul 2, 2018 | Emotional Literacy, Emotional Vocabulary, Values
Values Values are what is important to you; the guideposts by which you’ll make decisions. They are qualities that reflect who you want to be in the world. When we make decisions that take into account our values, we are more congruent and will feel more connected to...
by Suzanne | May 27, 2018 | Children, Community, Mental Health, Setting Intention, Well-being
Family meal times are an opportunity for families to come together, check in with each other, share information on how the day is going, and generally just touch base in our fast-paced lives. Children learn societal values and cultural norms around food and eating;...
by Suzanne | Apr 27, 2018 | Mental Health, Resilience, Well-being
Wellbeing. What does it mean? And how does your wellbeing affect you and your family? Wellbeing is a balance between your resources and your challenges. There are psychological, social and physical dimensions on both sides. It is not static; our wellbeing changes. Our...
by Suzanne | Apr 3, 2018 | Children, Emotional Literacy, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Resilience, Well-being
Figuring out what practices work for you and your family – whether they be mindfulness, kindness, compassion, gratitude or any other type of practice – is a process. My daughter, when she was four, used to tell me quite emphatically, “I don’t...
by Suzanne | Mar 2, 2018 | Children, Children's Books, Community, Kindness, Well-being
Contrary to the “every person for themselves” belief, humans have survived precisely because of our social behaviour. Our ancestors’ ability to work together – to hunt, to look after our young ones – ensured their survival. Having strong...
by Suzanne | Feb 12, 2018 | Children, Community, Kindness
This year in BC, Valentine’s Day and Family Day are both in the same week. In the lead up to this week, I’ve found myself pondering a few questions: What traditions do I want to establish (if any) for my family around Valentines Day and/or Family Day? What memories do...
by Suzanne | Jan 14, 2018 | Community, Kindness, Mental Health, Resilience
Spirit of the West is one of my favourite bands. I danced my heart out to them in my university years both at the Pit Pub at UBC and live at various venues around Vancouver; when we visited Italy when my daughter was almost 4, she and I had “When...
by Suzanne | Dec 30, 2017 | Kindness, Setting Intention, Well-being
Even though I haven’t set a New Year’s Resolution for many years, as January 1st draws nearer I inevitably ask myself, “Am I going to set a resolution this year?” The answer, after some thought, is always, “No” as I’ve never been very successful in maintaining them....
by Suzanne | Dec 11, 2017 | Children, Developing empathy, Emotional Vocabulary, Resilience, Well-being
This time of year can be crazy. No matter what you celebrate or don’t celebrate, there are an abundance of invitations to social gatherings and the air is practically vibrating with everyone’s stress and excitement. It’s important in the middle of all the crazy to...
by Suzanne | Oct 31, 2017 | Children, Children's Books, Developing empathy, Emotional Literacy, Emotional Vocabulary, Well-being
Here are three books that you could use to jump start a conversation with your child about friendship and how we are all connected. The first two, Rain! and The Friend Ship, are best suited for 3 to 5 year olds. The last one, Stone Soup, is appropriate for primary and...
