During the 2021/2022 school year, many of the teachers we work with would have to create their own weekly Social Emotional Learning (SEL) strategies for their class which was often time consuming. Many pre-existing SEL programs no longer fit the mold for classrooms that are now more digital. Teachers are having to do more work to make SEL work for their students. We say NOT ANYMORE! Now more than ever, we recognize how important it is to be consistent with SEL in the classroom and how making it is easy on teachers is a key to this success. That's why this summer we have been working behind the scenes to create our brand new #PullYourWeeds® One-Click SEL Program for teachers . This service allows your teachers access to grab and go resources to meet your school's weekly SEL needs via a private web link for your school. This one-stop SEL shop features everything a classroom needs to support a successful and thriving environment, from games & activities, morning meetings, pre-recorded workshop videos, crafts, mindfulness and grounding exercises, visual aids for their classroom and more! All materials are rooted in the You Are a Gardener® mindset and foundation of our platform. It's all about turning weeds into seeds. Let's work together and dig into raising a new generation of emotionally empowered kids. Our One-Click SEL© is guaranteed to change the way your students and staff manage stress with positive results! Book a 15 minute demo today and let's grow! Send us an email to --> flowers@youareagardener.com or click here to contact us today!

Hey teachers we hear you! During the 2021/2022 school year, many of the teachers we work with would have to create their own weekly Social Emotional Learning (SEL) strategies for their class which was often time consuming. Many pre-existing SEL programs no longer fit the mold for classrooms that are now more digital. Teachers are having to do more work to make SEL work for their students. Now more than ever, we recognize how important it is to be consistent with SEL in the classroom and how making it is easy on teachers is a key to this success. That's why this summer we have been working behind the scenes to create our brand new #PullYourWeeds® One-Click SEL Program for teachers . This service allows your teachers access to grab and go resources to meet your school's weekly SEL needs via a private web link for your school. This one-stop SEL shop features everything a classroom needs to support a successful and thriving environment, from games & activities, morning meetings, pre-recorded workshop videos, crafts, mindfulness and grounding exercises, visual aids for their classroom and more! All materials are rooted in the You Are a Gardener® mindset and foundation of our platform. It's all about turning weeds into seeds. Let's work together and dig into raising a new generation of emotionally empowered kids. Our One-Click SEL© is guaranteed to change the way your students and staff manage stress with positive results! Book a 15 minute demo today and let's grow! Send us an email to --> flowers@youareagardener.com or click here to contact us today!

With nothing to do and all day to do it, our family just indulged in the most relaxing vacation on Nantucket (aka ACK). Staying rooted in tradition we wandered down the back sandy roads in Madaket, Nantucket to take our annual family photo in front of Fred Rogers' Nantucket home, The Crooked House. Fred Rogers has always been a role model of ours. When traveling to Nantucket long before we had our book, before it was even a seed, we would always make a point to drive out to The Crooked House. We always like to picture Fred and his wife Joanne out back relaxing in Adirondack chairs and gazing out onto the serene harbor. We try to imagine what he was dreaming about, what seeds he was planting in his mind. Photos taken in Madaket, Nantucket in front of The Crooked House from 2022-2018 (2018 is when we had our first copy of You Are a Gardener®) Including a photo of Fred & Joanne Rogers Whenever we travel by The Crooked House our family feels a stronger connection to our dreams and goals for You Are a Gardener®. We are inspired by Fred Rogers' genuine passion for wanting to connect with children and help them find ways to feel confident and calm. We are grateful for all that Fred Rogers did to help children and how he never gave up on pursuing this dream. He paved the way for empowering children with much needed social and emotional support. He kept moving forward, kept planting seeds, kept following his instincts and helped countless children and families along the way. To use Fred Rogers' own quote, "Anyone who does anything to help a child in his life is a hero to me.' To our family, Fred Rogers' embodies all the qualities of a modern day hero and this little tradition of ours leaves a big imprint on all of our hearts. You can only imagine how excited we were when we saw a Little Free Library on our way to The Crooked House dedicated entirely to Fred Rogers!!! Click Here to read more about our Little Free Library adventures! Hey gardeners, can you spot 2 little gardeners in The Old Mill Windmill in Nantucket? The Old Mill is a historic windmill located at 50 Prospect Street in Nantucket, Massachusetts. Built in 1746, it is the oldest functioning mill in the United States. The mill is owned and operated by the Nantucket Historical Association as a museum. It is a contributing property of the Nantucket Historic District. The social, emotional and physical health benefits of taking a family trip are extremely nourishing and so good for the soul. If you have been debating on booking that trip or just getting away for the weekend, give yourself the permission to unwind. Disconnecting from your daily life of tasks and chores can help you feel healthier, calmer and happier. Time away (even if it’s brief) will literally get you bACK on trACK!

June 17th, 2022: With summer just a hop, skip and jump away for the 400 students at Copper Hill School in Ringoes, NJ, our gardening team helped them celebrate their You Are a Gardener® Culminating Event with our signature Humongous Hopscotch! Scroll down and jump into the most joyful event of our 2021/2022 school year! We are hugely grateful for Copper Hill's administration for being so welcoming and supportive of our #PullYourWeeds® Program! (Make sure you scroll all the way through to hear the most joyful noise ever!) What made this event even more incredible is that Gardener Anna & Gardener Aidan joined in to help. To do what you love, alongside of your kids is truly a dream come true! ~Shanna Truffini Left (Gardener Anna & Gardener Becky-Copper Hill's School Counselor) Middle (Gardeners' Anna, Shanna, Aidan & Charlotte) Right (Gardener Anna & Gardener Aidan) Gardeners' Charlotte, Kelsey, Anna & Aidan chalk out Copper Hill School's Longest Hopscotch! The Copper Hill students were literally jumping with joy! joy: the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires : delight. From hop the flowers to jump the foxes, our Copper Hill's School Humongous Hopscotch was a fun way to kick off their 25 year celebration that evening. Jumping for joy is literally our favorite exercise! ~The Gardening Team It is so fun to see Gardener Kelsey's illustrations from our children's book, You Are a Gardener® come to life on the blacktop! All 400 students in grades K-4 got to jump our signature Copper Hill School's Longest Hopscotch and collect a special gardener prize at the end! Is your school ready to jump into the You Are a Gardener® mindset and the #PullYourWeeds® SEL Program for elementary schools? Hop on over to our inbox at flowers@youareagardener.com ! << The most joyful noise ever...PRESS PLAY!!!!! >> << The most joyful noise ever...PRESS PLAY!!!!! >> Now more than ever, kids need positive tools to help them navigate the many uncomfortable feelings, emotions and experiences they encounter on a day to day basis. Our You Are a Gardener® children's book, platform and SEL school programs empower children with a healthy mindset, skills and tools to help them 'grow' forward feeling confident and calm. Our foundation for schools and families are rooted in self-compassion, empathy, inclusivity, self-confidence and kindness. Let's dig in and raise a new generation of emotionally empowered kids!

Shop our 'Limited Edition' Book Bundle for only $25. This bundle includes a signed copy of You Are a Gardener®, #PullYourWeeds® Pencils, Pins, Post-Its & Stickers for a limited time only. Grab your gardener gear and let's grow! Click Here to SHOP NOW >>

Nestled in the beautiful back roads of Stanhope, NJ, Byram Lakes Elementary School is the home to over 300 amazing students and an incredibly kind and welcoming administration. I purposely scheduled their first #PullYourWeeds® SEL Program on my birthday this year. It was the perfect way to celebrate another incredible trip around the sun doing what I love! This was the school's first in-person assembly since 2019 and their excitement and participation was outstanding! I am sincerely grateful to Mrs. Katie Winkleman, Byram Lake's School Counselor for making the connection and to their generous PTA for funding the #PullYourWeeds® SEL Program! I can't wait to see where it grows for the 2022/2023 school year! "Thank you so much for coming to our school. The staff and kids loved the assembly, many of them wear their buttons to school everyday. I have also incorporated your message in my SEL lessons! I believe your message is so important, it helps kids navigate their "weeds" and gets them pulled out. " ~Mrs. Katie Winkleman, Byram Lakes Elementary School Counselor Is your school ready to start pulling weeds & planting seeds? Learn more about how your staff and students will benefit from our #PullYourWeeds® SEL Programs...Click Here!

When it comes to summertime cooking we say keep it simple and fun. This week we're skewering up one of our favorite family kebab recipes for the whole family to enjoy. >>Scroll down for our flavor packed, kid-friendly Chicken & Pineapple Kebab Recipe>> Gardener Shanna's Chicken & Pineapple Kebabs Marinade: 1/2 cup ketchup 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/3 cup pineapple juice 1/2 cup soy sauce 2 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar 4-5 tsp fresh minced garlic 1 tsp sesame oil 1 tbsp fresh minced ginger salt & pepper to taste Kebabs: 2 lbs boneless chicken cut into cubes 2 orange peppers diced into thick cuts 3-4 cups fresh cubed pineapple (not canned) 1 large red onion cut into 1 1/4 inch pieces (if using wooden kebabs let soak in water for at least an hour before assembly) -Mix marinade ingredients together, reserve 1/2 cup of marinade in a separate bowl and pour the rest in a large resealable plastic bag. Add chicken to bag and allow to marinate at least 1 hour (the more marinating the better-up to 12 hours). -Preheat Grill to about 400 degrees -Assembling Skewers: Place onion, pineapple and pepper in a bowl. Drizzle with 2 1/2 tbsp of olive oil, salt & pepper to taste and toss gently. Place on skewers alternating with the chicken. -Brush grill with oil, place skewers on grill and brush with the reserved marinade, cook about 4-5 minutes & flip, brush other side with marinade and grill another 3-5 minutes. Use a meat thermometer and make sure chicken registers at 165 degrees F. Serve warm with jasmine rice. Enjoy! Getting kids involved in the kitchen is a fun and hands on way to teach them about nutrition. Most kids know the value of eating healthy and introducing them to new recipes is a wonderful way to keep mealtime a fun and an engaging experience. Preparing healthy meals together helps to provide children with a healthy foundation for future eating habits. Our #PullYourWeeds® Blog is rooted in empowering young kids with lots of tools to help their gardens grow healthy and strong. Eating healthy and learning how to cook are wonderful additions to their toolbox.

Hey gardeners...did you know that reading is one of our favorite gardening tools? Reading can be extremely beneficial for gardeners of all ages. It is a wonderful way to help develop social and emotional skills, it expands our vocabulary, helps build our self-confidence, encourages empathy and cognitive thinking, and promotes a safe way to explore strong emotions. A 2009 study at the University of Sussex found that reading can reduce stress by up to 68%. It works better and faster than other relaxation methods, such as listening to music or drinking a hot cup of tea. This summer we would love for all our gardener friends to join the You Are a Gardener® Summer 2022 Book Club! All you have to do is download our book club forms, read as many books as you can & fill out the sheets, send us a picture of your progress and we will send you some free Gardener Goodies! Grab a stack of books and dig in! >>CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A FREE PDF VERSION OF OUR SUMMER 2022 BOOK CLUB>> Our You Are a Gardener® Summer 2022 Book Club is a wonderful gardening tool for the whole family to enjoy this summer. A weekly family trip to the library is a fun way to get the entire family to participate!

Given all the overwhelming sadness in the news this week, there is one particular 'gardening tool' that our family heavily relies on in times of stress and sadness. 'Count Your Flowers' is a simple tool you can use whenever your mind starts to wander off to a scary and overwhelming place. By gently redirecting your thoughts back and focusing on all the things in your life you are grateful for, gardeners of all ages can help themselves get back to a calmer and safer space. Count Your Flowers-How It Works: Start with things the day to day things that you are a grateful for-a walk with your dog, a sunny day, hearing your favorite song, having dinner with your family. You can then let your mind drift to things you are grateful for overall...family, friends, your home, your school/or profession. You can also focus on all the things you are grateful for in your own body...the air in your lungs, the strong beat in your heart, your feet that get you around, your ears for hearing beautiful sounds, etc. As you can see gardeners, no matter what kind of day you are having, there are always flowers to be grateful for. Tragedies like what happened this week in Texas represent issues our society as a whole is facing together. We need to raise awareness to the mental health struggles our young children are facing on a day to day basis. We need to empower them with tools at a young age to help them identify and manage stress through positive outlets. As human beings we need to do our part to raise a kinder, calmer and more inclusive generation. There are so many ways we can help and we need to help together. We are sending loving, peaceful and healing prayers to the children, families and educators of the Uvalde community.

If we want to change the world we must first change our relationship to ourselves. We must repair what needs healing in our own hearts. We must love, cherish and respect our own selves first and foremost. Then and only then will we truly be able to see a world of inclusivity, kindness and love. Positive change starts with you. Don’t look around, look within. Start by making a list of all the feelings, emotions and experiences that cause, or have caused you stress. Write down the things you don’t love about yourself. The people who have hurt you. The day to day to day things that frustrate you. Unhealthy habits. The things that scare you. The memories buried down so deep that are too sad to think about... Write down as many you can. Write for days if you need to... Once you feel your list is complete, take a step back and breathe. Pat yourself on the shoulder, give yourself a hug, cry, dance, laugh, sing... This is your list. This is you. You are here. You have gotten to this point. This is you healing... Now close your eyes and imagine if everyone in the world went through this exercise. If we all started to heal ourselves and repair together... Nothing is truly impossible if you make it possible...#dontlookaroundlookwithin ~Shanna Truffini (this particular exercise is for a more mature Gardener) Let's Change The World Together Take our #dontlookaroundlookwithin challenge and take the next steps towards positive and lasting change. Here's how: 1. Make your list (no need to share it). 2. Post one of the images below on your social media and copy this entire post. 3. Use the hashtag #dontlookaroundlookwithin #dontlookaroundlookwithin

By our own definition, empathy is the ability to recognize and appreciate that as gardeners we are all 'growing' through unique experiences and emotions at all times. Having the awareness to identify an uncomfortable feeling or thought, and using it as an opportunity to communicate and grow through it, gives us gardeners an appreciation for the efforts it takes to address a negative situation with a positive outlook. It is important for children to appreciate that at the root of it all, we all have weeds. It is always helpful to remind young kids that 'you never know what someone else is growing through.' So, today we are sharing some common weeds that most grade school gardeners encounter on a day to day basis. Common Stressors (aka Weeds) Kids Ages 4-11 Separation Anxiety Academic Pressure Peer Pressure Sports Pressure Feeling Left Out Encountering Unkind Acts Negative Influence Of Social Media Unhealthy Sleep Habits Sibling Rivalry Family/Parental Stress Lack Of Self-Confidence Juggling Responsibilities World Events Empowering young kids with 'gardening' tools to help them feel confident & calm when they encounter stress is at the root of all our programs. To learn more about how your school and/ or family can benefit from our #PullYourWeeds® Programs...Click Here! Shanna Truffini currently attends schools locally in NJ for her SEL #PullYourWeeds® Program for workshops and assemblies. Her online SEL Program can be used and applied nationwide via a set of pre-recorded videos and a customized 'one-click SEL' curriculum for every school. To learn more please email us at: flowers@youareagardener.com

Last week I had the pleasure of visiting Gardener Aidan's 5th grade class for a #PullYourWeeds® Workshop! It was so nice to be back in-person with this crew; last year we did it virtually. Over the last few years, these gardeners have earned over 10 Gardening Tool Badges! It was so fun to have Aidan help with the workshop and his classmates and teachers were all so welcoming. In this particular #PullYourWeeds® workshop the gardeners learned about our Top 10 Go-To Gardening Tools(mindfulness tools), positive ways to manage stress when you are feeling overwhelmed with an in-class project (conflict/resolution skills), how Counting Your Flowers is the best tool to help you fall asleep (gratitude exercise), how every gardener has weeds (empathy) and they also enjoyed a guided drawing of Foxie (relaxing/fun actvity)! The next time these gardeners encounter stress, they now have lots of 'gardening' tools to help them move forward feeling confident & calm! HTS 5th Graders...you are gardeners! Just like every gardener is unique and special, so were all the adorable foxes these 5th graders drew in their guided drawing with our Illustrator Kelsey. Is your school ready to start pulling weeds & planting seeds? Learn more about how your staff and students will benefit from our #PullYourWeeds® SEL Programs...Click Here!