sparking mindful compassionate action one community at a time
Summer is coming and I think we all want to get our kids outside as much as possible and let them breathe, explore and wonder. I know many kids participate in summer sports or attend summer camps but there are always times when you need an activity and don’t have the time or bandwidth to do the research. That is where this list will come in handy. Continue reading “Mindful Parenting Round-Up: Ahhh Summer”
Conceived by a U.S. Senator back in 1970, Earth Day (celebrated annually on April 22nd) has become a global movement bringing over a billion people from around the world together to work towards the common goal of protecting our planet for future generations. Continue reading “Mindful Parenting Round-Up: Earth Day Every Day”
Yes, we’re still experiencing quite a bit of rain (or snow in some places), but temperatures are rising, bright blue sky is peeking through and new life is springing up all around us. Spring encourages us to slow down, breathe deeply, listen to the sounds of life, savor the sunshine on our skin, and notice the new blooms and sprouts of the season. Continue reading “Mindful Parenting Round-Up: Mindfully Welcoming Spring”
As a white American, talking about Black history in our country can feel complicated. I want my kids to know about and celebrate Black history, but knowing how to tell the whole story, including slavery, emancipation, civil rights and racism, is overwhelming.
Continue reading “Mindful Parenting Round-Up: Celebrating Black History Month”
Does your family make New Year’s resolutions? Historically ours has not because 1) there’s a lot of pressure to keep a New Year’s resolution once committed; 2) these resolutions require personal introspection I generally prefer to avoid; and 3) my kids do not need me nagging them about one more thing they are supposed to be doing or not doing. Continue reading “Mindful Parenting Round-Up: Re-Thinking Resolutions”
For the entire month of December, I feel my anxiety steadily increasing. I put a lot of pressure on myself to make sure my kids feel genuine gratitude for all of the things they have (a house, a bed, food and water, clothes) and don’t spend all their time thinking about what gifts they should get. I don’t expect my young children to think beyond themselves without a little help so this year we made kits for the homeless and created keepsake boxes for their babysitters. Continue reading “Mindful Parenting Round-Up: Finding Calm in the Holiday Chaos”
It is mid-November, therefore we must begin preparing for 1) a sumptuous feast to end all feasts and 2) extended time spent with family, friends and neighbors and 3) all the high and low feelings that come with embracing the season. It doesn’t have to be overwhelming, though. What if we carved out a portion of that preparation energy and diverted a bit to fully embrace (in ourselves) and encourage (in our littles) feelings of gratitude both leading up to and on Thanksgiving Day? Continue reading “Mindful Parenting Round-Up: Gratitude & Thanksgiving”
In the United States, skeletons, skulls and white painted faces more often than not make you think of haunted houses, creepy monsters and scary stories. Just across the border in Mexico, however, these symbols of death are all about joy and thanksgiving. That’s because Mexican culture celebrates death and the deceased while we often find it difficult to discuss death at all, let alone with comfort and ease. Continue reading “Dia de los Muertos Helps Us Honor Our Ancestors With Love and Joy”
The days are cooler, the leaves are falling – autumn is officially here! It’s October and that means Halloween in all its frightening finery will soon be upon us. Get ready for costumes, candy, parties, pumpkins and trick-or-treating. Age appropriate activities, mindful candy consumption, affordable and easy costumes and safety are the focus of this month’s Round-Up. Continue reading “Mindful Parenting Round-Up: Halloween”
Today is the International Day of Peace which is a day observed around the world dedicated to “strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and peoples” according to the UN website. This round-up is devoted to the idea of Peace and how to help our littles practice peace and promote it in ourselves, our homes, our communities and our world. Continue reading “Mindful Parenting Round-up: Celebrating Peace”