American children have had their lives upended in the past few years-by the pandemic, learning loss, the rupture in economic and food security, the loss of a loved one, bullying, isolation and loneliness, the negative impact of social media, the use of illicit drugs, school violence, anxiety, chronic stress and more. In fact, in a recent Pew Research survey, children’s mental health tops the list of parent worries!
During these tumultuous times of emotional and psychological upheaval, children need help identifying sources of emotional support and comfort while finding their own emotional strengths. This will enable them to not just “bounce back,” but to bounce forward, equipped to face the challenges of growing up in a complex world.
The award-winning Moodsters have been providing accessible science-based content on well-being for children- their parents, caregivers, teachers, and professionals- for more than 35 years.
Today, The Moodsters are here to help kids handle powerful emotions that contribute to a child’s sense of physical and emotional well-being. Emotions such as sadness frustration, fear, loneliness, anger, disappointment, and anxiety. Using child-friendly strategies, The Moodsters enable children to discover their strong and resilient selves!
For Denise Daniels, RN, MS a former pediatric oncology nurse, and grief specialist, the urgency was unmistakable: Young children experiencing pain, loneliness, loss, and grief desperately needed help understanding and managing their powerful emotions.
So Denise began her mission:
When military mothers were deployed to the Gulf for the first time in American history, The Moodsters were there for the moms and their children.
When the terrorist attacks on September 11 changed our world forever, The Moodsters were there to help children and their families experiencing unimaginable grief and loss.
When the tsunami ravaged Southeast Asia, the U.S. Department of State dispatched The Moodsters to help bring comfort, play, and mental health services to thousands of orphans.
When families were thrust into life-changing circumstances, The Moodsters FIRST AID FOR FEELINGS: A Workbook to Help Kids Cope During the Coronavirus published by Scholastic Inc., provided emotional security to children in the U.S. and around the globe.
Children today are growing up in a turbulent and confusing world.
The Moodsters Children’s Foundation is introducing children to The Moodsters, who can provide the empathy, insight, and the strong emotional foundation kids need to thrive.
After years of working with children in crisis in the U.S. and abroad, parenting and childhood development expert Denise Daniels, RN, MS created The Moodsters emotional wellness program, which is based on decades of scientific research in the field of emotional intelligence and resilience. Denise partnered with Marc Brackett, PhD, and Robin Stern, PhD, who developed the framework for The Moodsters’ proprietary curriculum; this curriculum aligns closely with the RULER™ model devised by The Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence for pre-K-to-12 schools. RULER is an acronym for the 5 skills of emotional intelligence in which kids learn to Recognize, Understand, Label, Express, and Regulate their emotions.
For grown-ups, The Moodsters provide unlimited learning resources to help kids understand their thoughts, feelings, and behavior. For children, The Moodsters engage and delight with lovable characters whose action-packed preschool adventures help kids manage the challenges of everyday life.
The Moodsters are effective because they speak children’s language: the language of play.
Through this natural medium, The Moodsters become trusted friends and role models, imparting simple strategies that help children manage their emotions and achieve their goals.
Each loveable Moodster character encompasses one feeling (while being capable of experiencing a range of emotions). As children engage with The Moodster characters and their narratives, they learn new skills to help them navigate the world of physical and emotional well-being.
The Moodsters are dedicated to fostering the health and emotional well being of children everywhere!
The Moodsters Children’s Foundation is proud to announce The Moodsters “Grief Relief” initiative to support children who have experienced the death of a loved one. This initiative provides emotional support and strategies to help families cope, and resources and consulting for professionals.
Partnering with the National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, The Moodsters Children’s Foundation strives to deliver a comprehensive grief program using ‘best practices’ for treating childhood bereavement.
The Moodsters Children’s Foundation has the distinction of having been chosen by the U.S. Department of State as a “Preferred Partner” for Ukrainian Children.
The Foundation’s highly skilled clinical team has been working with the Italian Consulates, the Vatican, and the Italian Embassy in the U.S. on behalf of Ukrainian children, and their mothers who have fled the atrocities of war.
Since her early days as a pediatric oncology nurse, and bereavement specialist and co-founder of the national Childhood Grief Institute, Denise has traveled the globe to help kids cope during times of crisis.
As the creator of The Moodsters and as Director of The Moodsters Children’s Foundation, Denise serves children and grown-ups in peaceful times and in the wake of natural and manmade disasters.
Mentored by beloved Fred Rogers and acclaimed neuro research scientist Candace Pert, Denise has incorporated into her life’s work the tenets that “What’s mentionable is manageable” (Rogers) and “The Moodsters can teach children to control their own brain chemistries” (Pert).
Some of Denise’s accomplishments:
The Moodsters Children’s Foundation is honored to share this article from our partner, David Schofield, MD, FAAP of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles® National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement titled, “Talking to Children and Teens About the Israel-Gaza War”, Guidance for parents/caregivers and other caring adults. Read More >
The Moodsters Children’s Foundation is honored to welcome David Schonfeld, MD, FAAP, as our chief bereavement advisor.
Dr. Schonfeld recently served as a clinical leader of our interdisciplinary team during the Foundation’s conferences with Italian professionals serving displaced Ukrainian children and their families.
Dr. Schonfeld is acclaimed across the country for his work as:
The Moodsters’ grief advisor, Dr. David Schonfeld, served as a consultant on grief for an episode of the Amazon series, “Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street.”
Coz is the can-do Moodster who knows that it’s not falling down that matters—it’s getting back up again. Coz feels best when he’s helping others with his friends at his side.
The sweet pink Moodster is full of love. Lolly has an attitude of gratitude, and she’s always available to lend a listening ear to anyone who needs it.
This little red dynamo is a fierce and ferocious friend. When her emotions run hot, sharing her frustration with the other Moodsters helps her find her cool.
Tully is an ambassador of peace and calm. He knows how to handle his upset feelings and can share with children special ways to calm your mind and be kind to yourself when times are difficult.
The tenderhearted, melancholy Moodster can often be found in a puddle of tears. But Snorf knows that all of his feelings are important—and that managing his emotions helps you tackle any challenges.
Quigly is afraid of his own shadow—and everyone else’s! But he tells himself, “When things go wrong and you tremble with fear, tell yourself to be brave and your courage will appear!”
Evidence-based materials to help young children—and the grown-ups who love them—understand and talk about hard things.
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Guidelines for Grown-Ups provides science-based content that will help adults teach children the fundamentals of feelings.
Guidelines for Grown-Ups helps to explain grief to a child and how to help a child cope with the death of a loved one.
Resilience is the ability to adapt well to life and its challenges. It’s a state of physical, mental, spiritual, and social well-being that helps kids stay calm, learn from their mistakes, and remain optimistic. Resilient children are curious, courageous, and trust their own instincts.
Children’s most important and powerful experiences are saturated with emotions. The question is: What does that child do with those big feelings? The lessons that children learn about emotions at a young age can shape their mental and physical well-being throughout their lives, and the award-winning Moodsters are here to help with the release of their latest science-based workbook for children.
Bounce Forward with The Moodsters offers simple strategies to help children not just bounce back, but bounce forward during challenging times. The activities in this workbook will give children the emotional building blocks needed to thrive in an ever changing world.
The Moodsters FIRST AID FOR FEELINGS: A Workbook to Help Kids Cope During the Coronavirus Pandemic was published by Scholastic Corporation and donated by The Moodsters Children’s Foundation to hundreds of thousands of students throughout the United States and in eight foreign countries experiencing high levels of COVID-19.
First Aid for Feelings/Guidelines for Grown-ups is a timeless guide to help caregivers and teachers use this workbook to start important conversations about feelings.
The Moodsters Children’s Foundation promotes children’s health and emotional well-being by creating evidence based resources that help kids thrive at home, in school, on the playground and in life!
The simple but ingenious Moodsters Meter™ was created to help children identify and express their feelings; at the same time, it opens a pathway to communication with grown-ups.
How-to: Ask the child to put their finger on the Moodsters character who best represents how the child is feeling. Then you can start a conversation by asking any of these questions:
*If the child is pointing to a strong emotion like anger, sadness, or fear, the First Aid for Feelings Covid workbook and the Bounce Forward Resilience workbook, available for free download, offer simple strategies for understanding and managing emotions.
The Moodsters can help equip children with the necessary tools and resources needed for a happy, healthy, and successful life as productive, well-adjusted adults!
“Remember, children’s most important relationships are with parents and their caregivers. Strong relationships are the bedrock of a child’s sense of well-being and resilience. When they feel loved, safe, and secure, it gives them the confidence needed to explore their world and face the challenges of growing up.”
Denise Daniels, RN, MS
We invite you to explore the many ways The Moodsters can serve as an indispensable resource to equip children with the skills they need to help them cope during this difficult time.
If you, your family, your school, or your nonprofit organization could benefit from the support of The Moodsters Children’s Foundation, we welcome you to contact us.
All donations to The Moodsters Children’s Foundation, a 501©(3) nonprofit organization, will support our initiatives on behalf of children’s health and emotional well-being.
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