Sadly, the evidence is overwhelmingly clear: anxiety, depression and behavioral problems in children are on the rise, while the emotional well-being and mental health of parents as well as their parenting abilities are all suffering in tandem. And the pandemic has only made all of this worse.

The solutions to these problems are multi-faceted, no doubt, but one thing EVERY parent can do is take the responsibility and time to address their home first. So how do we help both ourselves and our children address the mental challenges we face? Well one place to begin is by addressing mindset and practicing gratitude. And one of the most effective tools we have found for children and adults alike is the 5 minute daily journal called "A Simple Seed".

A Simple Seed is a morning journal for kids and their parents (or teachers and their students) to start the day with a simple life-lesson, simple goals, simple affirmations, plus a pause for gratitude and a giggle--and all can happen in just a few minutes before you leave the house each day (or go to bed each night).

Author, mom, wife, former teacher and entrepreneur, Katie Wood, wrote this journal over the course of the pandemic while trying to find a way to preserve her own sanity and help her children do the same. Her family became the "guinea pigs" for how the simple routine outlined in "A Simple Seed" could positively impact an entire family. And once they experienced the fruit of the seed, Katie knew she had to share it. As Katie says, "There is power in teaching kids how to think versus what to think."

We LOVED this conversation with Katie about parenting, reaching our children where they are, and empowering them to be the much-needed leaders of their generation. If you are a parent, grandparent or teacher, or if you want to be someday, of if YOU could use some help with your own mindset--listen in and share!