January 07, 2023

Quote of the Week

Dear Kindful Kids Community,

It's been another adventurous year for children and families around the world, with many ups and downs, twists and turns, highs and lows along the way.  Thank you for continuing to ride this journey with us at Kindful Kids and for all you do for children and families to live healthier, happier lives.  We look forward to all that the new year brings and wish you a wonderful 2023 ahead!  We hope you enjoy our selection of the top ten newsletters of 2022.

With deep gratitude,

Your Kindful Kids Editors
(Meghna, Brinda, Deven, Neha and Trishna)

** Editors' Choice: Top 10 of 2022 **

Why Parents Need Self-Compassion

“The demands of raising kids can keep parents running around, making it hard for them to imagine spending even a few minutes focusing on their own needs.  While taking time out for self-care might feel like a burden—who has time for one more thing you should do?—the research is clear: Self-compassion is good for us, and for our children. It can help reduce our stress levels and bring more joy to parenting, and we can get it in small doses that fit into our insane schedules.”

How Nature Makes Kids Calmer

“Families who find ways to be outdoors together nurture not only their bodies, but their connection to all of life -- and to each other. Kids who spend time outside in nature, research shows, are calmer, happier, healthier and even more creative!  The answer to our nature-deprived modern lives? Set your life up so both you and your child can be outdoors more often.”

Watching Teens Unfold

Excerpt from poem: “I am watching my teens with awe as they unfold. [...] Take a step back...they are unfolding as they were intended to. This is a painting that doesn't require you to put an ounce of paint on the canvas. It's all their paint. Their vision. Their dreams and ideas.” 

You Matter to Me

“‘You matter to me.’ It’s a simple sentiment with the power to encourage, uplift, and inspire. So why don’t we remember to say or show it more?  Luckily, letting our kids know how much they matter doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming. In just a few thoughtful minutes a day, we can show our children how much they mean to us and the world.”

The Secret of Raising a Resilient Child

“Where does resilience come from? To help your child develop a resilient inner core, start with the parent-child relationship.  As Dr. Edward Hallowell says, "Resilience comes from knowing that you never have to be alone …. If you feel connected, you will always be able to deal with adversity. The skills we need to deal with adversity begin with a feeling of 'I can handle this' It is a feeling of 'No matter what happens, I can find a solution' ; a feeling of 'I have dealt with hard times and come out fine before; a feeling of 'Even when I feel lost, I always have somewhere to turn.'"  There's a common misconception that children develop resilience by failing. Actually, children develop resilience by dealing successfully with failure. When children have the support to get up and try again, they learn they can survive adversity and come out okay.


Becoming Full Citizens of Kindness

“This poem reminds us of the innumerable tiny acts -- the size of loose change and a cup of tea -- we can do and share alongside our mainstream roles. These ordinary acts can make a big difference to someone else's day.  Take a moment to also consider the title of the poem, 'give'. This word has multiple meanings. One of them is, "to yield to force or pressure; to relax; to become less rigid." When we step up to act kindly (e.g., to a hungry person, a lost stranger, a moody teenager, etc.), we create a give in our bodies, a kind of stretch or a bend to surrender to the moment at hand. To recognize the presence of someone else. In that sense, to give is to transform ourselves.”

Parenting, A Work in Progress

"Have you ever had a hard day, or even just a hard hour before bedtime, maybe you weren’t quite the mom or dad that you wanted to be—and then when you go in to check on the kids before you go to bed, they’re peaceful, angelic, beautiful…and you’re struck with a pang of guilt? I know that I have.  As a pediatrician and host of a parenting & kids’ health podcast, I come across a lot of parenting stories. But few stories have ever stopped me in my tracks, leaving me both stunned and inspired, promising myself to strive to be better tomorrow.
Until this one.”

Spontaneous Acts of Generosity

This week we pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his birth anniversary (2nd October) and happy to share with you a short film based on an incident in his life. One day, as Mahatma Gandhi stepped aboard a train, one of his shoes slipped off and landed on the track. He was unable to retrieve it as the train was moving. To the amazement of his companions, Gandhi calmly took off his other shoe and threw it back along the track to land close to the first. Asked by a fellow passenger why he did so, Gandhi smiled. “The poor man who finds the shoe lying on the track,” he replied, “will now have a pair he can use.”

Fun Ways to Teach Children About Different Cultures

“Educating children about other cultures is one way to fight against racism and other forms of bias. The more diversity kids are exposed to from a young age, the better. [...] Don’t just leave this education up to the schools. According to the National Association for the Education of Young Children, “families are the primary context for children’s development and learning.” This means you play an important role.  Learning about the world and the fascinating people in it can be a great gift to your child.”

Finding Our Unique Voices

"We live in a society that is geared towards extroversion. [...] Instead of seeing introverts as failed extroverts, we should begin appreciating their unique strengths and talents. You probably know that your introverted child prefers spending time alone in quiet surroundings unlike extroverts who prefer being where the action is- but do you know why?"

Reading Corner

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Be the Change

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