Welcome moms, dads, and every other caretaker in between!
My name is Jen Kysar, and I’m a published children’s book author and educator who loves every moment of creating fun and enriching storylines that help littles navigate through this crazy thing called life. Also being a mom of two amazing kiddos myself, I happen to know a thing or two about little bodies and big emotions. I also recognize that sometimes parents (even myself) need a bit of help guiding their kids on overcoming some of life’s most emotionally taxing hurdles in a manner that they can truly grasp. And you guessed it, collectedly became the perfect cocktail that inspired me to author The Brave Stone and Nexcited – all in a core notion to connect with you, offer literature that stems beyond just the surface, and ultimately give your minis the best foundation to thrive on.
Current Books: (Author Page on Amazon)
Everyone knows that nervous feeling about going to school for the very first time. This story follows a young boy who is feeling first day jitters. The boy just wants to hide away in his room. However, his parents encourage him to come outside. The boy's parents tell him to pick a stone; a stone that is small enough to fit in his pocket, but big enough to hold all his bravery. This rhyming tale will encourage your little one to face their fears.
Hey there! It is wonderful to meet you! This is a book about emotions, but not just ANY emotion, it’s about ME! Allow me to introduce myself; I’m Nexcited. I am the funny feeling you get in your belly before the first day of school, the big soccer game, the fantastical dance performance, or any other time you are trying something new! What is special about me? Welp, I’m a mix of emotions! Yep, you read that right! I am what happens when you have two types of feelings in your noggin! To make a long story short, my buddies ‘Excited’ and ‘Nervous’ bump into each other, and BOOM; I was created! I am the dude that helps you take the steps forward, and keeps your body calm, all while giving you sprinkles of confidence! So, snuggle up and learn how I helped my human stay flexible and try something new! Oh and watch out for ‘Excited’…she’s quite bouncy…
What’s my story?
I am a native Bay Stater who grew up in the Boston suburbs, am the oldest of 4 siblings, and someone who valued the art of education early on. With that as my base, it became the catalyst for me to powerhouse through the academic path, earning an undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Education and English. Soon after, I earned a BA and then a MA in Special Education in 2013. During this time, I started working in the field of Applied Behavior analysis in the special education setting. But more importantly, this was also a pivotal time in my life, as my daughter was born in 2012 and my son was born in 2013 – becoming my ENTIRE world.
Being a mama is no walk in the park, and there were many things I had to learn as I went. One of those was witnessing just how uncertain life can feel for them during various milestones, which ended up leading me to begin telling tales on the fly to help ease their situation. Whether it be coaxing my then 4-year-old into the classroom tear-free or making up a tale to explain why their belly felt funny before that fantastical school performance, I found that stories had a keen way of bringing children back to a state of peace and balance. Because of that, I have since tapped into the children’s book arena. The goal? Aside from being an expressional outlet, to help your littles excel using the same storytelling approaches that helped my own kids process some big feels and ensuring you get a few less gray hairs along the way.
In a nutshell, nothing makes me happier than creating authentic storylines filled with raw, empowering, yet fun-loving life lessons that draw young eyes in from cover to cover. Even more, doing so all while offering educative insights that explain those big, scary emotions swirling inside them so they can foster healthy self-regulation and gain splashes of confidence. Overall, I truly value the art of storytelling that offers bigger picture meaning, and I am so excited to connect with you on that level to help ensure those little minds are a little less confused about the world and themselves. That being said, it is no secret that this parenting gig doesn’t come with a manual (wouldn't it be SO much easier if it did?!). But snapping back to reality, perhaps that is why there is an old saying that “it takes a village to raise a child, "...and you best bet that I would be honored to become part of yours.
Free time? Family is everything to me, and when I am not letting the creative sparks fly to the paper, you can usually find me spending time making memories with them. Some of those things include camping and floating down the river all summer long. As for solo time, I adore learning new things, which is why I am quite literally a woman of all trades. Currently, I know how to hatch and raise chicks/chickens, sew, beekeep (I even cloned a hive), cake decorate, cook, and fish. Stay tuned because this list will keep growing!
Contact?
Do you happen to have a question, comment, literature idea, or simply want to say hi? If so, my inbox is always open: "Jen@JenniferKysar.com".