THE STORY OF

LEARNING THROUGH PLAY

Learning Through Play Founder and Executive Director Nikki Mingledorff discovered her true passion as a professional and as a person while taking a hiatus from her burgeoning career as a marriage and family therapist to stay at home with her three young children. As it often goes, Nikki and her husband Jason’s lives experienced a dramatic change once kids were added into the equation. Like so many others, parenthood was the ultimate blessing for them, but the stress and challenges it brought put a strain on their relationship. As they learned how to become a united parenting team, both Nikki and Jason came to personally understand the benefits of a growth mindset approach, prioritizing and focusing on three key elements of their parenting identity:

 

• Parents as parents

• Parents as partners

• Parents as people

 

Through their family, friends, work, neighborhood, and the boys’ Montessori method school environment, Nikki and Jason have been fortunate to raise their children in a strong, supportive community of other like-minded professionals. She realized that many parents do not have access to such a network, and saw the need to fill this gap in services and support in the community. From her experience as a parent, spouse, and former mental health professional, Nikki saw how much her professional and personal experience favorably melded together and the role of emotional intelligence skills and growth-mindset in living a gratifying life. Throw in a strong, nurturing, and fun learning environment and this is a recipe for success!
 

Nikki began to envision an intentional network available to parents in the Greater New Orleans area; one that combines elements that had so inspired her in her personal and professional life – thus the concept of Learning Through Play was born! 

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