Aspire Magazine: Inspiration for a Woman's Soul.(TM) April/May 2017 Aspire Mag Full Issue | Page 78
Reading can satisfy many needs, depending
on the book choice and the manner in which
it’s read. If you choose a book that has a
lesson or a non-fiction book that teaches
facts it will meet the need of growth. If
reading is a social activity, where everyone
is experiencing the same book and a
discussion is possible, love and connection
comes into play. When an older sibling
reads to a younger sibling who cannot
yet read, this can lead to contribution and
love and connection. With a library at your
disposal, the variety is endless. Our family
often listens to audiobooks in the car. I
will often pause the audio to ask the kids
questions about the story. Giving an answer
also makes them feel significant.
Meditation, like affirmations, is often easier
for kids to grasp than adults. With our life
experience, grown ups can develop some
bad habits. We find it difficult to be alone with
our thoughts and live in the present moment.
We are often distracted with worry about the
future or stuck in the story of our past. We keep
ourselves so busy that we don’t have time to
stop and breathe, but it’s in this space that
we truly grow. Meditation in its simplest form
is focusing our attention. The goal is not to
empty your mind, but to notice your thoughts
and then release them without engaging.
Many practices will have you focus on your
breath or listen to a guided visualization. A
meditation practice is to your mind like running
is to your body. By intentionally quieting the
mind for a short period everyday your mind
will become stronger and you will be able to
focus for longer and longer periods of time.
The benefits are vast and a routine practice
will meet the needs of certainty and growth.
In our house, we love to use the app Insight
Timer. A guided meditation our kids love is by
Andrew Johnson called “Smiling Relaxation.”
Service is another word for contribution and
also helps kids feel significant. It’s about
dropping the ego and giving back to others.
For kids this could be as simple as chores, or
as Amy McCready author of The Me, Me, Me
Epidemic calls them, family contributions.
When kids are given the responsibility of
chipping in around the house, they feel a
sense of pride and their internal motivation
gets a boost. Amy explains, “Let’s face
it, kids aren’t going to love unloading the
dishwasher or putting away the groceries,
but knowing their efforts make a difference
for YOU, turns that chore into a contribution
and along with that will be fewer power
struggles and more cooperating. That’s a
win for everyone!”
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www.AspireMAG.net | April / May 2017