Balanced Kids

BALANCED KIDS supports families + educators through 1:1 coaching, workshops and professional training

03/25/2025

Honored to have presented at the Children in Court conference for judges, lawyers and advocates who work with our most vulnerable youth across the state.

11/25/2024

Thank you to Prenatal Yoga Center for the opportunity and hosting this important conversation. Listen at the link below!

https://prenatalyogacenter.com/why-we-need-to-stop-labeling-the-difficult-child-with-nina-essel-lcsw/

05/04/2024

So excited to be a part of this resource fair sponsored by SEPAC SOMA! See you this afternoon!!

04/16/2024

Grateful for so many things last night!

Thank you to Fidgets and Fries and her beautiful family who made the trek from NYC and shared so much of themselves last night. Tiffany’s voice and her families story is a powerful one. Thank you Tiffany for sharing so much of your sons and family so that we can also see the joy and learn about who they are as individuals.

Thank you to everyone who came out and made this a standing room only event! The book signing line was the longest part.

Thank you to all of our sponsors for making this event possible! South Orange Village, JESPY House, Inc., SEPAC SOMA, Defining Development, Together We Bloom and South Orange/Maplewood Community Coalition on Race!

Thank you Whitney Kidder Photography for the photos!

Excited for part 2 today at my kiddos school Seth Boyden Demonstration School !

03/21/2024

I am so excited to be partnering with several local organizations to bring the amazing voice behind Fidgets and Fries to South Orange and the newly renovated Baird for her East Coast portion of her book tour!

This is a family friendly event! A huge thank you to all our sponsors who have made this event possible.

Register at https://www.balancedkidsnj.com/fidgetsandfries

04/24/2023

This Thursday! Join me and the Marshall PTA to discuss neurodiversity and creating inclusive communities.

We ALL benefit when communities are welcoming and affirming.

Register at link in bio.

03/06/2023

Navigating conversations about race can be hard at any age because it triggers things in us as adults. We carry our own baggage, feelings and understanding of these topics and it can often feel too heavy to talk about with young kids.

But preschool is a critical age to begin these conversations as children begin to self-segregate by race before the age of 3! Our children are constantly absorbing messages about their world and if we are not intentional in teaching them about race and racism they will absorb messages we likely did not want them to learn.

During this workshop families will learn intentional strategies for supporting their child's understanding of race, why colorblindness is problematic and how to lay the foundation at this crucial age.

Register at link in bio!

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02/07/2023

My alarm sounds and I slowly open my eyes. My first thought? What mood are my kids going to be in? Will it be a simple morning, or will every step be an endless battle?

If you’re a parent, then you’re familiar with the early morning meltdown. The refusal to brush teeth, get dressed, eat breakfast, or even p*e!

Nearly all of us have faced this at one time or another, so what can we do to minimize “messy mornings?”

🌞Establish a solid morning routine for yourself so that your own needs are met either before the kids wake up, or while you’re coaching the morning wake-up from the sidelines

🌞Rethink your sleep schedule – which may mean an earlier bedtime if mornings are challenging

🌞Prep as much as you can the night before lunch/clothes etc (pro tip…put them to bed in their clean school clothes for the next day! Or have them pick out their outfit)

🌞Build in time for connection. Before the rush of the morning routine, take some time to snuggle. When we fill their bucket and meet their emotional needs first, they are calmer and able to follow the routine.

🌞 Be a detective. What is their behavior trying to tell you? What is fueling their behavior? Remember, behavior is often a symptom of a problem the child is struggling to resolve on their own.

Implementing these practices will help both you and your child to reduce the number of messy mornings and create more ease as you head out the door.

Tell me in the comments below, how are you creating healthy and concrete morning routines that are supportive for you and your child?

02/03/2023

We are excited to be partnering with Weekday School to host this FREE parenting workshop!

If you are feeling overwhelmed or confused by your child's behavior join us!

During this workshop, parents will learn how to deconstruct their child's behavior, uncover the underlying causes and learn practical strategies for reducing battles and building skills.

Register at balancedkidsnj.com/weekday

02/01/2023

What does normal mean anyway?

I have yet to meet a parent who has not at least once (more likely 1000x) looked at their child and thought to themselves (or out loud)...is this normal?

It’s the parental worry syndrome and we all have it. We doubt and question ourselves constantly.

Did I respond the right way?
Did I listen enough?
Did I set a clear boundary?
Was I loving enough?
Firm enough?

Parenting is a long game and we often won't know the impact of our parenting for years to come!

Especially in these truly odd times we’re living in, parents and educators alike are left wondering, “How do I help? What should I do?”

And that’s where I come in.

I’m Nina, LCSW and Parent Coach, and I like to remind my families and educators that “normal” is a horrible word. If we focus on "What’s normal" we can get stuck in a negative cycle and miss what makes your child unique. We have to meet kids where they are, not try to fit them into a particular mold.

So if we want to help our kids at home or in the classroom, we have to start by taking a step back and educating ourselves on the unique needs of our children in this day and age.

So many of us face similar struggles, so if you’re here with me, then let’s start a conversation around what we’re all facing at home and at school.

With years of experience under my belt I’ll come to your feed to chat about different age groups, our varying struggles and our triumphs too. I’m here to educate, reassure, and help reframe the way we’re thinking of our child in the larger world.

I hope you’ll follow along :)

Address

South Orange, NJ
07079

Website

http://balancedkidsnj.com/

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