The Heart Behind Elm Sprouts
Emotional intelligence is the key to every child’s well-being and success.
Every child deserves to understand their feelings and feel confident expressing them. Elm Sprouts was created to make social-emotional learning approachable, transforming everyday moments into opportunities for growth, empathy, and connection. Together, parents guide children in learning to identify, understand, and manage their emotions, and take positive action in social settings.
Monica Au Yeung, Elm Sprout’s Founder
“Cultivating Compassion.”
With over 15 years of professional experience supporting vulnerable children, youth, and those with autism, combined with being a mom to two young boys, I have learned so much about social-emotional learning and continue to learn every day. Through specialized training and hands-on experience in group homes, public schools, and vocational programs, I developed practical strategies that I later applied at home with my own children, witnessing firsthand their effectiveness. Working with students from trauma-affected backgrounds, including families fleeing war zones like Pakistan, taught me the profound power of patience and kindness. These qualities shaped me personally and deepened my ability to support children and youth.
At the core of emotional learning are three values I hold close: self-love, self-esteem, and self-confidence. They’re the seeds of every child’s emotional growth.
Self Love
I create open and non-judgmental spaces where respect and kindness invite honest sharing of thoughts and feelings. When you learn to care for yourself with empathy, compassion naturally grows and extends to others.
Self Esteem
Celebrate every step of progress, no matter how small. By embracing trial and error, you discover both your strengths and areas to grow, learning to give yourself grace and move forward at your own pace.
Self Confidence
There is strength in acknowledging how far you’ve come. Confidence grows when you recognize your progress, trust your abilities, and stand firmly in your own story with pride and calm assurance.
"Consistency is key to building social-emotional skills. When schools and families share the same behavioural expectations and a common language for emotions, children can transition more smoothly and succeed across different settings and with various adults."
- Stephanie Jones, EASEL Lab, Harvard Graduate School of Education
How Motherhood Shaped My Mission
As I navigated the joys and challenges of motherhood, I recognized the critical role of Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) in my eldest son Ethan’s life when he faced difficulties expressing himself at age three. I witnessed firsthand how emotional intelligence helps children understand and manage their emotions. I applied what I had learned from my professional experiences and saw how, even at a very young age, children can understand SEL and apply it. Imagine how it will benefit children in the long run.
The name Elm Sprouts was inspired by the image of children growing into strong, steady elm trees, with roots grounded in love and emotional understanding, starting first as tender sprouts. I believe parents play a vital role in nurturing their children’s emotional intelligence, and these stories are created to support that journey.
My Professional Qualifications And Training
MANDT SYSTEM (2014–2019)
This training equipped me with the skills to develop healthy relationships, effective communication strategies, and successful conflict resolution techniques.
COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTION (CBI) TRAINING (2014–2019)
This training focused on identifying and modifying thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that contribute to challenges. It included the Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence (ABC) framework and Positive Behavior Support (PBS) approach to promote positive behavioral change.
POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORT TRAINING (2019)
TRAUMA AND ATTACHMENT TRAINING (2019)
MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING FROM THE CANADIAN MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION (2019)
BACHELOR OF ARTS | SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY