Jodie Maddox

I PARTNER with parents and schools.

I EMPOWER them to make decisions within their sphere of influence.

I PROVIDE reliable support, with effective strategies, to gain desired results.

Email jodiemaddoxicoach@gmail.com

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Dear Friends,

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!! I hope this newsletter finds each of you knee-deep in family life during this festive season. At mass on Sunday we celebrated the feast of the Holy Family. Family life is the heart of our humanity; even Jesus experienced the special cadence and rhythm of family life. There is no perfect family, and no one family looks alike, but most families are very similar, experiencing familiar moments of celebration and frustration in their daily lives.

As you prepare for a New Year, it may help to review the benefits of practicing mindfulness. Mindfulness is an important tool that has gained widespread recognition for its profound benefits to a person's mental, emotional, and physical well-being. When parents learn to let go of the past, not be scared or worried about the future, and simply accept the here and now; they learn to react to most situations with grace and compassion. This coupled with a conscious effort to pay attention to our own mental health needs helps us foster a supportive and nurturing family environment where children feel seen, heard, and understood; ultimately decreasing stress and anxiety for all.

I wish you all the best in the year to come. As I reflect on my own personal and professional journey over the past year, I am reminded of the many families and educators I had the privilege to work with and learn from. What a joy it was to witness the many graces of family life through each one of you. May your family experience the promising gifts of hope, good health, and happiness in 2024!

With A Grateful Heart,

Jodie Maddox Parent Coach and Education Consultant

5 Great Reasons for Parents to Practice MINDFULNESS!

1. Mindfulness helps us to be fully present in conversations and activities.

Mindfulness invites parents to anchor themselves in the present moment, fostering a deeper connection with their children. By embracing the now, parents can savor the joys of parenthood and create lasting memories with their little ones. Mindfulness helps parents from jumping into a “fix it” mode. It helps parents to let go and enjoy what “is”.

2. Mindfulness can help us manage our stress and anxiety.

The demands of parenting can be overwhelming, leading to stress and anxiety. Mindfulness offers a toolkit for managing these pressures by encouraging parents to observe their thoughts and feelings without judgment. Through practices like mindful breathing and meditation, parents can develop resilience in the face of challenges, promoting a healthier emotional environment for both themselves and their children.

3. Mindfulness helps to enhance emotional regulation within the family.

Children are adept at picking up on their parent’s emotional cues. Mindfulness equips parents with the skills to regulate their emotions, thus preventing the transmission of stress or frustration to their children. Parents can model healthy responses to emotions by fostering emotional intelligence and teaching their children invaluable life skills.

4. Mindfulness can help improve parent-child communication.

Effective communication is the cornerstone of a healthy parent-child relationship. Mindfulness emphasizes active listening and open communication, enabling parents to truly understand their children's perspectives.

5. Mindfulness can help to minimize the cycle of reactivity.

As parents, it is easy to react impulsively to challenging situations, especially when we are exhausted or frustrated. Mindfulness encourages a pause between stimulus and response, providing parents with the space to choose their reactions consciously.

By incorporating mindfulness into our daily routines, conversations, and unplanned experiences; parents can instill a sense of calm and mindfulness within their children, setting the stage for a more balanced and resilient family life.

A couple weeks back, I discussed enhancing the vagus nerve to promote optimal health and wellness in children. This week, I'd like to delve into how parents can fortify their own nervous systems. Frequently, our children can pick up on our emotions, so strengthening our nervous system can lead to a calmer environment for them. Your vagus nerve acts to counterbalance the fight or flight system and triggers a relaxation response in the body. It plays an essential role in the healing process for both the mind and body.

Here are a few ways parents can strengthen their vagus nerve and activate the relaxation response in their body:

1. Grounding for 20 minutes daily (walking barefoot on grass/Earth, sand, or water).

2. Watching sunrise and sunset.

3. Cold plunges, cold showers, and ice facials

4. Building meaningful and loving connections

5. Breathwork, meditation, yoga, tai chi, prayer

6. Massage, myofunctional release

7. Acupuncture

8. Practicing gratitude

9. Gargling

10. Humming or singing

Start your New Year off right! Give yourself the gift of a peaceful home. Take time to care for yourself and strengthen your family priorities and routines. Learn new strategies that will help empower your parenting and guide your children. Parent Coaching is an excellent gift and an investment in your family. I can help change your family dynamic in just 10 short weeks. If you are interested in a free consultation, or to gain more insight into the coaching process, contact me today.

Interested in professional instructional or leadership coaching? Need a thinking partner? Interested in having another professional on your team? Do you think you can benefit from an outside opinion? I am here for you. I am passionate about providing instructional support, helping with the strategic planning process, or simply providing 1:1 instructional coaching for teachers. My experience in Special Education and as a building principal at every grade level K-12 can help you and your team. Good news, services can be accessed with title money!

Contact me today for a free consultation -jodiemaddoxicoach.com

Four Benefits of Coaching

1. Increased organization and productivity

2. Personal and professional growth

3. Learning effective communication skills

4. Strategic planning and goal setting

Let's work together to make a difference for teachers and kids! For a description and full list of topics I am currently offering click here.

Email: jodiemaddoxicoach@gmail.com
Website: jodiemaddoxicoach.com
Phone: (913)908-8220
Facebook: facebook.com/Jodiemaddox-ParentCoach&consultant