Susan Hopkins EdD

02/03/2026

When stress is high, words matter. Consider saying this instead of that—and notice how connection often comes before calm. 💙 What other swaps would you add?

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02/03/2026

❤️

Jordan's Principle History: Today, we remember Jordan River Anderson, who passed away on February 2, 2005.
Jordan was a young boy from Norway House Cree Nation who spent his entire life in hospital. Despite being medically cleared to live in a family home, jurisdictional disputes between the federal and provincial governments over funding for his care prevented that from happening. As a result, Jordan never had the opportunity to return home and live with his family.
Jordan’s story resonated across the country and led to the establishment of Jordan’s Principle—a commitment to ensure that First Nations children receive the services and supports they need, when they need them, without delay or denial due to jurisdictional or funding disputes.

On this day of remembrance, we hold Jordan in our thoughts and extend our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones. Honouring Jordan’s legacy means continuing to advocate for children and families and working toward systems rooted in care, dignity, and compassion.

02/02/2026

Parenting is a dance - let empathy be your rhythm.

02/01/2026

Feeling very grateful after a few meaningful days on the road.

Thank you to Ga’nigǫhi:yo Indigenous Child Care and Family Centre for welcoming me so warmly into your space. Your care, presence, and commitment to children, families, and community is truly special.

Thank you to the Wellington Catholic District School Board, and to the Educational Assistants and Child & Youth Workers who show up every day for students in moments of stress and overwhelm. The work you do matters more than you know.

And thank you to Kids Come First and the early childhood educators who spent a full day learning, reflecting, and practising together. Your openness, honesty, and care - for children and for yourselves - was deeply felt.

Different communities. Shared heart.
So much quiet, important work happening every day.
Grateful to witness it.

01/30/2026

❤️

01/30/2026

The weeks leading up to the winter break can place a heavy load on everyone’s nervous system. Routines shift, excitement builds, and stress quietly accumulates for children and for the adults supporting them.

In her thoughtful blog, Aviva Dunsiger shares a moment that stayed with me. Faced with a loud, stimulating school dance, students noticed their own stress and gathered what they needed to feel more regulated. Paper, markers, a quieter orientation. No one was told what to do. Space was simply made.

This is Self-Reg in action. Stress is noticed. Differences are honoured. Support is offered without taking over.

As I sit with Aviva’s reflection, I find myself wondering:

How often do we slow down enough to notice when children are already showing us how to self-regulate, if we allow them to?

Thank you, Aviva, for noticing this moment and inviting us to reflect alongside you.

Read the full blog here:
https://self-reg.ca/do-we-let-them-self-regulate/

01/30/2026

Exactly 😉

A reminder from Susan Hopkins EdD 🪷

Lend your calm.
Soothe with kindness.
Bring soft eyes to stress behaviour.

Because behaviour isn’t something to correct — it’s something to understand.
And calm is often the most powerful support we can offer. Learn more about here: https://self-reg.ca/?s=soft+eyes

01/28/2026

There are moments when we watch children and youth interact and feel a quiet sense that something more is happening beneath the surface.

Not just behaviour to respond to, but experiences shaped by stress, by connection, by what has - or hasn’t - been available to them.

The Reframing Bullying course offers time to slow down with these moments. Rather than beginning with labels, it invites us to look more closely at what might be shaping behaviour, drawing on neuroscience and applied Self-Reg understanding.

As the learning unfolds, many people begin to see bullying less as a fixed problem and more as part of a larger storyone that includes nervous systems under strain, relationships that need support, and environments that matter more than we sometimes realise.

If this feels like a conversation you’d like to spend time with, the next cohort begins April 2, 2026.

More information is here, if you’d like to explore:
https://self-reg.ca/reframing-bullying/

01/28/2026

Made me smile. No it’s not!

Raising a child isn’t like baking a cake — no measuring cups, no timers, no recipe will do. 🎂

Every child is different: their stress, their temperament, their nervous system. What works for one won’t work for another. That’s why we need to understand stress, not just follow steps.

01/28/2026

🙏❤️

As a new school year begins in Australia....

01/27/2026

Another Monday in the books - time to take a minute to check in. 🌿

Shanker isn’t about self-control — it’s about noticing stress, understanding your energy, and restoring balance. These 5 daily reflections help you:

🌡️ Track your energy and tension
😌 Spot stress in your body, brain, and mood
🔍 Identify hidden stressors
🤝 Lean on co-regulation when you need it
⚡ Restore calm so you can stay alert, focused, and connected