Child Life Mommy

Child Life Mommy Shani Thornton is a Certified Child Life Specialist supporting families coping with life's challenge

Supporting children through a loved one’s end-of-life care is delicate, emotional work.During this session, I used books...
07/25/2025

Supporting children through a loved one’s end-of-life care is delicate, emotional work.

During this session, I used books from Mighty + Bright and author Deborah Marcero to help the children begin to understand what’s happening and express what they’re feeling.

Books, play, and therapeutic tools help create a bridge between what kids sense and what they need to know, at their own pace, in a safe space.

If you’re not sure what to say or how to support a grieving child, send me a message or comment below. I also have a grief resource available through the link in bio and on my website.

Let’s keep showing up for children navigating these big, heartbreaking moments. ❤️

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

07/21/2025

Victory! The title Certified Child Life This is a huge win for our profession and a reminder of what happens when we speak up. Thank you to everyone who signed the petition, shared the message, and stood in solidarity. Your voices mattered—and they were heard.Let’s keep protecting and strengthening this field we love. 💛

07/21/2025

Well… at least it’s clean and sparkly.✨❤️❤️❤️

A little medical education through play 💉🍬We explored the difference between healthy blood and blood with cancer cells u...
07/19/2025

A little medical education through play 💉🍬
We explored the difference between healthy blood and blood with cancer cells using candy and household items to represent each blood component:

🔴 Red sprinkles = red blood cells
⚪️ Mini marshmallows = white blood cells
✨ Colored sprinkles = platelets
🟡 Vegetable oil = plasma
🟣 Purple Skittles = cancer cells

The kids loved filling jars to visually compare healthy blood and blood affected by leukemia. We also used books and plush blood cells to deepen understanding and open the door to conversations about treatment, feelings, and clearing up misconceptions in a safe, age-appropriate way.

❤️❤️❤️❤️

07/15/2025

Raise your hand if Janice from the adult unit—who’s never sent a referral—suddenly wants to shadow you now that Taylor Swift is on the unit. 🫠Funny how that works.

💔 In the wake of the flash floods in Texas, families—especially children—are coping with fear, loss, and major disruptio...
07/06/2025

💔 In the wake of the flash floods in Texas, families—especially children—are coping with fear, loss, and major disruption.

We’re sharing a collection of child life-informed tools and resources to help support emotional healing during this time.

✔️ Tips for helping children feel safe: open dialogue, reassurance, validating feelings, limiting media exposure, and spending intentional time together.

📚 Books and journals can also be powerful tools, giving kids the language, comfort, and space to express big emotions.

Some of our recommended titles include:

A Terrible Thing Happened by Margaret M. Holmes

Rhino Who Swallowed a Storm by LeVar Burton

Flood by Alvaro F. Villa

Freddy the Frogcaster and the Flash Flood by Janice Dean

The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld

The Feelings in My Heart by Heather Lean

When Something Terrible Happens by Marge Heegaard

Draw It Out and other resources from the Art with Heart Foundation

These tools can help children feel seen, supported, and a little more in control, one moment at a time.

❤️❤️❤️

🚨 Update on the changes happening at Kaiser with their Child Life programs.If you’re new to this, head to my “Petition” ...
07/02/2025

🚨 Update on the changes happening at Kaiser with their Child Life programs.

If you’re new to this, head to my “Petition” highlight to catch up. And please keep sharing the petition, it’s linked below.

Every voice matters in this fight.

https://www.change.org/p/preserve-certified-child-life-specialist-title-at-kaiser-permanente?recruiter=850371691&recruited_by_id=c66bbc70-fb34-11e7-b1c1-09be6df4b52a&utm_source=share_petition&utm_campaign=psf_promote_or_share&utm_term=psf&utm_medium=copylink&utm_content=cl_sharecopy_490617667_en-US%3A9&fbclid=PAQ0xDSwLSPyZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABp5IcEoXhZOuRcvQn1qiBtyxmDdKnwRvSF93pT4lS6eXdq-zZulwqRJXewNZR_aem_Ikb--4hIgMaRX37iK5dfpw

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Thinking about starting a Child Life business but don’t know where to begin?You’re not alone—I get questions all the tim...
07/01/2025

Thinking about starting a Child Life business but don’t know where to begin?
You’re not alone—I get questions all the time like:
👉 “What does a Child Life Specialist even do outside the hospital?”
👉 “How do you even get started in private practice?”
👉 “What does your day-to-day actually look like?”

That’s exactly why we created this course.

✨ Building a Business in Child Life: Summer 2025
A supportive, expert-led experience designed just for CCLSs ready to take the leap into private practice.

You’ll walk away with clarity, confidence, and the tools to grow, without doing it alone.

✔️ 3 live sessions
✔️ Access to the Child Life Circle
✔️ Templates, pricing tools, expert strategies
✔️ Community support from CCLSs who’ve already done it

⏳ Enrollment closes July 3
Now’s the time—let’s build something amazing together.

🔗 Link in bio to join
💬 Comment “I’m in” or DM me for info + my affiliate link

Or use the link below:

https://child-life-circle.circle.so/checkout/building-a-business-in-child-life-summer-2025?affiliate_code=e0c18f&fbclid=PAQ0xDSwLRUOtleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABp2XMsS4zR5RsEBP39exiCFg8BYrjBidmB04zpK9LKMW06F5OUUh_Fq9W5DYn_aem_J9If_pxNGGZw5HOcslSAUQ

Check out the incredible instructors:


❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

A huge thank you to Standish Foundation for Children for coordinating the shipment of a gently used Nickie Training Doll...
06/22/2025

A huge thank you to Standish Foundation for Children for coordinating the shipment of a gently used Nickie Training Doll and blank cloth dolls from Children’s Hospital Colorado. I’m so grateful for this donation to my practice and can assure you these teaching tools will be put to great use with the families I support.

This is what collaboration looks like, child life programs within hospitals supporting nonprofits and private practices to ensure families receive care in every space.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

has replaced the title Certified Child Life Specialist with Behavioral Care Specialist, a move that disregards the year...
06/19/2025

has replaced the title Certified Child Life Specialist with Behavioral Care Specialist, a move that disregards the years of training, certification, and impact these professionals provide.

This change is more than a name, it erases a vital role in pediatric care. Without clear recognition of their expertise, families may lose access to the specialized emotional and developmental support their children need. Patient care will suffer when vital roles are mislabeled.

Sign the petition to protect the integrity of the Child Life profession, and the quality of care children deserve.

Sign the petition

https://www.change.org/p/preserve-certified-child-life-specialist-title-at-kaiser-permanente?recruiter=850371691&recruited_by_id=c66bbc70-fb34-11e7-b1c1-09be6df4b52a&utm_source=share_petition&utm_campaign=psf_promote_or_share&utm_term=psf&utm_medium=copylink&utm_content=cl_sharecopy_490617667_en-US%3A9

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

When you can’t be there in person, you show up in heart. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
06/18/2025

When you can’t be there in person, you show up in heart. ❤️

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Father’s Day isn’t joyful for everyone.We see you. We honor your story.Whether you’re grieving, longing, navigating dist...
06/14/2025

Father’s Day isn’t joyful for everyone.

We see you. We honor your story.

Whether you’re grieving, longing, navigating distance, or holding complicated emotions, you’re not alone. ❤️‍🩹

Thinking of you today and always.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

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Sacramento, CA

Telephone

+19163033220

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