Thriving Tree Teaching

09/29/2026

Why do morning-me and evening-me keep making plans for each other? 🙄😂

09/23/2026

Your child KNOWS what to do when they’re calm.

But when they’re melting down and we say, “Take a breath!” “Go get your calm-down tool!” or “Use your strategies!”… nothing.

That’s because knowing a strategy and being able to access it when overwhelmed are two very different skills.

And the middle of a meltdown usually isn’t the best time to teach the strategy.

So what CAN we do?

Practice when they’re already calm.
Pick just 1–2 strategies and practice them for a couple of minutes, 3–5 times throughout the week. Keep it short and low-pressure.

Practice during real - but SMALL -frustrations.
The game doesn’t go their way? The Lego tower falls? They have to wait an extra minute? These are great opportunities to practice before they’re completely overwhelmed.

Connect the strategy to body cues.
Instead of only teaching “take a breath,” help them notice: My hands are getting tight. My voice is getting louder. My body is moving faster.

Then: “That might be a sign your body needs a break.”

Practice together.
Don’t just tell them to breathe - breathe WITH them. Get your own water. Take the movement break together. Model what using a strategy actually looks like.

Catch it EARLY.
A strategy that works at a 3 might be impossible to access at a 9.

The goal is to practice these skills enough when their brain CAN access them that, over time, they become easier to reach when their brain is having a harder time.

So this week, don’t add five new coping strategies.

Pick ONE. Practice it when nobody needs it.

That’s where I’d start.

Save this one for the next time you find yourself saying, “But you KNOW what to do!”

09/17/2026

🌳 This is what community partnership can do. 💚

We’re incredibly proud to have played a role in bringing SNAP to young people at BGC Prince County!

A huge thank you to BGC Prince County for investing in this work and to the Community Foundation of PEI for making it possible through their support.

Watching young people build skills in emotional regulation, problem solving, flexible thinking, and making thoughtful choices - and seeing the impact reflected in their feedback - is exactly why programs like this matter.

We’re so grateful for partnerships that invest in young people and create meaningful, lasting impact.

Pretty amazing what can happen when community organizations come together around kids. 💚

We would like to give a huge shoutout to the Community Foundation of Prince Edward Island for supporting our SNAP program!

SNAP stands for Stop Now and Plan — which is a key program at BGC Summerside, as our members learn about emotional intelligence, problem solving skills, and pausing to reflect before taking action.

Thank you for standing behind such an important program as children and youth learn skills that help them navigate the world and their actions all the way through adulthood! And a big thanks to Thriving Tree Teaching for playing such a key role in implementing this program! We are so grateful for the opportunity to work together to help young people in our community thrive!

09/12/2026

I just want to understand the thought process…

08/29/2026

You can’t clock out on a 24 hour job 😂