Do you suffer from "should itis"? I should exercise more I should be more productive I should spend more time with my kids I should spend more time outside I should go to bed earlier I shouldn’t drink so much I should eat better I shouldn’t eat so much sugar I should be happy I should be more grateful I shouldn’t be so greedy!  It shouldn’t take me this long. I should do better I should know better I should BE better Whatever the “should, or shouldn’ts” are on your list, they always add up to the same thing: “You should be better, you should know better, you’re not doing it right.” It l ..read more

ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. But, as my guest Lara Donnelly helps us understand today, that label is somewhat of a misnomer.  The truth is that ADHD is neither a deficit of attention (actually, people with ADHD have an abundance of attention), nor a disorder. In fact, some people consider ADHD to be a superpower. Lara is the founder of the wonderful ADHD Village, a community that offers brain-based, science-backed support for families raising children with ADHD. She supports moms in learning how to eliminate stress while navigating their children’s ADHD, so ..read more

We've all seen optical illusions - they offer so much fun for us, and our students.  But, have you ever heard of audio illusions?  Instead of tricks of the eye - they are tricks of the ear (or brain, more accurately).  Today we explore a few, and learn about how to make our voices more engaging and memorable! LINKS Instagram  Facebook Audio Illusions: Phantom Words Mystery Melodies Jumping Transmission Towers ..read more

If you've ever felt discomfort over a decision you've had to make, tried to justify a choice you've made, or regretted something you've done because you thought to yourself "I don't know why I did that, that's not me!" you have likely experienced cognitive dissonance. Cognitive Dissonance Theory was presented by a social psychologist, named Leon Festinger, in 1957. Cognitive dissonance is a term for the state of mental or psychological discomfort we feel when two or more modes of thought (beliefs, values, or attitudes) contradict each other - when our modes of thought are out of Alignment ..read more

What is something you want most in life? Is it money? Accolades? An achievement? A life partner? A new job? To lose weight? A certain home? A pet? Why do you want that money, or person in your life, or job, or home? I’ll give you a hint.  It has to do with your feelings. Feelings are just vibrations in our body, and yet everything we do in life is to either feel a certain feeling, or avoid a certain feeling. But, life is 50-50. If we want to live a full life, we need to embrace all our human emotions. AND learn to release the unwanted emotions healthily.   Follow me: Teaching Littl ..read more

Have you ever found yourself staring into the fridge, looking for something that was right in front of your nose all along? Do you ever wonder why your kids, or students, can't seem to just focus on one thing, or can't hear you when you call their name 100 times, but can remember all the details of what you told them 4 1/2 years ago? It may have something to do with Selective Attention and Inattentional Blindness. Adults are quite skilled at focusing on one thing, and disregarding all other "unimportant" information, but it turns out that kids don't share the same level of skill in that are ..read more

When you hear the word, "gunk", what do you think of?  Our brains and bodies are full of it.  Today, we learn how to clear that all out to open up space for the shiny, sparkly, healthy thoughts and feelings to take its place. EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), or "tapping" is an incredible and effective technique for clearing out all our stored gunk. I'll share with you what it is, why it works, the brain and health benefits, and how to do it.  We'll even try it out for ourselves. And, of course, we'll talk about how it can be used with the Little Brains in our lives to help t ..read more

We don’t know what September will look like at this point.  And, even if they did have a set plan for us now, it will most likely change a number of times before (and after) we start back to work.  And that unknown is an uncomfortable place for many people to sit.  The unknown can be scary for people.  Especially if it is a place where the looping thought track is narrated by the news or social media, or other fear-based, stress-perpetuating source. Stressing about it, is not only unhelpful, but is actually harmful to your health, and can compromise your immune system. Whe ..read more

Flossing sucks! It’s uncomfortable to the gums, which often bleed, you never cut the right length piece of floss - it’s always either too short to hold onto, or way too long to do your whole mouth.  By the time you’re done, your fingers are purple because you’ve got the floss wound so tightly around them that you’ve cut off all circulation.  Then, you have to wipe down the mirror after, cuz you’ve launched bits of white sh...stuff all over it - what is that even anyway?! PLUS, there’s like ZERO gratification in flossing.  There’s no visible difference in your mouth - except for ..read more

What does "play" mean to you? Do you consider yourself a playful person?   Do you engage in play on a regular basis, or are you resistant to play? Many of us understand that play is good for children's development, but do you know how, or why? Do you know that play is also good for adults? Play reduces stress, helps strengthen relationships and trust, enhances imagination, develops social skills, and even increases productivity and creativity. And, it doesn't have to be extensive or extravagant, simple things like putting on a silly hat, making goofy faces, playing fetch with the dog ..read more