191 - Uplift Kids: Guiding Parents on Emotions and Wisdom
Sep 11, 2024
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In a compelling conversation, Jon, Amanda, and Michelle, co-founders of Uplift Kids, share their mission to help parents teach emotional awareness and wisdom to children. They discuss practical techniques like emotion charts and creative tools for expressing feelings. The trio emphasizes the benefits of integrating mindfulness into daily parenting and offers resources for meaningful family discussions. Their insights into ancient wisdom and modern parenting will inspire anyone looking to nurture emotionally intelligent kids.
The Uplift Kids curriculum equips parents with tools to teach children emotional intelligence and mindfulness through engaging lessons and activities.
By encouraging parents to reflect on their own emotions, the program promotes a co-regulative approach that fosters emotional safety during challenging moments.
Deep dives
Introduction to Uplift Kids Curriculum
The Uplift Kids curriculum offers a comprehensive lesson plan designed to introduce children to concepts from various ancient wisdom traditions, alongside essential emotional and social skills. The curriculum covers a range of topics, including emotional awareness, values like friendship and honesty, and mindfulness practices tailored for children. This program is particularly beneficial for parents seeking to teach complex ideas in a way that is accessible and engaging for their kids. By using this approach, parents can foster important conversations about emotions and values, making these lessons relevant and understandable for children of different ages.
Teaching Emotional Intelligence
A significant focus of the Uplift Kids curriculum is on teaching emotional intelligence to children, helping them understand and articulate their feelings. Tools such as an emotions chart are utilized to help children identify both pleasant and unpleasant emotions based on their intensity. The curriculum encourages children to engage not only cognitively but also physically with their emotions, promoting self-awareness and emotional regulation. Methods like emotional check-ins and role-playing foster an environment where children feel safe to explore their feelings and learn to discuss them openly with their parents.
Parenting Through Emotional Challenges
The program emphasizes the importance of parents recognizing their own emotional states when navigating their children's big feelings, promoting a co-regulative approach. Parents are encouraged to reflect on their triggers and emotional reactions, which can help them provide a safe space for their children during intense moments. Engaging in ongoing conversations about emotions, grounded in mindfulness principles, allows families to develop a common language for discussing feelings. This dynamic enables both parents and children to grow together in their emotional understanding and resilience.
Flexibility in Learning and Application
Uplift Kids offers flexibility in how families can engage with the curriculum, accommodating various schedules and preferences. Weekly lessons can be approached as in-depth discussions or quick check-ins, tailored to fit a family's unique dynamics. The curriculum also recognizes the diverse developmental stages of children, providing age-appropriate resources for both younger children and teens. By creating multiple entry points for engagement, the program ensures that families can find value regardless of their existing knowledge or familiarity with mindfulness and emotional intelligence.
In this episode, I interview the co-founders of Uplift Kids—Jon, Amanda, and Michelle—to explore how their curriculum helps parents teach emotional awareness and wisdom traditions to kids. We dive into practical tips for guiding kids through big emotions, the importance of mindfulness in parenting, and how ancient wisdom can be applied to modern family life. Whether you’re a parent looking for tools to raise emotionally intelligent kids or curious about integrating values-based lessons at home, this conversation offers valuable insights. Learn more about Uplift kids at upliftkids.org