Jenny Woo: The Woman Helping Children And Their Parents Become More Human By Developing Their Social And Emotional Skills

IRVINE, CA / ACCESSWIRE / November 14, 2022 / As a mother of three (two of which are twins), Dr. Jenny Woo is no stranger to the anxieties every parent inevitably feels. While a student at the Harvard Graduate School of Education Jenny found herself wishing that other parents could be privy to what she was learning. Jenny knew first hand the challenges of parenthood in a world of endless information. She wanted to cut through the noise and offer parents something simple, something familiar, something that would genuinely help parents teach their children (and themselves) how to navigate an increasingly complex world.

So, she created "52 Essential Conversations", a playing card deck of social-emotional learning questions designed to foster conversation between parents/caregivers and their children.

Jenny has an MEd from Harvard, MBA from UC Berkeley, a PhD from UC Irvine, and worked for several years as a Montessori school director. It's no wonder that her cards have been such a success since their initial Kickstarter campaign back in 2018. Since then, the cards (along with their 6 counterparts) are being used by parents, schools, and practitioners in over 50 countries.

The success of these cards is in no doubt due to Jenny's extensive experience, she spent seven years as a human capital consultant, has done two TEDx talks, teaches emotional intelligence, has taught authentic communications, and worked at the Center on the Developing Child. Moreover, she has spoken at the Institute for Child Psychology conference, the Happy Family conference and other gatherings for parents, teachers, educators, and school administrators across the globe, she also hosted a podcast called 52 Essential Conversations to Inspire Children for Life.

Jenny learned first hand that your youth is a defining factor with how you are able to deal with life as you grow. She was 10 years old when she came to the U.S from China after 5 years of not seeing her parents, reuniting with her family alongside intense culture shock meant Jenny did not have a typical childhood. In order to navigate through her adolescence Jenny realized the importance of social, communication and coping skills. No doubt this was the pivotal moment that led Jenny on her path.

As an adult, Jenny noticed that people were both successful and happy when they were in tune with their emotions. In response, she founded Mind Brain Parenting, and after receiving a high interest from non parents, she subsequently founded a sister brand Mind Brain Emotion to help potential leaders develop their emotional intelligence.

"Even though I had spent years developing leaders' communication and interpersonal skills so they could succeed in their job roles, it wasn't until I became a mother myself that my AHA moment came. It's not simply that we need these skills professionally but also personally. As parents we need to ensure our children grow up responsible, compassionate, confident and purposeful. So, that's when I decided to pivot my career in management consulting and put what I had learned to education".

Jenny realized her calling was to level the playing field so that all parents could gain access to the insights from the best child development experts, psychologists, neuroscientists, counselors and researchers. Her cards are just one part of the bigger picture in her quest, her entire life is dedicated to helping people achieve their best selves inside and out.

However, it is through these cards that she is able to bridge the gap between research and action.

"I believe in empowering the user to get what they need and do what they need in accessible, actionable and doable ways" explains Jenny.

"That is the backbone of what these cards represent. I wanted to give parents the tools to enable them to have the potentially difficult and awkwards conversations by giving them concrete language, skills and confidence to ask the right questions. Not many people have the time to read an entire self-help book, attend a lecture, or do a course and even if they do, very often at the end of it you're left thinking - ‘well, that was great, what do I do now?'. What I want to offer to people is a tool they can actually use, make a game out of, take with them in the car, or at the dinner table."

52 Essential Conversations was an undeniable success, which led Jenny to develop 6 more decks. 52 Essential Relationships, 52 Essential Coping Skills, 52 Essential Critical Thinking, and the three most recently released 52 Essential Social Skills (tailored for 5-9 year olds), 52 Essential Social Situations (8-12) and 52 Essential Social Dilemmas (11-14).

Each deck is geared toward a particular aspect of a healthy, happy life but across all decks the recurring themes are to think about things in a new light, prioritize mental health, build tighter bonds between children and parents/caregivers, and develop their social and emotional intelligence. The goal - to help people achieve their best selves, inside and out.

Jenny Woo is the Founder/CEO and creator of award-winning educational games and mental health tools. As an MBA social entrepreneur and a Ph.D. emotional intelligence researcher, she is passionate about bridging science and practice. Her 52 Essential Card Series include (Conversations, Relationships, and Coping Skills) and are used in more than 50+ countries in homes, schools, and workplaces. In addition, Jenny Woo is a TEDx speaker, keynote speaker, facilitator, and panelist.

Media Contact: Jenny Woo
Contact Email: [email protected]

SOURCE: Mind Brain Emotion