Picture Books on Being Mindful and Present
/As a working parent and a teacher, I'm often pulled in a million directions, feeling frazzled and overwhelmed. I recognize the mounting and unnecessary stress this puts on my children and me. I'm attempting to be thankful for small moments, even the ones that make me feel like I’m going crazy or running in circles. I'm not always giving thanks at 8:00 a.m. drop-off when my child dumps her lunch box out in the back seat, but I'm trying to seek out moments of gratitude with my family each day. I'm practicing modeling mindfulness and patience because, as a teacher, I see the many benefits when children are able to calm themselves and breathe in stressful moments.
If you are in need of slowing down or resetting to gain perspective, check out the books below that will remind you how truly fortunate we are to be here and to know one another.
Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth by Oliver Jeffers. How we learn to grow and take in the world around us is a wonder. A book about a child's smallness in this universe, Jeffers provides some relief for parents as he points out that others will be here to take care of our children when we no longer can do so.
Forever or a Day by Sarah Jacoby. For any parent who is attempting to say yes more often, this book is a beautiful reminder of all the reasons we should do just that. Time is the one thing we can never get more of, and in this book, a child asks if we can stay a little longer–so maybe we should.
Life by Cynthia Rylant and Brendan Wenzel. Cynthia Rylant does a fantastic job of keeping complex concepts simple. Life is no exception. "Life is not always easy. There will probably be a stretch of wilderness now and then. But wilderness eventually ends. And there is always a new road to take."
All In a Day by Cynthia Rylant and Nikki McClure. Another Rylant book because when paired with McClure’s die-cut illustrations, it’s too beautiful not to mention. “A day brings hope and kindness too…a day is all it’s own.” A sentimental reminder of how much connection we can share in a single day.
Breathe and Be: A Book of Mindfulness Poems by Kate Coombs and Anna Emilia Laitinen. A Montessori teacher friend recently suggested this book. She said that she randomly grabbed it from the shelf on the last day of school when the children sit together and express their thoughts or feelings about the year. She is now using it as a yearly tradition. What a special find. "There's a quiet place in my head like an egg hidden in a nest. A place I go when the world is loud."
Do you have any book suggestions or tips on being present with your children and family? I'm all ears.
