Today we’d like to introduce you to Amy Sage & Roni Nocon. They and their team shared their story with us below:
Co-founders Amy Sage and Roni Nocon met while working as school counselors in the Poway Unified School District. With 17 years of experience each, we observed a troubling increase in anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, self-harm, and negative self-talk among students.
Concerned about these trends, we discussed potential resources to support families and the school community. When the pandemic hit, the need for at-home resources prompted us to launch ParentingEQ. Our mission is to equip parents with the tools to teach crucial skills that help their children manage their emotions, handle conflicts, and build better relationships.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It hasn’t been a smooth road, but much like parenting and any other challenging endeavors, we believe we have learned and continue to learn valuable lessons that will ultimately make us better.
Initially, we launched ParentingEQ as a subscription model, but we have since found more success with homeschool and charter school families. Now, we’re focusing on spreading the word within the homeschool community about how we can be a vendor for schools, allowing parents to use their school funds to purchase our resources.
Additionally, we’ve expanded our focus from providing resources solely to parents to supporting our fellow counselors and educators in the school system. Our Counselor/Educator Bundles, which include a collection of games, activities, and a small group curriculum, can be used with individuals or in small groups.
We are fortunate to collaborate with local Rotary Clubs across San Diego, who have provided us with grants that enable us to distribute our bundles to school counselors, school psychologists, speech pathologists, and other special education staff. These resources help meet IEP goals and support students with the highest needs.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about ParentingEQ?
At ParentingEQ, we aim to simplify parents’ lives by educating them on why their children may exhibit challenging behaviors, framing them as a lack of skills rather than character flaws. This perspective helps parents feel less personally targeted and shifts the focus to teaching skills, empowering children and parents to find solutions.
We focus on emotional intelligence (EQ) competencies to teach essential skills such as self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, motivation, and social skills. Just as you would teach a child struggling with math or reading in various ways until they grasp the concept, behavioral skills can be taught, practiced, and refined. This approach feels more productive and positive, emphasizing growth and learning rather than constant frustration. The best part is that these skills can be taught at any time and age.
ParentingEQ offers a six-box series, available in two different age groups: Mini, for ages 4-7 (TK-2nd grade), and Junior, for ages 8-11 (3rd-6th grade). Each activity box includes a book, a game, a skill-building activity, a self-regulation tool, breathing exercises, and a detailed instructional guide for easy implementation.
We are excited to announce that we will launch our Ready for Kindergarten activity kit this summer. This kit is designed to prepare your TK or Kindergarten child to start school with an understanding of their mixed, often overwhelming feelings and be equipped with tools to help ease the transition. Our EQ Crew characters and Calm Caterpillar will help your children feel excited and ready to start a new school year.
What matters most to you? Why?
What matters to us now is educating parents about how beneficial these tools and skills are for our children. We are frequently in touch with educators and counselors at school sites, who report that our kids are struggling, sometimes even more than before the pandemic. They are finding it hard to manage their emotions and reactions, exhibit more school avoidance behaviors, have become addicted to technology, and suffer from poor self-confidence.
Empowering parents is key. We want them to know that there are simple things they can incorporate into their daily routines to improve their child’s behavior. You don’t have to be a counselor to teach these techniques to your children. Many of us didn’t learn these skills when we were growing up, either in school or at home, so it’s important to give ourselves some grace.
Parents know more than they think, and by viewing these as just another set of tools to teach, they can gain the confidence to start with one small change and build from there. No matter how old your kids are, it’s never too late to start.
Pricing:
- Full Series of 6 Activity Kits = $355 (Save $35 and includes shipping)
- Bundle of 3 Activity Kits = $180 (Save $15 and includes shipping)
- Individual boxes = $54.95 + $9.99 shipping
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.parentingeq.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parentingeq/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ParentingEQ/
Image Credits
Rick Nocon
