The MindfulMama Approach
Parents often ask why I focus so heavily on emotional awareness, self-awareness, emotional understanding, and emotional development.
The answer is simple.
The MindfulMama Approach was not developed from a single course, qualification, or theory. It has evolved through a combination of lived experience as an ADHD mum, professional training, academic study, and an ongoing exploration of research into ADHD, emotional intelligence, executive functioning, emotional regulation, and child development.
As I learned more, I became increasingly interested in the skills that sit beneath behaviour.
Rather than asking, "How do we stop this behaviour?", I found myself asking:
• What is the child experiencing?
• What skills might they still be developing?
• How can we help children understand themselves before expecting them to manage themselves?
The researchers, theories, and studies below have all influenced my thinking in different ways. Together, they have helped shape my understanding of ADHD, emotional intelligence, executive functioning, emotional regulation, and child development.
Both research and real-life experience have informed the ideas explored within the MindfulMama Approach. They have influenced the way I think about supporting children, the conversations I have with parents, and the resources and programmes I have developed.
The MindfulMama Approach combines evidence-informed understanding with real-life experience to support children's emotional development, self-awareness, and emotional intelligence.
At its heart is a simple belief:
Children need to understand themselves before they can effectively manage themselves.
My aim has never been to fix children. My aim is to help children better understand themselves, while helping the adults around them understand them too.
Because when children feel understood, they are often better able to understand themselves.
Why do you focus on self-awareness first?
Because research into executive functioning, emotional intelligence, and self-regulation suggests that self-awareness plays an important role in helping children understand and manage their thoughts, feelings, and actions.
When children are able to recognise what they are feeling, notice how their emotions affect them, and begin to understand their own experiences, they are often better placed to develop other important skills such as emotional regulation, inhibition, perspective taking, and decision-making.
This influenced my decision to place self-awareness at the beginning of the MindfulMama Approach.
Dr Russell Barkley
Russell Barkley is one of the leading researchers in ADHD and executive functioning.
His work influenced my understanding of self-awareness, inhibition, and self-regulation, and how these skills may develop differently in children with ADHD.
Key Idea
Self-regulation depends upon self-awareness.
How This Influenced My Thinking
Barkley's work helped me recognise the importance of helping children develop a greater understanding of themselves before expecting them to manage complex emotions, behaviours, and social situations independently.
Influenced
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Self-Awareness Pathway
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Feelings Cards• Reflection Activities
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Emotional Understanding Resources
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ADHD Support Framework
Further Reading - Russell Barkley- Executive Functioning and Self-Regulation
Microsoft Word - ADHD, EF, and SR - Guest Column 2011 (Barkley).docx
Why do you focus on emotional understanding?
Because children cannot effectively manage emotions they do not yet understand.
Research into emotional intelligence suggests that recognising emotions, understanding emotions, and developing emotional awareness are important foundations for emotional regulation, relationships, empathy, and wellbeing.
This influenced my decision to focus on helping children understand their emotions before expecting them to manage them independently.
Dr Daniel Goleman
Daniel Goleman is best known for his work on Emotional Intelligence and the role emotions play in learning, relationships, decision-making, and wellbeing.
His work influenced my thinking around emotional awareness, self-awareness, empathy, and emotional development.
Key Idea
Self-awareness is the foundation of emotional intelligence.
How This Influenced My Thinking
Goleman's work reinforced my belief that children benefit from learning about emotions, recognising feelings in themselves and others, and developing emotional understanding through support, modelling, discussion, and experience.
Influenced
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Feelings Cards
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Emotional Awareness Story Books
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Emotional Intelligence Pathway
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Parent Resources
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Emotional Development Activities
Further Reading Daniel Goleman -Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ (1995)
Emotional Intelligence (Goleman) – Learning Theories
Why do you focus on early support?
Because research suggests that self-regulation develops rapidly during early childhood, but not all children follow the same developmental pathway.
Some children develop these skills more slowly than others and may benefit from additional support, scaffolding, and opportunities to practise emotional and self-regulation skills.
This influenced my belief that supporting emotional development early can help children build strong foundations for later learning, relationships, confidence, and wellbeing.
Montroy et al. (2016)
Montroy and colleagues explored how self-regulation develops across early childhood and found that while many children make rapid gains between the ages of 3 and 7, some children follow a slower developmental trajectory and may require additional support.
Key Idea
Self-regulation develops over time, and some children may need more support than others during this process.
How This Influenced My Thinking
This research reinforced my belief that emotional awareness, self-awareness, and self-regulation should not be viewed as skills that all children automatically develop at the same pace.
Instead, some children may benefit from additional opportunities to learn, practise, and strengthen these skills throughout childhood.
Influenced
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Early Years Resources
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Emotional Development Activities
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Parent Support Programmes
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Six-Month Emotional Journey• Emotional Scaffolding Framework
Further ReadingMontroy et al. (2016) – The Development of Self-Regulation Across Early Childhood
(PDF) The Development of Self-Regulation Across Early Childhood
Why do you focus on emotional intelligence in ADHD?
Because research suggests that emotional difficulties are an important part of many children's experiences of ADHD.
Difficulties with emotional recognition, emotional understanding, emotional regulation, empathy, and stress management can influence relationships, confidence, learning, and everyday functioning.
This influenced my belief that supporting emotional development should be an important part of helping children understand themselves and navigate the challenges associated with ADHD.
Gabrieli et al.
Gabrieli and colleagues explored the relationship between emotional intelligence and ADHD, highlighting the important role emotional understanding and emotional regulation play in children's wellbeing and development.
Key Idea
Emotional difficulties are not simply a consequence of ADHD. They form an important part of many children's experiences and can significantly influence daily life, relationships, and wellbeing.
How This Influenced My Thinking
This research reinforced my belief that emotional awareness, emotional understanding, empathy, and emotional regulation deserve the same attention as other areas of development.
Influenced
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Emotional Intelligence
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Pathway
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Feelings Cards
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Emotional Awareness Story Books
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Parent Support Resources
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Six-Month Emotional Journey
Further Reading -Gabrieli et al.- Emotional Intelligence-Based Interventions in Individuals with ADHD
Emotional Intelligence-Based Interventions in Individuals with ADHD: Systematic Review - PMC
Why do you talk about developmental readiness?
Because children do not all develop skills at the same pace.
Research into ADHD suggests that some aspects of brain development may follow a different developmental timeline, which can influence the development of skills linked to executive functioning, self-regulation, and emotional development.
This influenced my belief that it is important to consider not only a child's age, but also where they may be developmentally when providing support.
Dr Philip Shaw
Philip Shaw is a neuroscientist whose research has explored patterns of brain development in children with ADHD.
His work has contributed to our understanding of developmental differences and how some aspects of development may occur later in children with ADHD.
Key Idea
Children with ADHD may follow a different developmental timeline, meaning that some skills may emerge later than expected.
How This Influenced My Thinking
Shaw's work encouraged me to think about developmental readiness rather than focusing solely on chronological age.
It reinforced my belief that some children may benefit from additional opportunities to develop skills such as self-awareness, emotional understanding, and self-regulation when these areas are still emerging.
Influenced
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Emotional Scaffolding Framework
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Developmental Readiness Principles
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Parent Support Resources
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Six-Month Emotional Journey
Further Reading -Philip Shaw et al.-Developmental Trajectories of the Cerebral Cortex in ADHD
Why do you believe children learn through support and guidance?
Because children do not learn every skill independently.
Research and developmental theory suggest that many skills develop through relationships, modelling, support, and guided practice.
This influenced my belief that emotional awareness, emotional understanding, self-awareness, and self-regulation can be strengthened when children are supported by the adults around them.
Lev Vygotsky
Lev Vygotsky was a developmental psychologist whose work focused on how children learn through social interaction, guidance, and support from others.
His theories continue to influence education and child development today.
Key Idea
Children learn best when they are supported to achieve something they cannot yet do independently.
How This Influenced My Thinking
Vygotsky's work reinforced my belief that children benefit from co-regulation, modelling, discussion, guided learning, and opportunities to practise new skills with support before they are expected to use them independently.
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Influenced
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Emotional Scaffolding Framework
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Parent Support Programmes
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Story Books
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Emotional Development Activities
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Six-Month Emotional Journey
Further Reading -Lev Vygotsky – Zone of Proximal Development and Scaffolding(Link)
Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development and Scaffolding - Educational Technology