Suzanne Tucker is a powerhouse of positivity and nurturing energy. We had the joy of sitting down with her this week to discuss the wonders — and curveballs — that being a parent can bring.
The founder of Generation Mindful and the “Time-In ToolKit,” an engaging collection of illustrations and games, Suzanne Tucker is dedicating her life to teaching children (and their parents!) how to acknowledge and express their emotions and behaviors.
A mom of four, physical therapist, and parent educator since 1992, Suzanne has been teaching gentle parenting and children’s mindfulness classes for over two decades.
In 2016, after being inspired to find a solution for one of the parents in her positive parenting classes, Suzanne founded Generation Mindful, a social-mission driven company creating children’s educational tools, toys, and programs that connect the generations and build emotional intelligence playfully.
Suzanne shares with us her optimism and belief that everyone can be a wonderful parent – and that it’s totally okay (and actually pretty awesome) not to be perfect.
Passionate about giving parents the tools and understanding to enable them to practice connecting with their children — rather than feeling helpless and overwhelmed — Suzanne is a wealth of knowledge regarding human emotions and motivations.
Read on to hear some of our favorite takeaways from this super insightful chat.
Perfection is Stifling
One of the most refreshing revelations Suzanne shared with us is that it’s okay not to be perfect. As parents, we want to do the best for our kids and can sometimes feel disheartened if we don’t meet the impossible standards we set for ourselves.
Suzanne explained that although a natural human emotion, chastising ourselves for not attaining ‘perfection’ is unrealistic — and that even chasing the bar of perfection can be detrimental.
“As conscious parents, we’re not looking for perfect, we’re looking for present, and I like to think of the word mindfulness as present in the moment, with joy and ease.”
Emotions Are Okay (And Encouraged)
Emotional intelligence is one of the greatest skills that you can help your child to master. Suzanne explained to us that encouraging your children to express their feelings, and their frustrations can have a calming and positive effect on your household.
According to Suzanne, when families become aware of their feelings, and in the process take ownership of them, they empower themselves to become more connected with each other.
“I think I was the keeper of my own prison because it was never overtly said that I can’t express — that was modeled from my parents. We as human beings model, we model what we see. We have this beautiful thing called ‘mirror neurons’ where we literally mirror what is around us. So even though it was not overtly said, had I challenged this concept I was picking up on of ‘happy happy happy’ — I’m sure that my parents would have met it with curiosity, and maybe displeasure — but we would have gotten to the other side of it.”
Launch The Bigger Picture
We asked Suzanne what advice she had for fellow entrepreneurs who have a vision but aren’t sure how to execute it.
“I think where the faith and trust that I was creating something of value came from was listening to pain points in my community here locally and thinking, ‘I have an answer for that.’ So for entrepreneurs out there, I would say instead of just being inspired to make something, I would say to really look at the problem and look at what you’re creating as a solution.”
This really resonated with us, because it truly encompasses what Suzanne and Generation Mindful are about – creating solutions that enrich families lives and enable them to live more mindfully.
If you would like to hear more of our conversation with Suzanne and the awesome work that Generation Mindful is doing with families, click the link to our podcast.
Listen to the Full Interview with Suzanne Tucker
Links & Resources
- Generation Mindful
- Time-In Tool Kit
- Snuggle Buddies
- Positive Parenting Course
- Peace Makers
- Feelings Bingo
- ACE Test
- I Didn’t Ask For Twins – Chelsea Alders
- Parenting Pod – 15 ways to help kids develop empathy
Connect With Suzanne Tucker
Connect with The Shifting Perceptions Podcast:
Connect with Jay Alders
Connect with Chelsea Alders & Companies
- Thanks to Beauty Counter for the support – For free samples and information, contact Chelsea at info@ommamas.com or click here: BeautyCounter.com/chelseaalders
