The Bloom Approach

This morning we had the absolute pleasure of chatting live with Joe, the owner & founder of the ✨🌱

Our live didn’t save (very sad about that), but despite the hiccups with technology we had such an incredible chat and those that tuned in walked away with inspiring & tangible takeaways to implement with their littles.

As we approach a new school year, we discussed the power of modelling behaviours that teach our littles accountability, responsibility, and agency. We discussed the importance of routine, structure, consistency, and discipline when setting ourselves up to reach our full potential and elevate our lives. We chatted about the importance of gratitude, reflection, imagination, and visualizing & how we as parents and educators can bring these values into the home and classrooms. It was amazing. Thank you Joe!

Check out a gym for your mind where you’ll wake up, get vulnerable, get inspired, and learn to own your day 🌱✨

Stay tuned for more with Joe as we continue to empower children to bloom & thrive through change 🌱💭

✨When you are feeling shame....

Shame is the negative thoughts and feelings we have about ourselves. Shaming focuses on the negative image about themselves, rather than about the impact of their behavior.

So, how can we break the cycle?

💕Let yourself feel vulnerable.
💕Let go of perfection, and embrace the messiness of life.
💕Admit when you need help, and talk to someone you love.
💕Do something that motivates you.
💕Look at and treat yourself like someone you love.
💕Open your eyes and appreciate the beauty around you.

Let’s model the behaviors we want to see in our littles ✨

What is food art?

It is the art of preparing and presenting food in unique and creative ways to therapeutically awaken the 5 senses.

Using food for art and intentional play helps with language development, problem solving skills, concentration, creating an outlet for coping with emotions, and an increased openness in trying new foods.

Don’t forget to wash your hands before you start, and eat your creation when you are all done!

Tag us in your very own food art ! ✨

As the school year is coming to an end, here are our favourite ways to teach mindfulness over the summer!

🌱Before consuming, create something new out of something old.
🌱Plan for tech-free time. Pause, take a moment to just be present.
🌱Get outside and get mess. Use your 5 senses to explore. Create land art using the items you collect.
🌱Prepare food in new and beautiful ways just for the love of it. Pause and appreciate the smells and tastes.
🌱Daily journaling to set goals and express gratitude. Create a vision board for the new school year.
🌱Maintain a family garden. Use the changes in nature to teach skills such as resilience, failure, and growth.

Most importantly, HAVE FUN with your littles, and let their curiosity lead the way✨

Somewhere over the rainbow dreams that you dare to dream do come true 💭🌱

This was such an inspiring activity to do with our littles. We asked them to reflect upon the question “What is your dream?” ✨
Some responses:
🌱My dream is to be the tooth fairy
🌱My dream is to turn into a dinosaur
🌱My dream is to be a dentist
🌱My dream is to be a rhino
🌱My dream is to be flash
🌱My dream is to be a Pokémon creator
🌱My dream is to be a scientist

Our hearts were bursting when we read these dreams. We love kids.

Such an incredible way to incorporate & practice our growth mindset. To encourage creativity & imagination.

There is no limit to our imaginations 🌱 Give space to let the mind wander & dream. Model that for our littles, and you’ll be amazed at the ripple effect.

What are you dreaming about right now? 💭🌱

Today’s Affirmation🌱

“I do not have to be good at everything, to have success” 💭

A friendly reminder for all of us to give ourselves the grace to just be, to just try. To be “not the greatest”, to take risks, and embrace the act of doing and trying.

We as the adults- the educators & superhero parents can model this by:
🌱emphasizing the importance of trying
🌱encouraging our littles to take risks and try new things
🌱releasing the mindset and expectation of “scores, placements, winning, and loosing”
🌱embrace the doing, the trying, the willingness to take risks
🌱 shift the narrative from results to being about effort. “Did you try your best?”
🌱encourage failure! It’s okay not to be good at everything. That’s not what success is about.
🌱celebrate all of it! Scoring a goal, missing the shot, getting a C on a test….ask “did you try your best?” That’s Success.

Success means something different for all of us. When we move away from the standard definition of it, from it being about scores, placements, grades, winning, and meeting others expectations, we begin to see that success is really about trying.

“Never A Dull Moment” 🌱

This is our classroom motto.

As we wrap up report cards, finalize Bloom Summer programs and scheduling, and prepare for year end virtual celebrations, we find ourselves saying this more and more 😂 It’s truly Never A Dull Moment in the lives of Julia & Courtney 🌱

Speaking of…. Did you catch our inspiring chat with ? It was such an honour to be invited to chat with the Kind and Confident community about mindfulness for kids & how we are keeping our littles learning and growing all summer long ✨
Tomorrow we will be talking to you about shifting the mindset of success from focusing on the results, to instead focusing on the attempt 🌱

We stepped out of our comfort zones when saying yes to doing this Instagram Live - OUR FIRST ONE! Nervous, excited, and uncomfortable, phones overheating, internet connection cutting out, but regardless we showed up. We tried, we took risks, and we authentically arrived as ourselves. It’s truly never dull & it’s so important to always remember the learning never stops. It’s all about trying, the attempt 💭

Keep on taking risks, keep on getting uncomfortable, trying, learning, attempting, and working hard. That’s success to us 🌱

Today’s Affirmation🌱

“I do not have to be good at everything, to have success” 💭

A friendly reminder for all of us to give ourselves the grace to just be, to just try. To be “not the greatest”, to take risks, and embrace the act of doing and trying.

We as the adults- the educators & superhero parents can model this by:
🌱emphasizing the importance of trying
🌱encouraging our littles to take risks and try new things
🌱releasing the mindset and expectation of “scores, placements, winning, and loosing”
🌱embrace the doing, the trying, the willingness to take risks
🌱 shift the narrative from results to being about effort. “Did you try your best?”
🌱encourage failure! It’s okay not to be good at everything. That’s not what success is about.
🌱celebrate all of it! Scoring a goal, missing the shot, getting a C on a test….ask “did you try your best?” That’s Success.

Success means something different for all of us. When we move away from the standard definition of it, from it being about scores, placements, grades, winning, and meeting others expectations, we begin to see that success is really about trying.

How do you teach your littles about “success” ? 🌱

Today’s Affirmation 🌱

I can create more of what makes me happy.

We believe whole heartedly in the power of visualization. Some of our favourite ways to teach our littles the magical ways in which they can create the life of their dreams:
🌱 Introduce the concept of visualization by taking your littles on a virtual field trip
🌱On this field trip, encourage them to close their eyes as you describe what you’d see walking through a forest or on a beach
🌱Give them details of what they might feel, see, smell, and hear
🌱Try approaching this visualization with prompts, letting their minds drift and wander as they imagine the details
🌱Use deep breathing strategies to settle your littles into a space where they are not consumed by distractions
🌱 Ask your littles what makes them feel happiest
🌱Create Goal pictures to visualize desired thoughts, feelings, and spaces
🌱Use affirmation cards, repeat daily

Using the power of the mind to practice our growth mindsets and the wonders of visualization “I can create more of what makes me happy”. 💭

We believe as educators that it is crucial to immerse ourselves into our students worlds.

🌱 Ask your students about their weekends.
🌱Get to know their home life and their interests.
🌱Ask your students about their extracurriculars.
🌱Express your interest in attending one of their games, shows, practices, performances, etc.
🌱Email parents/guardians for schedules and confirmation of you attending one of their events.
🌱Block out a few evenings and a couple weekends throughout the year where you will attend extracurriculars to cheer on and support your students.

Watching our grade 7 student at her horseback riding lessons was so empowering. Thalia felt nervous, and excited, confident, and proud as she witness her mom and teacher in the stands cheering her on, glowing with happiness for her.

From hockey games, to volleyball competitions, baseball tournaments, dance recitals, horseback riding lessons, coding contests, piano performances, and so much more.....

Kids can feel when their educators truly CARE. When we take that extra step in wanting to get to know the whole child- mind, body, and soul. When we ask questions, dig deeper, express our interest, and give 200 % percent of ourselves to our students. That is when the transformation happens. That is when we set every child up to Bloom & Thrive 🌱

No matter how little we may be, we all have a voice, and it is our superpower!🌸

At the very beginning, we teach that your little’s voice matters, and how they can use it for protection and change.

Never be afraid to…

🌱Tell someone when they hurt you
🌱Say no when you feel unsafe
🌱Express your feelings and views
🌱Stand up when something is not right
🌱Be your true self
🌱Share your inspiring ideas

✨Together, let’s raise CHANGEMAKERS!✨