Category: Heart 4 kids Advocacy Organization

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Heart 4 kids Advocacy Organization Parenting Tips

Tiny Tips for Moms and Dads #47 Creating and Maintaining Trust-with your child and vice versa.

Building a mutual trust with your child is one of the most
critical elements of the foundation of your lifetime relationship.

As parents we all want our children to love, honor, respect and trust us.  These are the mutual element of what constitutes a strong and healthy relationship.  Having and engaging in a healthy relationship with our children, is a lifetime adventure through so many scenarios that provide opportunities to test and support the strength and quality of our relationship.  These moments where we engage in building and leaning in on our trust with one another, afford us the chance to solidify the quality and intensity of that trust.  It is so important for our children to know they can trust us.  There will be times when just knowing they can trust us with their thoughts, feelings, and situations that challenge them, will be key to their ability to move through and give them a strong sense of also trusting themselves to reach out to us.

Never underestimate the ability of our children being able to use their gift of discernment to know when and when not to trust of distrust.  They know when people are being genuine when they are engaging with them and if they do not trust them, they shut down communication. The interesting thing about this is that some children if their gift of discernment is not nurtured and validated along the way, they can lose touch with their ability to look through people and situations that are attempting to deceive them.  We have a responsibility as parents to be intentional about supporting the well-being of our children’s self-esteem and sense of worth. 

When children feel secure in being loved by their parents and the village that is committed to them, they are able to utilize their intuitive discernment to assess what is in fact someone or something trustworthy.  In this society and world, we are living in, our children need this ability to know confidently who they can trust.  We model what trust looks like, feels like, and acts like. So parents, lets shower them with every opportunity we have to build age appropriate trust experiences and lessons.  One of the impactful experiences for an adult is to be in a position where you no longer trust anyone.  We don’t want that for our children.

The challenge for us as parents is to fortify our children and let them be assured that we are there and can be “Trusted”!

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Sustaining our Humanity

Sunday Morning Prayers-#9 Being In Our Right Minds in Order to Live of Peace and Purpose-

Why can’t we be as uncomplicated and
of clear sound mind and spirit as children?
They know how to go into their world and shut out the “noise”!

“Great Spirit”,

In these days that seem to be haunting us with so many loud, distracting, and deceptive messages, we need your love and guidance to quiet our mind and ease the confusion that tries to take hold of our peace, clarity, and joy. The joy, “Great Spirit”, that we yearn for, that only being in relationship with your unconditional all encompassing “Love” can offer us.  We need your support to fend off the things and people that are not healthy for our minds, bodies, and spirits.  Grant us thy peace!  Grant us thy grace! Grant us the strength to make decisions in our life that will give us the footing to do what will keep us of sound mind, good health, and a righteous spirit. 

Ashe! Ashe! Ashe!

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Tiny Tips for Moms and Dads #46 Modeling Failure and How to Be Ok with Making Mistakes or Not Succeeding the Firs Time You Try is Called “Being Human”!

Sometimes Celio has to try something several times until he
Succeeds in accomplishing what he has set out to do-
And we let him know that it is really ok!

I can’t believe how this situation shows up so frequently for children of all ages.  To be honest, we deal with this throughout our lives. Perhaps the most critical element of this is how it plays out in the emotional well-being of a child.  We don’t want them to withdraw from exploring or experimenting because they are fearful of failing.  We want them to be fearless warriors in their life.  We want them to know that they can accomplish anything, even if at first, they do not succeed, we are there to support them through the situation, until they can stand steadfast on their own.  It is our responsibility to work them through dealing with these feelings of disappointment, discouragement, self-doubt, and fear or hesitation to try something new or what might be considered difficult. 

We as parents, teachers and caregivers have to be of the same mind that what we expose our children to must be age and interest appropriate.  We have to try to let them explore things that catch their attention.  Sometimes we have to expose them to things we think might be in harmony an alignment with who they are, what their gifts are, and things that will enhance their development and consequently, show them that they are capable and successful in the challenges they are exploring.    

Remember, each child will handle the experience of not accomplishing something differently.  We have to be in tune with how our child responds to stress and figure out what works best with them.  Is it a conversation in a quiet gentle voice, or a hug and warm tender embrace, where we cuddle with them to ease their stress?  Is it giving them tools that they can use on their own to give them control on their own?  Find out what works with your child and take each situation that might arise, pulling out whatever works at the moment because sometimes we have to be flexible and creative in our approach to supporting them.  Are you up for the challenge parents?

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Tiny Tips for Moms and Dads # 39 – Everybody Gets Mad, Sad, and Disenchanted, But We Don’t Have to Live in Those Emotions-Just “Push the Magical Reset Button” And Let the Emotions Frizzle Away!

Second generation of knowing how to process and validate their emotions!
These two characters know all about the “Reset Button”!  It has been a tool to help our children process through their emotions.

Children can have a difficult time navigating through their emotions and if I am being truthful, it is part of our human design to be challenged by dealing with our emotions throughout our life’s journey.  What we have to do as parents and caregivers of children, is to support them and guide them through the incidents that pop up and take them off their balance and control.  We want them to learn to be comfortable and in control of the feelings that run through them.  We don’t want them to be fearful and embarrassed about having a melt down or temper tantrum, feeing emotional of sad.  We want to support them with tools that will aid them in processing through their feelings and find a resolve to what might be overwhelming and unbearable for their age and maturity. 

We taught our children that they have the power and ability to reset the situation. We help them to process what they are experiencing by allowing them to have time and space to express themselves.  Sometimes it takes sitting in the feelings till they can verbally express themselves. Sometimes it means holding them in the embrace of your tender arms and whispering words of love to ease their stress. Sometimes it involves finding alternative ways other than verbally communicating, and we might have to come up with more creative ways for them to sort through their feelings.  I like “gentle reprocessing” which entails art, to bring to light what is transpiring so that words don’t get in the way. 

It will take trying different modalities to find out what resonates with each child.  Sometimes a family can come up with a safe way to process feelings and experiences that impact their emotions that are a clue for everyone to know that they need time, space, and support.  For our family we have the children visualize a “reset button” that is part of their belly button.  When we move through the emotions, we suggest pushing their “reset button”, take a deep breath, exhale, and start a new when they are ready.  Their mind, heart, and soul, have to align in harmony in order to be able to feel a sense of relief and resolve.  Trust me when I say, developing a ritual or modality for shifting through and resolving their emotions and feelings is a gift that will support them throughout their life. 

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I’m Just Sayin- #60 Be Vigilant! Be Alert! Be Discerning! Be Not Fooled! Be Proactive! Stand Up! Speak Up! Show Up! Don’t Allow Our Democracy to Slip Through Our Fingers and Become a Kakistocracy!

We are blessed with the most beautiful country that provides a sacred space for the “Great Experiment”- A Life of Democracy!

We are living in a time of what seems to the naked eye to be that of chaos and confusion.  I don’t want to succumb to being disillusioned or hopeless.  We have a great opportunity to forge forward to support our country in realizing the fullness of living in a governmental system steeped and secured in the principles of Democracy.  We cannot allow our Democracy evolve into a Kakistocracy! Our democracy is being threatened by a Kakistocracy.  It is obvious that the current members of our Congress are out of control.  We are being represented by politicians that are demonstrating character, ethics, intelligence, views, and agendas that are contrary to the best interest of the well-being of our country. We have to acknowledge their presence, challenge their agenda, and ethics that are destroying every fiber of the integrity and principles of democracy. 

What is the difference between a Democracy and a Kakistocracy?  Usually, the individuals that represent the people that vote them into office are individuals that support the values, principles, and needs of their constituency. 

It has been a work in progress in this country in an effort to be a democracy, to uphold the values and laws of our Constitution of our country.  The beauty of our Constitution is that it has the potential of evolving as our needs and circumstances in society change and evolve.

 Our expectation and perhaps as we have recently discovered, is that the people that have committed themselves to public service are intelligent and ethical in how they deal in their position in office.  Of course, we are not foolish enough to believe that our politicians are not capable of being unscrupulous and void of integrity.  We do however, want them to uphold the tenants of our democracy.  However, if we our honest, in the last 8-10 years, we have seen the methodical deterioration of our government and thrusting it on the verge of becoming a Kakistocracy. 

What is a Kakistocracy? By definition it is a government by the least suitable or competent citizens of a state. A Kakistocracy is a government run by the worst, least qualified or most unscrupulous citizens. What can I say? I feel that as I navigate through the maze of what is transpiring daily in this country, I am so concerned that the Kakistocracts that are infused into our government, pose a serious danger to our Democracy!  I can’t believe their words, actions, and the untruths they have used as their badge of self-interest and narcissism.  The concept of “WOKE”, is so relevant in this time in our history.  We must all embrace a life where we are awakened to what is transpiring around us and at the same time not allow ourselves to be overwhelmed and paralyzed to the point where we are not able to take action with our vote, our voice, and engagements to make a difference.  We cannot sit back and idly allow our country to be overtaken and imploded by people that are not qualified to represent us.

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Tiny Tips for Moms and Dads #37 Bullying, Violence, and Racism is Self-Destructive and Can Disease the Soul!

We have a big job ahead of ourselves as
“guardians” of our precious children.

So much of what our children are experiencing in this “new world order” is fused with bullying, violence, and racism and we know as adults that it imperative for us as “guardians” of our children to protect them and give them the tools to navigate through the maze of illusions, deceptions, and untruths that try to capture the imagination and soul of our children.  Our responsibility is to cultivate in our children compassion, the ability to be kind, thoughtful, respectful, and non-judgmental of other people. 

Children are not born with feelings of hatred, violence, or racism.  Those traits or actions are taught and imposed by other people in a child’s world of influence.  They come into this world as a clean slate.  They come here to be loved and guided.  They come here to learn, to explore, to discover the world that they have to live in and be a part of.  We have the chance to influence them during the most important developmental time in their life.  We have a chance to instill the values and behavior in our children that will support them in being who they are designed to be.  They were designed to be loving, caring, gentle of spirit, kind, and receptive of being healthy in their perception of what life and people should be like.  Life will challenge them and try to “take them out of themselves”, as our ancestors use to say.  We therefore have to fortify them with the character skills that will sustain them in being their authentic selves. 

We have to be observant in what transpires in their interactions, especially with their peers.   So much is revealed during “play”.  This is the time we can use to have a “teaching moment” with our children.  Firsthand, real-time experiences are the best way to integrate a conceptual lesson.  There are children’s books that can also support us in sharing the concepts we want to instill in our children’s character development.  I realize that what makes “Tiny Tips for Moms and Dads”, different than other parenting books and media content, is that my focus is on helping parents support the character development and spiritual essence of their children.  I understand the significance of this area of human development and how it impacts the overall life journey of our children. 

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Peace, Patience, Prayer- The Sacred Tools.

Peace, Patience and Prayer

Peace, Patience, Prayer will render the manifestation of our dreams, which ultimately lie in God’s blessing for the divinity, purpose and fulfillment of our life’s journey!

Peace that surpasses all understanding because it is difficult to actually articulate what peace is in words.  It is a feeling of perhaps contentment that swells up in our very souls.  It is the something that at times seems to slip through our grasp. It is not a state of being that is constant, but that we must draw unto ourselves to balance the chaos that creeps into our lives unexpectedly. Our daily mantra that keeps us on track is saying out loud and in our quiet moments-“Peace Be Still”!

Patience is perhaps the most challenging element in our journey.  It is life long lessons that we are faced with in so many situations.  We have a tendency to be impatient and struggle to control everything we can in our lives.  It is not realistic to think that we can control what goes on around us. We can only control what is within us. I really believe what they say, “Patience is a virtue”. It is amazing to witness what can transpire in our lives when we are able to be patient and surrender.  When we fight against the grain and struggle to control and manipulate situations and circumstances, we are wasting energetic vibrational power that can serve us better in other aspects of our life.

And then there is the power of prayer.  Prayer, being that conversation with the Creator, of all living. things. The One who knows the totality of who we are and what we are capable of. The One who sees all.  The One who hears all. The One who knows all. Prayer is the authentic engagement between us, and the “Holy Spirit”. It is available and accessible 24/7.  The beautiful thing about prayer is that it is personal and completely individualized. Your prayer is your prayer. It is strictly between you and God.

These are the sacred tools that God has provided for us to utilize, that will enable us to manifest our divine purpose and find fulfillment on our life’s journey.

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Early Childhood Education Heart 4 kids Advocacy Organization Parenting Tips Sustaining our Humanity

Bullying-Why We Must Teach and Model Compassion

Compassion in its purist form. “He’s my little brother and he needs my gentle touch to fall asleep”.

Bullying- Why We Must Teach and Model Compassion–

What is essentially the act of compassion or being a person that carries and uses compassion from a heart space?

I looked up the word compassion in the Webster’s Children’s Dictionary and was so disappointed in the choice of words that were used for children to define and understand what the word means. “ Pity for and a desire to help someone”- “ having or showing pity and a desire to help someone”.  Then I looked it up in the regular Webster’s Dictionary and the same word “pity” was used in the definition. The Center for Compassion and Altruism defines compassion as “ A multi-textured response to pain, sorrow and anguish. It includes kindness, empathy, generosity and acceptance. When we teach children that to be compassionate it means to pity, this is the very reason behind the foundation on which bullying is such a devastating and dangerous act in our society today. 

From the word “pity” there is a feeling of superiority and entitlement ingrained in the texture of the word! I would never have used that word in explaining compassion to children! Who do they think these children of this period of civilization are?  They don’t have a clue. We are not nurturing and guiding our children in the “light of spiritual development that they deserve and are looking for. The very examples of what they see in the media, games, movies and adult behavior, that they are bombarded with, does not promote compassion and or empathy.

This Early Childhood period of development is critical in so many areas of development! It is the only time in a child’s educational experience that there is a conscious and intentional decision to provide children with a curriculum that embraces teaching a child what it is to be a whole, healthy, happy socially and an emotionally sound human being!

We must teach compassion, empathy, inclusiveness, acceptance, love and generosity of spirit. We must teach cause and effect! We must teach responsibility for our actions. We must teach remorse for negatively impacting another person thru teaching empathy. We are as parents, teachers, extended family, and friends influencing and imprinting on the soul development of our children! How do we hold a sacred space for them to show up as being compassionate adults in this challenging world? Will they have the tools and character to be contributing members of society? Are we setting them up for failure and pain because we have not done our part to guide them and uphold the integrity of their divine identity? Bullying is taught and modeled.  Children possess an innate ability to respond with love and compassion. It must be protected and nurtured. We have work to do!

Even little animals need our love and compassion. I think the expression on her face demonstrates how compassion impacts our being.

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Let Freedom Ring-

Boricua, Barrilero in Caguas, Puerto Rico-

Independence Day- Day of Independence- A Day to Celebrate Freedom

As many of our American citizens are celebrating the 4th of July today, I had to re-evaluate my feelings and understanding of how I as an African American woman born to an African American father from the South, and a Jamaican mother of mixed ethnicity, fit into the fabric of the American culture celebrating the Independence from Great Britain. A battle fought by Americans and slaves alike. Promises made, and promises broken.  But the thing that comes to my mind and heart, this is a day that has significance in another way. For me I understand the need for independence and freedom. 

I have the independence to make my own life’s decisions and to know that I have the freedom to set the course of my destiny without fear of being judged or restricted. How magnificent and precious are the gifts of independence and freedom.  We take it for granted as we go about our daily lives.  In so many corners of the world, people have never experiences this gift of freedom. If ever there was a time in this country to uphold our independence, it is now! It is time to re-evaluate what we all have an investment in.  Our freedom is to be honored and respected.  This country is the “Great Experiment in the Democratic System of Government”.

We cannot allow the partisan politics that are erupting in our government to destroy the fundamentals of our country that’s intentions is to govern for the people and by the people.  I acknowledge that I am blessed this day that celebrates “Independence” and I pray that people around the world might be afforded the same gift of freedom that rings in my heart and resides in the depth of my soul.

God Bless the America for what it can be, a place of freedom, inclusion, justice, acceptance, and dignity for all that are inheriting this land, shall they be free!  May who and what we are to become as our democracy is manifested, be a light for the world to hold the truth’s, that all mankind is equal and worthy of this freedom to be independent and free. I hear the “Beat of a Different Drummer”.

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There is a Better Way to Live and Let Live-

The beauty that has been bestowed upon us in this planet is worth sacrificing the “Me, Myself and I” life style for the good of the collective “WE”.

There is A Better Way to Live and Let Live!


End the violence, greed, and judgment!


First of all God the Father three in one is not coming back again because He never left. The flesh was sacrificed but the Spirit of God resides within each of us that know He is the Alpha and Omega. God speaks to us as individuals, families, communities of faith, and in cultural context that meets our needs as a global society.

God is still speaking and His truth and words to us go beyond the Bible, Koran etc. Don’t get stuck at the foundations of the different religious ideologies and theologies.

It is time to be in our quiet sacred spaces and listen to His words that are calling us to love, respect, honor and care for one another! He is clear!

Feed the hungry!  -(physically, spiritually and emotionally)

Clothe the naked!

Educate everyone in our global society!

House the homeless!

Realize that the world belongs to each of us regardless of race, ethnicity, citizenship, wealth, illusions of power and physical or mental capacity. In reality not in the altered state of illusions, we are all equal. One race –the human race.

Provide employment and support each other in living sustainable lives that nurture self worth so that crime and violence are not viable answers to broken lives and tormented souls because people know they are loved and accepted unconditionally and without judgment!
End the violence and substance abuse. We are not living our lives in our divinity that was our birthright!
Compassion, Unconditional Love, Respect, Acceptance, Ethics, Grace and Mercy are the principles we must embrace and put into action in our daily lives.
God instills in us innate intuitive knowledge and wisdom of right from wrong to live by, that covers everything we need to sustain our humanity and live in peace and joy! The answers lie within our individual souls and our collective humanity if we so choose to live those essential elements. 

My stream of consciousness is evolving from this space of “wanting” change to another space that I feel emerging, but I don’t know what that is until “Spirit” speaks! I’m listening for the still quiet voice that resides in my soul!