Happy Fall Ya’ll! November is HERE and what better than to WIN some cash!?!
This event is HOSTED by The Mommy Island and The Kids Did It and sponsored by fabulous bloggers, authors, and Etsy shop owners!
Click Your Way Over To Our CoHosts!
Sunshine and Rollercoasters, Get Your Holiday On, Deliciously Savvy, Sybrina’s Book Blog, Author Jill Chapman, Ottawa Mommy Club, Versatileer, Saving K, Jessica Inspired by Faith, Spread Love, Share Memes, Witty Quotes, Mom Does Reviews, and The Frugal Grandmom.
ONE entrant will be selected by the entry form to win $100 USD PayPal Cash! Open for entry WW, 18 years and older from 11/01/2023 at 12:01 a.m. ET thru 11/30/2023 at 11:59 p.m. ET. No purchase is necessary. Void where prohibited. This event is not sponsored or endorsed by PayPal. A winner will be chosen after/around December 1, 2023. The winner will have 12 hours to respond to the notification email to claim their prize or a new winner will be selected. See Rafflecopter for official rules. The Kids Did It and The Mommy Island are responsible for sending the winner their prize.
Twitter and Facebook dummy/fake accounts are ineligible for entry and will be blocked. Authentic accounts only are eligible to win.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Author: Jessica
Kids Need to Vent Too
Yesterday, when my son got off the bus, he seemed cheerful. The second we were alone; he unleashed his real feelings. He loudly proclaimed all the things that he felt went wrong that day. At first, I was going to try to talk him through his speech, then realized he just needed a moment to speak about what he was feeling and unwind from his stressful day.
Growing up, when a child complained, whether that child was me or another child at school, in the family, etc. (you get it), the adults would always try to get the child to hush. “Don’t say that!” “I don’t want to hear it.” “Just deal with it.” “The world doesn’t revolve around you.”
I’ve heard every single quote mentioned. Directed at me. Directed at others.
If we were to change the scenario and change the child to an adult. An adult who was a colleague, a friend, or someone else close to us. Our immediate reaction wouldn’t be to silence them and tell them to get over it. We would listen to what they had to say and ask if they needed to vent or if they sought advice.
Children are people, too. They’re not a part of the backdrop of the things we own. They have thoughts and feelings, too. Why should we hush a child if we wouldn’t silence an adult? If the setting is inappropriate, take the child out of the setting, if possible, and let them vent. The difference between adults and children is that most adults can self-regulate their emotions. Children are still learning how to do this.
If a child is overwhelmed, they may not know how to adequately express their feelings, or they may not know how or have the ability to remove themselves from the situation. Even adults occasionally need to step out of a situation for a minute to gather their thoughts and feelings.
After-School Restraint Collapse
The scenario I just described has been “coined by counselor and parenting expert Andrea Loewen Nair.” Read more about what it is here.
Books that Encourage Mindfulness for Kids
*Disclosure: This site uses affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Studies have suggested that practicing mindfulness (living in the moment without preconceived bias) can effectively treat anxiety and depression. With suicide being one of the leading causes of death in the U.S. for those aged 10-64, practicing mindfulness may be a vital tool in preventing or combating anxiety and depression.
With so much happening in the world, it isn’t hard to believe that many children suffer from anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation.
As a Christian, the Holy Bible is the first book we’ll go to help give our children the armor they need to face the world.
7 Christian Mindfulness Books for Kids
Happy: A Children’s Book of Mindfulness – A brilliant, beautiful cover! This book gently encourages children to explore their feelings.
Count Yourself Calm: Taking BIG Feelings to a BIG God (Christian book for kids strong emotions and feelings for children 4-7 for anxiety and anger … regulation, social emotional learning)
Girls Gratitude Journal: 100 Days To Practice Mindfulness With Prompts, Fun Challenges, Affirmations, and Inspirational Quotes for Kids in 5 Minutes a … a Better Life! (Growth Mindset Read Aloud)
100 Devotions for Kids Dealing with Anxiety
The Best Thing To Do (Little Me, Big God)
The 3 Minute Gratitude Journal for Kids: A Journal to Teach Children to Practice Gratitude and Mindfulness
The Weekly Prayer Project for Kids: Journal, Pray, Reflect, and Connect with God (The Weekly Project Series)
7 Mindfulness Books for Kids and Teens
Be More Yoda – A positive book that helps teens aged 13-17 learn how to find joy in a single moment. Perfect for Star War fans.
Mindfulness for Kids in 10 Minutes a Day – It takes practice to build healthy habits. This book for kids aged 8-12 includes meditations and exercises help kids practice daily, for 10 minutes a day. If you have Kindle Unlimited, you can read this book on your Kindle for no additional cost.
I Am Peace: A Book of Mindfulness – This New York Times bestseller is for kids aged 2-7 years. It is a part of a lovely book series filled with positive affirmations that teaches kids how to pay attention to their feelings. This series can be read at no additional cost with Amazon Kids+.
The Boy With Big, Big Feelings – This book recommended by teachers helps children learn how to identify and accept their own feelings. The Big, Big is a 4 book series with beautiful illustrations that help support the feelings and creativity of children.
A Little SPOT of Anger – Children often have big emotions so when they’re angry, that usually means they are BIG ANGRY. It can be difficult to calm down when you’re feeling angry this intensely. This books for kids aged 3-7 years, also recommended by teachers, helps children learn how to turn their intense feelings of anger into manageable feelings by learning HOW to express their feelings.
Breathe Like a Bear: 30 Mindful Moments for Kids to Feel Calm and Focused Anytime, Anywhere (Mindfulness Moments for Kids) – A lovely, illustrated book with simple guides to being mindful, calm, and happy. An editor’s pick for children aged 3-6.
I Can Do Hard Things: Mindful Affirmations for Kids – An amazing book that teaches children that what they say to themselves matters! This book also celebrates diversity with its beautiful illustrations and is available in Spanish. This is another teachers pick for children aged 3-7.
*Disclosure: This site uses affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Prime of Life Book Review
*Disclosure: This site uses affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
I found “Prime of Life” very enjoyable. Ben was a heart surgeon who, after a terrible tragedy, left his job and his previous life suddenly and unexpectedly to work as a janitor at a retirement home called Heritage Gardens. Ben tries to escape the tragedy and pain of his previous life and what he lost by simplifying his life in an attempt to make his life entirely controllable. The elderly staying at Heritage Garden become his friends, and you can tell by the way he goes above and beyond his typical job duties as a janitor that he loves and cares for everyone at Heritage Garden. Ben manages to remain calm and stable despite his OCD and anxiety. That is, until his past comes back to haunt him at the very place he thought he finally found peace in, Heritage Gardens.
In the end, Ben learns that:
- We don’t always have control over every situation in our lives and it’s possible to be okay with that, instead of fighting it.
- Trust in a higher power.
- Live in the moment; don’t let past troubles keep you from experiencing life.
*Disclosure: This site uses affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. I received a free copy of “Prime of Life” from Worthy Publishing in exchange for an honest review.