July 13, 2019

Quote of the Week

"What day is it? asked Pooh. It's today, squeaked Piglet. My favorite day, said Pooh." -- A A Milne

How To Awaken Joy In Kids

"Can joy be cultivated? And, if so, can we teach our kids how to be more joyful in their lives?  The answer to both of these questions is yes. But it takes knowing what kinds of practices bring true happiness—and not just momentary pleasure—to your life. Once you’ve mastered that, it’s not too hard to introduce those practices to kids in a way that they can understand and appreciate.

Research shows that mindfulness practice can help rewire our brains for happiness. Mindfulness meditation has been shown to decrease stress and increase happiness, and the practice of compassion and caring for others is key to better relationships, health, and emotional well-being. By teaching children mindfulness skills we help them increase their well-being and enable them to meet the stresses of the world with presence, self-compassion, and openness.  Here are two powerful practices for cultivating gratitude and building resilience in difficult times." [read more]

Reading Corner

Title: Meditation Is an Open Sky: Mindfulness for Kids
By: Whitney Stewart
Age: 3-10

"Mindfulness meditation for kids. Kids of any age will learn simple exercises to help manage stress and emotions, find focus, and face challenges. They'll discover how to feel safe when scared, relax when anxious, spread kindness, and calm anger when frustrated. Simple, secular, and mainstream, this mindfulness book is an excellent tool for helping kids deal with the stresses of everyday life and improve emotional health." - Publisher

Be the Change

"Teaching mindfulness to kids in an appealing way can be tricky.  Here are 25 small things you can do with your child to discover and enjoy small moments of mindfulness together."