Emotional Dysregulation is Rampant, Educators Need Support
Stress for children today is unlike what we’ve seen or dealt with in the past as they’re bombarded with social media, tech devices, bullying, and lots of external forces and challenges – and children need the tools and support to help them deal with it all. A survey by the Centers for Disease Control and […]
EI Before AI: The Importance of Connection
We are living in a moment of extraordinary technological acceleration. Axios recently reported that more than 40 million people are turning to ChatGPT every day for health information—and that’s just health care (Axios, 2026). For families and educators, AI can feel like relief: faster answers, easier planning, more efficiency. But childhood isn’t meant to be […]
Emotional Regulation is at the Heart of Academic Achievement and Positive Social Relationships
A Troubling Trend: Preschool Suspensions on the Rise I read a recent article about suspensions in Tulsa – hundreds of children are being expelled or suspended for aggressive, out-of-control behavior, including assault – and they weren’t just limited to high school students. We’re talking about hundreds of preschool students who have been suspended over the […]
Soft Skills, No Longer a Nice to Have, They’re a Need to Have
A recent Harvard Business Review article examined an analysis of 1,000 occupations and hundreds of skills, capturing 70 million job transitions, and identified several core skills necessary for success across all domains. First and foremost were foundational skills, such as collaboration, mathematical thinking, and adaptability. However, a subset of skills were also paramount to success […]
The “As Children Develop” Series Part I: Infants 0-3 Milestones and Activities
There is no faster time of brain development than from zero to three, and some of the most formative experiences that have lifelong consequences occur in early childhood. Because of this period of expedited development, babies’ and young children’s needs vary during these early years. That’s why I’m going to focus on age-by-age information during […]
Mindfulness & Breathing in Classrooms are First Steps in Addressing Children’s Mental Health, Not the Whole Solution
During Mental Health Awareness Month in May, the New York Times ran a piece entitled “Are We Talking Too Much About Mental Health?” In the article, the journalist cited some research that pointed to the possibility of overdoing coursework in emotional learning and mindfulness. The article explained, “…two research psychologists at the University of Oxford, Lucy Foulkes […]
This Mental Health Awareness Month, Let’s Focus on Connection
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a month where we raise awareness about the importance of mental health and ways to support mental well-being. At Housman Institute, emotional well-being and mental health are central to all of our efforts. In my last blog post, we took a look at a New York Times article that explored chronic absenteeism […]
Infants’ and Toddlers’ Mental Health Matters, And It Begins With Yours
EdSurge recently reported on the negative impact of the past few years on toddlers’ and infants’ mental health. I agree wholeheartedly that much has been reported on older groups of children and teens, but there hasn’t been as much focus on very young children – including infants and preschoolers. As Meghan Schmelzer, senior manager of infant and […]
Mental Health of Students & Teachers Must Come First
EdWeek recently ran an opinion piece, “What Districts Need When Investing Their Funds.”1 The authors identified multiple areas, such as tutoring, summer learning, and core instruction. They noted toward the end that emotional and mental health supports should be prioritized. As a psychologist with more than 35 years in the field of child development and […]
Off to School We Go – With a House of Support and Confidence
It is back-to-school season, and stuffed inside all those new backpacks and lunchboxes are lots of jitters and emotions, especially as we send off our littlest learners for the very first time. Our so-called “Covid Generation,” children born right before or during the pandemic, are carrying all the usual excitement, worries, and questions; however, they […]
The Power of Reflective Practice in Early Childhood Education – Part II: An Educator’s Journey
Welcome back! In our first installment on the power of Reflective Practice, we explored the importance of self-reflection and emotional awareness for ourselves as educators, and how Reflective Practice can be utilized within any education community to benefit everyone: teachers, supervisors, and mentors, families, and of course, children. Now, let’s take a look at an […]
The Power of Reflective Practice in Early Childhood Education – Part I: Helping Caregivers Tap Into Their Best Selves
Reflective Practice ensures that all members working in the educational community get the opportunity to communicate their self-reflections about how their work, their role, their actions, and their words impact others—and how they, in turn, are impacted by their work. ~ Dr. Donna Housman, Founder & CEO of Housman Institute In an article for Edutopia, […]
How Do We Talk to Kids About Scary Times?
Q: Dear Donna, My preschool and elementary school-aged children are becoming increasingly aware of world news, from the media as well as discussions in school. My husband and I are struggling to answer their questions honestly, but we don’t want them to become anxious and afraid that it could affect their safety here. How much is […]
The Covid Generation — Putting Kids on the Path to Well-Being
It’s hard to believe that we are entering the third year of Covid-19. It is also hard to get our heads around the fact that children under five have spent half their lives growing through the stress and uncertainty this relentless storm has wrought. What can we do to make sure that they are on […]
A Q&A with Dr. Housman
In a recent webinar, Dr. Housman spoke to a group of over 3,000 early childhood professionals on “The Power of Emotional Intelligence from Birth to Age 8.” The webinar was framed around the impact the pandemic has on children, as well as educators and caregivers. As we move toward our “new normal”, and a new school […]
For Our New Normal Make Emotional Well-Being a Priority
As this tumultuous school year winds down we are all owed a deep breath! And yet we also need to reflect on what this unprecedented time has taught us and think forward to what lies ahead in our “new normal.” As we slowly emerge from one pandemic, we are in fact facing another — one […]