Welcome to the Mindful Families April Newsletter With practice tips, articles, book recommendations and upcoming events. "The most precious gift we

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Welcome to the Mindful Families April Newsletter

With practice tips, articles, book recommendations and upcoming events.

"The most precious gift we can offer is our presence. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers." - Thich Nhat Hanh

Practice Tip for April

Schedule time to just be with your children with no agenda in mind. Follow their lead and see where it takes you. So much of our time is scheduled, rushing from one place to another, whether it be work, school, extra-curricular activities... Invite yourself, even if for 5 minutes a day, to just hang out with your child or children. Gently observing what they are interested in, and engaging when they invite you in to their activities. Otherwise, just sitting back and observing them. Imagine what they might be thinking and feeling - what's going on in their world. You might even on occasion, wonder what they might be thinking or feeling. Observing your child engaged in an activity of their choice is actually a simple, yet profound way to contribute to building their self-esteem.

Sara's New Blog:
Adventures in Mindful Parenting: Fumbling my way through, one breath at a time...
We connect with our children by connecting with ourselves.
“To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts.” – Henry David Thoreau.

I have come to greatly appreciate this quote as I begin my early mornings – especially after a night of little to no sleep, or waking up to see a snowstorm brewing before my long commute, or when our howling ginger cat has woken up the household at 4:45 a.m. because he wants his breakfast. These are all examples of things that can “put” me in a grumpy mood and consequently colour the quality of my morning with my family – often leaving me feeling guilty and remorseful… even a touch sad that the precious little time with my family on work days was not spent enjoying each other.

Read full blog post.

Book Pick of the Month

The Whole Brain Child. 12 Revolutionary Strategies to nurture your child's developing mind. Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson.
If there was only one parenting book that parents read, I would suggest this be the one. It is jam-packed with concrete ideas for how to respond to your child's emotional upsets and meltdowns. Seigel & Bryson offer suggestions to parents through easy-to-read cartoons that demonstrate common ways of responding and then alternatives that nurture children's developing minds. All of their suggestions are backed up by research in neuroscience - how a child's brain is wired and how it matures. A very practical book for dealing with day-to-day struggles in such a way as to support children to lead happy, balanced and connected lives.

Book Launch! Sunday, June 9

No Ordinary Apple: A Story About Eating Mindfully by Sara Marlowe
Mindfulness activities, music & fun for the whole family. Hosted by Elaine Smookler, performer & mindfulness teacher
Sunday, June 9
3:00 p.m.
The Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St. W
Organic apples generously provided by Mama Earth Organics

"Elliot stays with his neighbor, Carmen, after school every day and one afternoon she offers an apple as a snack, guiding him to experience it in a new way that makes it "the most appley-apple ever".

Publisher's Weekly says that "Parents will appreciate the call to slow down and pay attention, advice that’s good for a lifetime. For children, the book will open new perspectives on the fruit of knowledge."

Mindful Kids Creative Arts Day Camp
Lead by Sara Marlowe MSW, RSW & friends
July 15 - 19, 2013
9:30 a.m. - 12:00 noon daily
$225
This week long, half-day summer camp will playfully introduce your child to the joy of mindfulness
through story-telling, music, art, movement and short mindfulness practices.

Your child will learn creative ways to enhance their attention skills, calm themselves during challenging situations, cultivate kindness and compassion towards themselves and others and
even learn about how their brains work. Most importantly, they will have the opportunity to develop a fun and caring community while learning practical skills that nurture their resilience.

This workshop is appropriate for children ages 6-10 years. Enrollment is limited to 10 children, so please register early at: The Centre for Mindfulness Studies

Looking forward to the fall...

Sara will be offering a 6-week Mindful Parenting Group on Monday evenings starting Oct. 21 through The Centre for Mindfulness Studies. Details will be forthcoming.

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