About this Event
We are sorry, this course has been cancelled. View our Events Calendar for other CCFW courses, workshops, and drop-ins.
CCFW does not provide mental health or substance use treatment or services, nor do our mindfulness and compassion-based courses substitute for diagnosis or treatment for mental health or substance use problems such as depression, anxiety, or addiction. Find a list of mental health resources on CCFW’s resource page.
Is your child experiencing anxiety, low self-esteem, or difficulty managing emotions? This playful, six-week live online course uses comics, stuffed animals, movement, and games to develop and practice the vital skills of mindfulness and self-compassion. While full of fun, it’s proven to reduce anxiety and depression in kids, and lower stress in parents, while boosting their mindfulness and self-compassion. Through shared activities, you and your child will build a stronger bond, better communication, and more joy in facing life’s ups and downs. Designed for caregivers and their 7-11 year old, for the best learning experience, only one child may be included in the class.
This parent-child class was developed by child self-compassion expert and trainer, Jamie Lynn Tatera. The program is an adaptation of the adult Mindful Self-Compassion training and is endorsed by the MSC program creators, Christopher Germer, Ph.D. and Kristin Neff, Ph.D. This parent-child adaptation also incorporates playful metaphors and content from the Path to Resilience training.
Numerous research studies show that self-compassion is strongly associated with emotional wellbeing, coping with life challenges, lower levels of anxiety and depression, and more satisfying personal relationships. Research on parent-child participants in this training shows increases in both parents’ and children’s well-being.
In this course, you and your child will have fun and learn to:
- Cope effectively with difficult emotions
- Strategize on ways to self-soothe
- Practice mindfulness
- Feel less alone in struggles
- Strengthen resilience and positivity
- Increase your connection with one another
- Encourage yourself with kindness
- Become the best version of yourself
Past program participants reported the following benefits:
- A decrease in parenting stress.
- An increase in adult self-compassion and mindful parenting.
- Some adult participants reported decreased levels of depression in child participants.
Dates
Wednesdays, October 15 – November 19, 2025
6:30 – 7:30 PM PT
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (PARENTS/CAREGIVERS)
Q: Who created this program?
A: This curriculum was created by Jamie Lynn Tatera in 2020. Jamie Lynn is an elementary school teacher who is certified in yoga, mindfulness, and self-compassion instruction for children, adolescents and adults. She has a wealth of information about self-compassion for children and caregivers available at https://jamielynntatera.com.
Q: Who is this program designed for?
A: This program includes elements of the adult Mindful Self-Compassion program tailored for children and caregivers. The program is best for groups of children ages 7-11 and their parent(s) or guardian(s). However, it may be adapted for children as young as pre-school, tailored for older tweens, taught with groups of children only, and even individually with one caregiver-child pair.
Q: What are the main goals of this program?
A: The main goals of the program are to help you, children and caregivers alike, to:
- Recognize when you are having a tough time
- Remember that these situations (and the feelings that come with them) are normal and understandable, and
- Offer kindness to yourself through words and actions “Even when I_________ (mess up, don’t measure up, get ‘in trouble’, feel alone, feel sad, feel worried, feel left out, can’t sit still, don’t move fast enough, am forgetful, wait until the last minute, take too long, forget to be kind, lose my cool, don’t meet my own or other’s expectations of me, etc.)…. I am human, I belong, and I deserve kindness.”
Additionally, children and caregivers will learn to increase present moment awareness, open to goodness, be self-responsive, and cultivate good will toward themselves and others.
Q: How is the program structured?
A: This program has 6 one-hour sessions. Each session will have a combination of movement, group discussions, discussion between caregiver and child, and exercises.
Q: What is my role as the parent/caregiver in the program?
A: The best way to support your child in this program is to be a co-learner and come with an open mind. The material we discuss in the course is applicable to humans of any age.
Q: What if my child doesn’t want to come?
A: This is normal! Many children start the program with a variety of challenging feelings about the course including boredom and anxiety.
If this happens for your child, you might…
- Acknowledge that these feelings are understandable
- Remind them they don’t ever have to share anything that they don’t want to
- Offer your child encouragement through favorite activities or mini-celebrations after completing sessions
- Remind yourself that it is OK if your child seems disengaged at times, and consider you are “planting seeds” that may bloom at unexpected moments in the future
Q: What if my child gets distracted or has trouble sitting still/with online programs?
A: This is normal! Many children have this difficulty. If this happens for your child, you might…
- Acknowledge that distraction and trouble learning online is understandable
- Bring paper and pencil, and fidget object to each session. Children can draw, write or fidget throughout. They are still benefiting!
- Remember the course will have movement as part of each session.
- Self-compassion is about noticing what you need and taking care of yourself. Need to stretch? Need a drink? Need a snack? Please do!
Q: Is there homework?
A: There is not traditional written “homework” for this program. But, many ‘practices’ learned in class can be used in everyday life, and let’s be honest, life gives us many opportunities to practice compassion! When possible, model the material for your child by talking out loud often about your experiences with self-compassion. Talk about the difficult time you had, how you felt, and what you did or said to yourself. This is one of the most powerful ways to facilitate your child’s learning.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (KIDS)
Q: Will this be boring?
A: No, Blair can be quite entertaining, and we often play games during class. Kids are sometimes sad when this six-week class is done because they miss our weekly gatherings.
Q: Do I have to talk about my feelings in front of other people?
A: No. When Blair asks a question, parents/caregivers and kids mute themselves to discuss their responses with one another. Blair sometimes gives participants the choice to share with the whole group, but whole group sharing is optional.
Q: Why do I need to take this class?
A: Life is full of challenges. Self-compassion can help us to feel okay and connected to others when life is hard.
Q: What if I don’t want to take this class?
A: You’re not the only kid that would rather play than take a self-compassion class. Other kids who take this class say that it helps them to be happier in life. Also, ask your grown-up to read the grown-up FAQs for ideas about how to help you get excited about taking this class.
Q: Will this class help my parent/caregiver?
A: Yes. This class will help your mom/dad/grown-up as much as it will help you. But….shhhh…..you don’t have to tell your mom or dad that!
Scholarships Available
CCFW aims to promote well-being by making evidence-based mindfulness practices available and accessible to community members, particularly professionals working with children and families. We believe that mindfulness has positive implications for professionals as well as the children and families they interact with. Therefore, we wish to encourage mindfulness training by removing possible financial barriers for professionals working with these specific populations. If these fees are cost-prohibitive for you, we invite you to apply for a scholarship.
About the Presenter
Blair Carleton
Blair Carleton is a lifelong teacher. She is a Mindfulness Coach, Recovery Coach trained through the State of Washington and the Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery, and an instructor of Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC), as well as the MSC curriculum for teens, Making Friends with Yourself: A Mindful Self-Compassion Program for Teens and Young Adults. Trained by the founders of Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC), Dr. Neff and Dr. Chris Germer, Blair received her MSC Teacher Certificate through University of California San Diego’s Center for Mindful Self-Compassion. Her focus is on helping adults, young adults and teens cope with difficult emotions and self-judgment by building strong emotional resources, skills, and capacities that increase self-love and acceptance in any situation.
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