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mindfulness

Peaceful Piggy Meditation

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Peaceful Piggy Meditation by Kerry Lee MacLean
Format: Book
Who’s it for: Children

“Sometimes the world can be such a busy, noisy place.  Sometimes it feels like you always have to hurry, hurry, hurry… and you feel like you can’t slow down- even when you’re sitting down!”- From Peaceful Piggy Meditation

Life can get hectic.  In addition to all of our work, house and family duties there is a very real, very persistent pressure from society to be constantly plugged in.  The urge to be constantly informed of any and all things is a powerful one, but if we’re not careful it can leave us feeling lost and confused in a constantly shifting world.  At the end of the day, instead of getting some vital sleep, many of us use this time to catch up on the events of the day, watch a “must-see” TV show, or any number of things that we’ve been told we must do to be a part of society.

It can be easy to think this is strictly an adult problem, but the young people in our lives are affected by this pressure as well.  The world seems to spin faster and faster every day, and the more we try to keep up with it the more our heads will spin at the end of the day.  The best way to slow it down and be fully present, and this is true for kiddos and adults, is to get off the ride altogether.  To put some space between ourselves and these thoughts.  To find a spot of stillness within ourselves and nurture it until it grows.

Peaceful Piggy Meditation, by Kerry Lee MacLean, describes the basics of meditation to children through a short story involving some piggies that wish to become calmer, kinder beings.  At its core, the practice involves stopping to listen to what is happening inside of you, physically and mentally.  It is so simple that anyone can do it, and the benefits of stopping and slowing down are good for everyone’s mental health, regardless of age.

I meditate with my 2-year-old daughter about once every other day, and it has been amazing to have those moments to slow down and actually be with her, instead of having my mind on something else.  At her age, it’s less about being still and more about knowing that it’s a quiet time to be together, but it is something that I would recommend to all families that may at times feel overwhelmed.  Find it in our catalog. 

1-2-3 A Calmer Me: Helping Children Cope When Emotions Get Out of Control

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1-2-3-A Calmer Me: Helping Children Cope When Emotions Get Out of Control by Colleen A. Patterson and Brenda S. Miles
Format: Children’s Picture Book
Who It’s for: Children and Caregivers

In this story, a little girl explains how she can get angry and frustrated sometimes. Like when she loses her balloon in the park. It is OK to get mad, but when you do, you can recite this rhyme.
1-2-3 a calmer me, 1-2-3 I hug me, 1-2-3 relax and b-r-e-a-t-h-e, 1-2-3 a calmer me.
The story introduces children to a simple rhyme they can use to slow down their bodies and stop mad feelings from spinning out of control.
The mantra or rhyme appears several times throughout this picture book whenever the little girl finds herself becoming upset from conflicts with friends, family and even while playing sports.

By memorizing the simple mantra, a child can use it to slow down their immediate reactions and replace them with words that are more comforting. The idea is based on the psychological principles of relaxation and mindfulness.

Find it in the Catalog

Homer

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Homer  by Elisha Cooper
Format: Book
Who’s it for: Kids (and adults)

If only you had more money, then you would be happy.

If only you had more friends, then you would be happy.

If only you read more books, watched the hottest new tv show, then you would be happy.

If only you had more vacations, went on more adventures, then you would really be happy.

If only you found a way to lose those pesky extra 15 pounds you’ve been carrying for years, then you would truly be happy.

One of these thoughts has probably crossed your mind at some point.  It’s certainly what we’re being told on a day-to-day basis.  Movies, television, and even our books (Have you seen books like this before? 1,000 books to read before you die: a life-changing list), are constantly telling us that we need to do all the things to be truly happy.  There will always be something more to do.  Another book that you absolutely MUST read.  Another Netflix show that everyone is talking about.  Another thing that you’ve always wanted to do.  They are all waiting for us as soon as we’ve finished with the last thing.

Now, please consider this: if we’re feeling it, then the children in our lives are feeling it as well.

Homer, written and illustrated by Elisha Cooper, is a friendly reminder that we absolutely do not need to do all the things to be happy.  In fact, there is nothing that we have to do at all.  We simply have to Be.  Here.  Now.  Present.

Homer is essentially a story of a dog who is perfectly happy to watch his friends have fun and feels no need to participate himself, but at its core it is a story about the nature of contentment.  Contentment, as in to feel content in the present moment. To be happy with what you have at this exact moment.

There are not many children’s books that express this idea so clearly.  Taking less than five minutes to read, it is well worth the small amount of time it would take to complete it.  Homer teaches a very important lesson that is sorely needed in a society that seems to glorify the doing of all the things.

Find it in the catalog.