Author: Cassandra Troughton

Health / Wellness, Kids, Mental health, Technology

A Must-Read For Parents: 3 Jaw-Dropping Lessons on Brain Development From a 7 Year Old!

Cassandra Troughton

The most powerful TED talk I’ve watched, was given by a 7 year old…

Molly Wright makes her way across the TED stage and begins…

“What if I told you a game of peekaboo could change the world…?”

Molly Wright

Molly is not your typical 7 year old.

She is a prime example of what happens when a child’s brain development is nurtured through the early years.

Not only is she a prime example, she’s also an advocate for healthy childhood development.

I learned more from this 7 year old in 7 minutes, than I did reading over 100 books (written by adults) about children and their brains.

When kids are exposed to things like…

  • Connecting
  • Talking
  • Playing
  • A Healthy Home
  • A Sense of Community

… it contributes positively to their development.

Connecting with our family and community builds and strengthens relationships, encourages trust, promotes positive mental health, and teaches life skills.

I’m sure we can wait until kids are older to start teaching them these skills though, right?

WRONG!

So… When should we be connecting, playing and talking to our kids?

#1. First 5 Years!

Molly reminds us that these years of a child’s life are the most CRUCIAL years in their development.

Brains grow faster in the first 5 years than they do the rest of our lives. By the time kids are 7 years old, their brains have grown to 90% the size of an adults’ brain.

Do not underestimate those first 5 years…

So… What should we be doing those first 5 years?

#2. Serve and Return!

This is Molly’s scientific way of saying… CONNECT! TALK! PLAY!

Children’s mirror neurons are on alert! They learn through connecting and interacting with the adults they trust. Making eye contact and playing games with your child (yes, like peekaboo), are important for their development and for their learning!

So… How often should we be playing games like peekaboo?

#3. Early and Often!

Molly reinforces that we need to be playing these games and connecting with our child as often as we can, and as early as we can!!

Even a 1 year old is aware of the broken connection when our attention is diverted.

Diverted to technology… To our devices…

What would happen if we were distracted by our devices all the time?

When children are not receiving the positive interactions they need for healthy brain development, childhood becomes stressful – even traumatic.

It is harder for children to feel safe, to trust, and to regulate without connection…

Kids NEED positive relationships.

They need connection, to be spoken to, and played with.

They need a healthy and safe home.

To feel a part of a community.

And YOU have the opportunity to give them that.

So, thanks, Molly Wright (the smartest 7 year old I know), for reminding us that a game of peekaboo has the capacity to change the world…

Everyone!

Go do yourselves a favour and watch Molly speak right here!

Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!

With love,

Miss T.

Compassion, Education, Environmental, Kindness

How To Celebrate Earth Day With Your Kids: Including 5 Revolutionary Reads For You And Your Child!

Cassandra Troughton

Earth Day is around the corner! (Quite literally… TOMORROW!)

It is personally, one of my favourite days of the year!

Want to know why…?

Because no matter who you are, what background you come from, no matter your differences, we share one commonality…

We are ALL inhabitants of this planet we call home…

And it is up to us to care for and maintain this home!

We have the ability to impact the Earth, AND it’s future generations.

We can TEACH the young kids in our lives to love and respect the Earth.

We can teach them WHY its important to do so!

And so I ask:

How will you choose to teach them this?

There are SO many ways to influence our kids!

But, if you need a little help with some inspiration…

Check Out These Revolutionary Reads About Caring For Our Earth:

#1: Touch the Earth – Julian Lennon


The first few book recommendations are part of a series. ‘Touch the Earth’ is the first book of this 3-part series, written by John Lennon’s son, Julian Lennon! Julian takes kids (and big kids like myself) on an adventure of the Earth in the ‘White Feather Flier’ airplane. On these travels, he shows us how we can all make the Earth a better place.

Fun Fact: The name of The White Feather Flier is inspired by his father and his humanitarian efforts.

#2: Heal the Earth – Julian Lennon


In the second book of this series, Julian takes us on another adventure of the Earth in the ‘White Feather Flier’! This time, we learn the importance of caring for our worlds water supply and how to reverse some of the damage that humans have already done to the Earth.

He reminds us its not too late to make a difference!

#3: Love the Earth – Julian Lennon


In this final book of the series, Julian Lennon teaches us to use the power of love to protect the Earth and its inhabitants! He shows us that all parts of the Earth are connected and why it’s important to help other creatures that need it. The Earth is more than just a home for humans…

He reminds us that we can solve any problem if we just work together!

#3: The Earth Book – Todd Parr


This fun and simple book is filled with ways that we can take care of the Earth! Todd Parr is a funny and inspiring author! We can all learn a thing or two from him.

Fun Fact: This book is printed on recyclable materials and nontoxic soy inks!! He practices what he preaches!!

#5: The Lorax – Dr. Seuss


This book is a classic that never gets old… Even Dr. Seuss knew way back then of the importance of the Earth and it’s trees! A beautiful reminder of the tragedies that could happen if we neglect our Earth and cut down trees at an alarming rate!I resonate with the Lorax… As a being who also “speaks for the trees!”


I hope you enjoy the inspiration from these books!

I’ll leave you with one final thought…

Kids learn more from what we DO, rather than what we SAY…

The learning doesn’t stop after reading these books.

Please don’t think:

“Okay, I did my part. Now I’m done…”

It doesn’t work like this.

Go out in the world and actively do something to make it a better place for all of us to live.

Kids learn through involvement! And they learn from your actions!

So, I ask one more time…

How will YOU teach them how to care for the Earth?

With love (for you and for the Earth),

Miss T.

Education, Kids, Mindfulness

7 Life-Changing Lessons That We Can All Learn From Young Kids

Cassandra Troughton

Working in a school, it was my job to help teach kids.

But as I reflect on the last 7 years, I’ve come to realize they taught me too…

In fact, I might have learned more from them than they did from me!

We can ALL learn from kids… As long as we are open to the possibility.

We can look to our kids as teachers.

Here are 7 remarkable lessons that I learned from spending my days with kids:

#1: Be Fearless

Kids are courageous! They inspire me with their willingness to try new things. They don’t let failure keep them down. They get back up and try again. Those brave little beings…

#2: Look For the Good In People

Kids don’t judge others. They are always willing to put their trust in people. They are understanding. Kids give others the benefit of the doubt. I’ve seen more kids willing to help others – regardless of their circumstances.

#3: Its Always the Perfect Time For a Dance Party

Dance, play, BE SILLY! They understand the importance of playing and having fun. Oh, and their imaginations…! Imaginative play is wonderful for enhancing problem solving skills! I know a handful of adults who could harness their inner-child a little more… 😛

#4: Notice the Little Things in Life

Kids are super aware. They pay attention to all the minor details. They see things that adults don’t.“Look! A lady bug!!!” They will be enchanted with that lady bug for hours… They appreciate the simple things in life.

#5: It’s Okay To Cry

In fact, its okay to let any emotion out. Kids do this naturally. They aren’t afraid to cry or scream. They don’t bottle up their emotions. They are great teachers at letting it out and moving on.

#6: Trust Your Gut

Kids are wonderful at following their instincts. They listen to what their bodies are telling them. They don’t let misleading information distract them from making the right decision… They feel in their gut.

#7: Everyday Is a New Day

This is a big one… Kids don’t hold onto things that adults do. They forgive themselves and others with ease. They can move on. They understand that each new day is a fresh start and they don’t carry the past with them.

We could all learn a thing or two from the kiddos in our lives…

What sorts of things have kids taught you?

I sure am grateful for the lessons they taught me!

With gratitude,

Miss T.

Health / Wellness, Mental health, Mindfulness, Self-care, Stress / Anxiety

What Is The Heart-Brain Connection? And Why Do We Need It To Unlock Optimal Health?

Cassandra Troughton

We understand the importance of the brain.

Especially when it comes to our mental health, stress, and of course our intelligence.

But, we seem to be forgetting something about our friend, the brain…

He doesn’t work alone…

He is part of an essential team!

Introducing Team: Heart-Brain Connection!

Our heart and brain are in constant communication with one another.

They communicate in 4 different ways:

  • Neurologically
  • Biochemically
  • Biophysically
  • Energetically

The heart and brain need open communication to function optimally, just like any good relationship.

When they are communicating openly, it creates something called ‘Coherence’ in the body.

A Coherent state not only improves our mental wellness, but also improves our physical health and boosts our immune functioning!

So, HOW Do We Get To Coherence?

First, we need to understand who the real captain of this team is….

This Captain is…. drumroll please….

The HEART!

We need to, first, tap into the heart to effectively access the brain.

In order to synch up this wondrous team.

And then, to become coherent.

Okay, But, Why The Heart?

The heart has a mind of its own with 40,000 neurons!!

It has its own intelligence…. It can think for itself…

It doesn’t need its team member, the brain, to do all the thinking like we might assume. In fact… it does most of the thinking.

Afferent Neural Pathways

One way the Heart and Brain are connected are through these Afferent Neural Pathways.

These pathways lead up from the heart into the brain through ascending pathways, and down from the brain to the hearth through descending pathways.

When looking closely at these pathways, scientist have noticed that 90% of information travels UP from the heart to the brain.

We can see that the heart responds independently to the environment, processes emotions, and regulates its own rhythm without receiving any information from the brain!

Fascinating!!

Electromagnetic Waves

Another form of connection is through electromagnetic waves.

The brain and heart emit their own waves into the space around our bodies. These waves interact with other waves around us – including those waves from our fellow humans.

What scientists have found is that our hearts electromagnetic waves are 5000x bigger than that of our brain!

It is greater in amplitude and greater in strength.

In fact, our heart has the strongest rhythmic field produced by the human body!

And because of this, our brain syncs up and moves to the rhythm of our heart!

What a beautiful dance!!

This Heart and Brain Synchronization is Imperative for Coherence!

Coherence is a necessity.

It is the key to optimal health and well-being.

And our Heart-Brain connection is the key that unlocks coherence.

So please, don’t neglect your heart…

Remember we need to harness the power of both, the Heart AND Brain in order to care for our health through Coherence.

With love,

Miss T.

Compassion, Education, Kids, Kindness

Saying Goodbye To My Students: And What I Learned About Impacting Little Lives

Cassandra Troughton

January 7, 2022 was the last time I set foot in my school…

I’ve been on a leave for the last 3 months trying to gain some clarity about life and the kind of work I want to pursue.

I never planned to be an Educator forever.

What kept me there so long was the kids.

The lives that I touched. The lives that touched me…

Saying Goodbye Isn’t Easy.

I never really had a chance to say goodbye.

My leave was sudden and it happened just before the kids came back from Christmas break.

I spent the last 3 months worried and wondering:

“Do they think I abandoned them?”

I didn’t want to leave them with that impression.

I wanted them to understand how much I love and care for them.

Just, this departure was something I had to do… for me…

Is that selfish?

I don’t believe so. But I still struggled with this question in my mind.

I spent the last 7 years of my life putting my students well-being ahead of my own.

It was time for me to care for myself.

But, I needed to see them. To explain to them myself.

To be real with them.

So Yesterday, I Went Back.

I spent the afternoon volunteering at the school.

I got to see so many friendly faces!

I heard my name echo in the school hallways…

“Miss T!” You’re here!”

My heart filled with joy of all the beaming little faces.

Happy just to see me.

I spent the afternoon helping out and catching up.

I finally had my closure.

And I realized something while I was there.

I realized that just because I love these kids, it doesn’t mean I need to WORK at the school to be with them.

To help guide them. To make a difference in their lives.

I can still be that person – a role model for them – by being my authentic self.

Even if that authentic self is no longer an educator. No longer their Educator.

It’s Not The Title That Matters.

It whats in your heart and what you do with it that really matters.

And so, I decided to go back every second week to volunteer.

To give them the love they deserve.

I don’t want the job. But I want the kids.

I want to show them that they can always count on Miss T.

That I will always be there for them.

Educator, or not.

With love,

Miss T.

Education, Kids, Mental health, Mindset

Creatures of Comfort: Why It’s Important to Rethink our Decisions and Change Directions

Cassandra Troughton

Today, is my official last day of employment with the school board.

Technically… my last day of work was back in January. But this last school year has been frustrating. I took a leave to gain some mental clarity and figure life out.

Well, I’ve figured something out…

I Figured, It’s Time for a New Adventure.

But let me tell you, it was not an easy decision.

In fact, I’m still fighting an internal battle over it….

I am a creature of comfort.

I originally began my journey in education because I was forced to pick something.

I was 19 with no direction. No plans. No ideas.

I needed something for the time being.

Until I figured out my next move.

It took me 7 years too long to finally make a move…

Education is Not Something I am Particularly Passionate About…

Well.. not the kind of education our schools teach.

I love the kids.

I love helping them grow.

I love having the opportunity to mould and shape little brains.

But I don’t care for academics….

I don’t care for the way our school systems force education onto kids.

I don’t care for the way that they teach kids what to think instead of how to think.

Instead of sparking curiosity…

Despite all of this, it was hard to finally make the change.

To leave my kiddos and school community behind.

But today, on my last official day of employment, I found some reassurance in the final chapter of a book I was reading.

Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know by Adam Grant.

“What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up?”

Adam says, this question is the worst possible question we can ask our kids.

This question promotes a FIXED MINDSET.

It’s underlying message is that you’re a failure if you quit at something…

… Even if that something is something you hate…

I grew up in a world where adults asked this question continuously…

I can see the flaws in myself – the struggle to quit education – because this question was imposed on me as a child.

I see this question imposed on our students everyday in school…

I do not want to contribute to more fixed mindsets..

I want to break free from that cycle.

I want to be an example of a growth mindset.

It’s Time to Re-Think my Life.

My career.

Time to move on.

“The simplest way to rethink our options is to question what we do daily…”

Think Again – Adam Grant

In January, I began re-thinking my days.

I re-thought my life as an Educator…

I don’t want to have to put academics above mental health or personal growth.

I don’t want to waste anymore time in a broken system.

A system that I don’t care for. A system that doesn’t promote change.

I DO want to make a difference.

I tried my hardest to make a difference within the system.

But I could only do so much.

I realize now, I have an opportunity to make more of a difference, to help more kids, more families, more educators, by getting OUT of the system.

I Don’t Regret Anything.

I am grateful for all I learned. For my experiences.

But now, I’m ready for more.

Bring on the next adventure.

Remember: It takes strength to quit. To quit things that aren’t suited for us.

As long as you live & speak your truth, you can’t go wrong…

With love,

Miss T.

Mental health, Mindfulness, Mindset

The Single Most Detrimental Thought: The Scary Thing Is… You Might Have Already Thought It Today

Cassandra Troughton

Are you aware of the thoughts that cross your mind on a daily basis?

We take our thinking for granted. We think useless thoughts. Thoughts that don’t benefit us. Or move us forward in life.

Instead, we allow thoughts in our minds that hold us back.

But, Our Thoughts Are More Powerful Than We Think!

Our thoughts have the power to manifest our reality…

“Great men are they who see that thought is stronger than any material force; That thoughts rule the world…”

– Ralph Waldo Emerson

And we have the power to wield our thoughts.

To use them for good. Or for bad.

Ours Brains Are Always Listening To Us.

Whatever we say. Whatever we think.

When we speak the same words and think the same thoughts, over and over again, our brain sends these signals that begin to form neural pathways.

The more often we think the same thoughts, the stronger these neural pathways become.

And the stronger these pathways are, the harder it is to deter from having these same thoughts.

Which is Why The Most Detrimental thought we can be telling ourselves is “I Can’t.”

“I can’t do this…”

“I can’t do that…”

“I can’t ever be happy..”

The more often we are telling ourselves these things, the stronger these neural pathways of “I can’t” become.

And our brains will automatically take us to the thought “I can’t” for everything.

We are putting limitations on ourselves and our capabilities.

You Create Your Own Reality

You can break the cycle. The cycle of negative thinking. The cycle of “I can’t”…

Just by being aware.

And putting in the work to reverse it.

Keeping in mind, that the longer you’ve been in the pattern of negative thinking, the stronger your neural pathways are… which means you’ll just have to be consistent!

But it is possible.

By thinking “I CAN!” more often!

Because… Well… I know YOU can!


With love,

Miss T.

Education, Health / Wellness, Mental health, Self-care

Burnout Is REAL: Why Self-Care is Essential For Educators

Cassandra Troughton

All day long, you give away pieces of your self to others.

To the tiny humans who need your support. Your full-attention. And your love…

But do you ever take a fraction of a second to give back to yourself?

Like a Car.. You Just Can’t Run on Empty..

Listen, I’ve been there.

My students mean the world to me.. There is nothing that I wouldn’t do for them. As long as it means their protection. As long as they are loved.

But along the way, I forgot to stop and love myself…

Even though, I was aware of it, I thought burnout just couldn’t happen to me if everything I did was out of love.

But that wasn’t the case.

I’m human. You’re human too.

And as humans, we need to be filling up our fuel tanks constantly so we can keep on giving to others.

Sometimes, that means we need to give ourselves more than others.

For humble educators: it’s a hard pill to swallow…

But it’s true.

I’ve spent the last few years learning this lesson the hard way.

And if I could go back in time now and have a conversation with the younger version of Miss T,
I would tell her this:

#1. Don’t Bottle Things Up:

It’s easy to stuff our feelings, our exhaustion… And carry on for the sake of our students. But don’t.

Talk to people. To other teachers. Find a community. There is power in knowing you are not alone.

#2. Practice Self-Care:

There are no rules for self-care – it looks different for everyone.

Do things that nourish your soul, recharge your battery and foster sanity. This could mean writing in a gratitude journal, taking a bubble bath, going for a walk… Whatever it is, schedule time for YOU… Everyday!

Begin your morning with something for you, instead of immediately rushing off to take on the world.

#3. Take A Break:

There is strength in knowing when to step back. When to ask for help.

We pride ourselves in never having to call in sick or book a sub. But that’s not sustainable… Take the time you need to recharge.

Book a mental health day each month. Or apply for a short leave if you are in need of some ‘you-time’. Make it a reoccurring thing – like you’d make time to see your mechanic regularity.

There is a Good Chance you Already
Know These Things,
I Did Too…

But please, don’t let yourself hit burnout, like I did, before actually making some changes in your life.

It’s time to put yourself first.

You are human, after all.

Even the tiny humans in your life need you to love yourself.

With love,

Miss T.

Health / Wellness, Mental health, Mindfulness, Mindset, Stress / Anxiety, Uncategorized

How to Live a Happier Life with this Mind-Blowing Mindset Shift

Cassandra Troughton

Do you struggle to find happiness in each day?

Are you always thinking:

“I wish life was easier.. I wish I had a better job…. I wish I could be happy…
I wish… I wish… I wish…”

Then you, my friend, are living in ‘The Gap.’

What is this Gap, you ask?

‘The Gap’, described by author Dan Sullivan, is this constant comparison we have of ourselves to our future, our goals, our ideals.

Unfortunately, when we are always comparing ourselves to where we want to be some day, we are spotlighting this gap.. of all we don’t have.

It’s too easy for us to get stuck in this cycle of thinking.

It’s easy because we are natural goal setters.

We work towards goals and strive for success.

And while setting goals is not a bad thing, if we are only measuring ourselves to our future goals, we will only see ‘the Gap.’

This can have detrimental effects on our happiness and well-being.

Here is what we need to do:
Shift our mindset from ‘The Gap’ to ‘The Gain’

‘The Gain’ is the opposite of ‘The Gap’.

Instead of measuring forward, we measure backwards. We can look back in time and measure our current selves to our old selves.

We are able to see how far we’ve already come.

We aren’t measuring ourselves to something external. We are shifting inward.

Now, don’t get discouraged is you find yourself in ‘The Gap’ from time to time…

Awareness of this mindset is key!

Awareness means we have the ability to choose another thought. Another mindset.

Awareness of ‘The Gap’, allows us to shift into ‘The Gain’!

To remind ourselves of our progress. Of how far we’ve already come.

To appreciate the experiences we’ve had and lessons learnt from those experiences.

To start thinking:

“Look how far I’ve come… I am grateful for where I am on this journey…
I’m grateful for all the lessons I’ve learned…. I’m grateful…. I’m grateful…. I’m grateful…”

Only by making this shift to see ‘The Gain’, can we be happy now.

Remember:

“Happiness is where you start, not where you finish…”

With love,

Miss T.

Compassion, Education, Kids, Kindness, Mental health, Mindfulness, Uncategorized

I See You: You are MORE than Just a Number

Cassandra Troughton

Miss T, here!

I just finished re-reading ‘The Power of Moments’ by Chip & Dan Heath. (If you know this book, awesome! If you don’t… get yourself a copy!… There’s a reason I read it a second time around! :P)

I first read this book 2 years ago. One day recently, I started thinking about it. How I wanted to read it again. And refresh my memory of its many lessons.

Two days after that thought, the book ended up on my boyfriend’s doorstep… randomly, through a book exchange he was a part of… 

Talk about synchronistic!! 

I took it as a sign to start reading it again. It was just as good the second time around!

‘The Power of Moments’ a wonderfully inspiring book about how we can capitalize on and craft moments that have the power to be life-changing. (More on HOW in another blog post… :P)

One of the biggest takeaways from this book was:

The Power we have to Create Moments Through Simple Connection.

It is so easy for us to get lost in our day-to-day mundane tasks. We go through the motions; Do our jobs and cross things off our daily list.

Students, clients, and fellow staff members become 2 dimensional characters to us. It’s easy to forget there’s more beyond the surface of the people we interact with daily.

I know for myself, after working with the same students each day, it’s easy to lose sight of the human being behind the student. Too easy to focus on the daily to-do’s. Especially when it feels like there’s a million of them…

But the truth is: Our students, our kids, our coworkers, are more than just a number, or a ‘to-do’ to cross off a list. 

They have their own identity. And with their identity, comes a whole background of experiences and moments that shaped them into who they are.

It is important for us to acknowledge each individual identity. After all, we are all different in some way. We’ve had different experiences that all led us up to this one moment. HOW we got here matters just as much, if not more, than the fact that we are here. 

Its our human nature to want to be seen and heard. To be noticed and acknowledged.

The authors of this book suggest a reframe to our thinking… 

Instead of always asking
“What is the matter with you?”,


we simply ask instead
“What MATTERS to YOU?”

See how powerful that statement change is?

We get lost trying to assess and fix problems, we often forget to consider the individual as a whole.. Their feelings and their experiences.

I wanted my students to know that they were loved and heard. I wanted them to feel appreciated, down to their very core.

During a Wednesday afternoon in Mindfulness Club, I brought in different coloured sheets of paper, markers, and crayons. I explained we would be mindfully working on a little project called:

“What matters to me!”

I reminded all of my students that although we are all in the same place, we all have different stories and backgrounds. There are certain things and experiences that make us, us. And how important all of our individual stories are. How those stories deserved to be acknowledged. 

And so, we all had the opportunity in Mindfulness Club, that day, to create our own “What Matters to Me” poster (myself included!) so that everyone around us could see our stories. So they could see what lies beneath.

A one-day-project, turned into a whole-month-project!

Because my kiddos had so much they wanted to share about themselves!

They shared about their families and their experiences. About certain memories that stood out in their minds. About the things they liked and the things they didn’t. Some were personal. Some were sad. 

All were so very beautiful in their own ways.

I learned a lot of things that day. About my students… About our own stories…

About making sure those stories are heard and understood. 

What I’ll remember the most about that day, is the way their eyes lit up just because someone listened…

I really do believe it is as simple as acknowledging those around us. 

Seeing them… I mean, really seeing them. 

We all deserve to be seen.

And the most wonderful part about that…

Is that WE have the power to give others the acknowledgement they deserve…

…the acknowledgement they need.

With Love,

Miss T.