January 27, 2018

Quote of the Week

"Children are natural Zen masters; their world is brand new in each and every moment." - John Bradshaw

Mindfulness For Children

"Adversity comes at us from the moment we are born. Infants get hungry and tired. Toddlers grapple with language and self-control. And as children develop through adolescence to become teenagers, life grows ever more complicated. Developing relationships, navigating school and exercising independence — the very stuff of growing up — naturally creates stressful situations for every child.

At each developmental stage, mindfulness can be a useful tool for decreasing anxiety and promoting happiness. Mindfulness — a simple technique that emphasizes paying attention to the present moment in an accepting, nonjudgmental manner — has emerged as a popular mainstream practice in recent decades. It is being taught to executives at corporations, athletes in the locker room, and increasingly, to children both at home and in school." [read more]

Reading Corner

Title: Visiting Feelings
By: Lauren Rubenstein
Ages: 5-8

Why? "Beautifully descriptive prose and delightful illustrations cultivate a message of mindfulness and emotional awareness to help children fully experience the present moment. Rather than labeling or defining specific emotions and feelings, Visiting Feelings invites children to sense, explore, and befriend any feeling with acceptance and equanimity. Children can explore their emotions with their senses and nurture a sense of mindfulness. Gaining this objectivity allows space for a more considered response to the feelings. Practicing mindfulness can also enhance many aspects of well-being, help develop insight, empathy, and resiliency." - Publishers

Be the Change

The article suggests many ways and reasons to bring mindfulness into our daily lives. While we have all heard, many times, the importance of mindfulness, the busy-ness of our day to day activities sometimes makes it hard for us to slow down.

This week try sharing a few minutes with your children to simply focus on the breath and slow down. For more assistance, here's an 8 min audio guide to help you navigate through the practice of mindfulness along with your child. If you're inspired further, share with us of any other mindfulness practice that you have found effective in your family.