Mariposa Education

1-HR PARENT WORKSHOP MONDAY, JANUARY 27, 2025! Compassion vs. Control: Finding The Balance You Need It's really hard when your child is struggling to know how to help. On one hand, you know it's important to hold your child accountable and to set clear expectations. And yet you also want to be compassionate, to be a source of support and understanding when they struggle. For example, if your child is upset and they snap at you, it's hard to know whether to lean into what is bothering them or address the way they spoke to you. This is a common dilemma. Time and time again, the research shows us that children need to feel understood and accepted for their feelings AND to have clearly stated boundaries and expectations. In this workshop, we will talk about successful adult-child relationship styles and some tips and language to try to strike that balance needed between control and compassion. Registration required: Scan QR code or https://lnkd.in/ecrkTU-Y

Research and experience tell us that, even in the face of challenge and stress, children can still thrive if they have a quality relationship with an emotionally skilled adult. However, when those adults are stressed, it adds an extra layer of difficulty. So, what can we do to continue to support and care for our children during hard times when there are more concerns on our minds than our children can navigate? Read more: https://lnkd.in/eZrXsyNQ

We know that children develop social-emotional skills and learn and behave well only when they feel safe and through relationships with emotionally skilled adults. When parents and teachers create a compassionate relationship, children feel calmer, build trust, and are more likely to build the social-emotional resilience they need. Read more on our blog: https://lnkd.in/efg2V3Mi

If you are a parent, teacher, or caregiver, there is nothing more heart-wrenching than the sight and sound of a child in distress, crying so hard you can barely hear what they are saying, or simply looking sad and not talking, tantrums, screaming in anger and despair, or simply telling us how sad they feel. It’s the worst. And every part of us just wants to make those painful feelings disappear for them, and let’s face it, for us, too. It’s human nature to want to run from pain. And as adults, we feel our role is to fix things. And sometimes we can. We can put a bandaid on the cut, feed a hungry child, get them a coat when cold, and reassure them that there is no monster in the closet. But when a child is frustrated that they cannot do something themselves, feels hurt by someone (even you), or does not feel heard and understood, many of our attempts to fix it simply make it worse. To learn more and to discover what to do, read the full article on our blog: https://lnkd.in/eTp7zfzy

This phrase, “No thank you,” is often used by staff members in schools and child care centers to show non-acceptance of a behavior. Vague Directions don't improve child behavior or create equity. So what should you do instead? Read more on our blog! https://lnkd.in/e5phpMTh

Dear Teachers, We at Mariposa Education hope your summer is going well and you have had time to restore and relax. As August arrives, the stress can rise as you try to ensure you are set up for a great school year and still savor these last summer days. Our NEW self-paced course, Social Emotional Learning that Actually Works: Reducing Stress and Unlearning Misguided Approaches, is a 3-hour course you can take in August to start the year strong. This course helps you to understand the why of challenging behavior, unlearn outdated ideas that no longer work, and make clear the adult role in building social-emotional competencies. You will also learn one concrete skill that can lower stress, mitigate bias, and improve understanding. At the end of the course, participants receive a certificate for 3 Core Of Knowledge (COK) training hours. Mariposa courses have shown a strong impact on reducing stress and challenging behaviors and improving adult-child relationships. With the demand on teacher time, we have been asked for years for self-paced options. We are very excited to have developed something engaging and valuable that is more accessible. Sign up today, to receive an introductory rate of $55, with the code, INTRORATE https://lnkd.in/d_5whjAZ

Are you worried that your child gives up in the face of challenges? Whether it's joining in on the playground or getting through school drop off without a breakdown, as parents, we can teach our children the social emotional skills required to persevere through really hard moments. However, typical responses we think are helping may often be discouraging. Here are three practices that might be holding your child back, and what you can do instead: 1. Using labels as praise Labeling your child, even in the form of praise, like “You’re so smart!” or “You’re amazing at soccer!” can actually decrease self-motivation, because it cements the belief that these qualities are innate and not skills that can be practiced or developed. Then, when a child struggles in this same area, like not making the soccer team or failing a test, they may be more likely to shy away from trying because it goes against core beliefs they have about themselves. 2. Providing generic encouragement Generic encouragement like “Good job!” or “I’m so proud of you!” doesn’t reinforce positive behaviors over time. Feedback that echoes specific actions like “That was hard but you tried again anyway” or “Wow you remembered to take a deep breath” helps children internalize what’s needed to get through tough moments, so that later they know what it takes to self-motivate. 3. Using rewards and consequences Behavior issues often don’t stem from disobedience or manipulation, but underlying skills deficits that can’t be solved with a punishment or treat. Instead, build their social emotional skills through your relationship and learn the adult skills and behaviors that lead to social emotional skills in children. To learn more, sign up for our workshop this Friday: This is Hard! How to Help Your Child Do Hard Things and Persevere in the Face of Challenges, free for Baltimore County Public School parents through Baltimore County Public Schools Parent University. Link to register for 2/16: This is Hard! How to Help Your Child Do Hard Things and Persevere in the Face of Challenges

Parents - here are three practices you can use to help your child feel more confident and less anxious - 1. The 5:1 feedback ratio Forget sandwich criticism: 2:1 positive to negative feedback isn't enough, and studies link the ratio to failure and anxiety. To truly excel, our children need a whopping five positive points for every negative one. 2. Make positive feedback specific When kids surprise you with good behavior, get specific! Instead of "Good job!" say "Wow, you remembered to put away toys after playing!" This shows you noticed, reinforces the desired action and builds confidence. Praise the effort, not just the outcome. 3. Focus on effort, not ability Highlighting effort, like “That was a tough one, and you figured it out!” builds grit and growth mindset, while praising talent like "You’re so smart, I knew you knew you could do it" can discourage future attempts when things get tough. To learn the science behind anxiety and more strategies to boost your child's confidence, sign up for our upcoming lunch and learn cohort, free for Baltimore County Public School parents:  https://lnkd.in/gtWXjf6P