Great simple mindfulness books for kids…. these books are gems!
Product Description: “You Are Not Your Thoughts” was written to help children and parents become more aware of the present moment and to foster an environment of compassion and loving-kindness between all human beings. Mindfulness is a way of living each moment in a way that expresses kindness and respect for all. Mindfulness reconnects people to their senses, bringing them into moment-to-moment awareness. Research shows that mindfulness increases attention skills, reduces anxiety and improves emotional regulation. You can free yourself of destructive thoughts, emotions and behaviors by simply remembering to be present – right here, right now.
Here’s what I love about the books:
- The large photos, pictures of kids, large bold font and rhyming text are fabulous for younger kids in Edition 1 of the book
- Although the text is essentially the same, the photos of nature, illustrations and font used in Edition 2 give it a more “grown up” feel.
- The books capture the concept of the fleeting nature of thoughts & feelings. I especially love the message that all feelings are ok “However you are feeling, happy or blue, we all have many feelings, it’s okay to feel every hue”.
- Simple tips for mindfully noticing how your body & mind feel, how things look, how sounds & silence sound, mindful breathing, cherishing the present moment & more. It’s amazing how much wonderful stuff is packed into 24-page books. These are true gems!
Brian generously donated both editions of his book to Rossana in Mexico as part of the “planting seeds” project. Here are a couple of pics of her yogis enjoying them:
Read more about the inspiration for the books: http://www.mindful.org/at-home/parenting/a-gift-for-young-minds
Purchase on Amazon: Edition 1 (for younger kids): http://www.amazon.com/Your-Thoughts-Mindfulness-Children-Ages/dp/0615359345, Edition 2 (for older kids, teens & adults): http://www.amazon.com/Your-Thoughts-but-think-matters-Thoughts/dp/061560918X
Update 6/18/13: A Kindle version is now available: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DGJ5B9W
Website: http://www.newlifedesignstudio.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/You-Are-Not-Your-Thoughts-Mindfulness-for-Everyone/106440462720176
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Happierkids
Disclaimer: I received a free sample of this product to facilitate my review. Opinions expressed are my own.Starting in 2013, a new component of reviews & giveaways hosted on OMazing Kids is that a review will be added on Amazon.com (for products sold on that site). See my Amazon profile at: https://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A1JKVLELLSX7FD?ie=UTF8&ref_=cm_aya_bb_pdp.
How to enter the A Way to Give – Giveaway:
- Required Entry Method: Enter via the “Giveaways” tab on the OMazing Kids – Contests & Giveaways Facebook page (http://a.pgtb.me/plpbTf) & mention why these books would be helpful to you. Also nominate a friend, relative, teacher, therapist, school, clinic, library, etc… it can be any individual (other than yourself) or setting that you feel could benefit from having the books & tell us why they would benefit from having them (details will count in selecting the winner) (comments must be in English; must include full first & last name; must use respectful people-first language, 1 entry per person).
- Bonus Entry Options:
- Invite some friends to “like” the OMazing Kids Facebook page (comment here on this blog post to let me know you did)
- Share this review on Facebook & include a @OMazing Kids to tag my page – (comment here on this blog post to let me know you did)
- Helpful Info & Tips: I use the “Giveaways” tab because it saves me the step having to obtain your mailing address – the info you complete on the tab comes directly to me via an e-mail. FYI…. I use a free app from Shortstack for that tab and have no control over technical difficulties either on their end or on Facebook. The Facebook tab may not work on a cell phone. If you experience that, try again on a computer. Make sure you are logged in as yourself (not a page) when using the tab. In the event that you experience difficulties with the FB entry tab, please e-mail me specific details so I can attempt to fix it. E-mail to: amoorad1@juno.com . The entry deadline may be extended at the sole discretion of OMazing Kids in the event of prolonged entry tab problems
- Each “giveaway” is handled separately on OMazing Kids. So there are no rules prohibiting previous winners from entering this or future giveaways. I really do read every entry in every giveaway carefully to insure that the products end up in the best hands to impact kids lives.
- Examples of “people-first” language are “children with autism” vs. “autistic children”and “children with disabilities” vs. “disabled children” (see more examples at: http://www.inclusionproject.org/nip_userfiles/file/People%20First%20Chart.pdf)
Entry Deadline: 11:59pm CST on June 15, 2013.
Rules of Participation:
- Must be 18 years or older with a valid e-mail address.
- International entries are being allowed for this particular giveaway.
- Employees or family members of OMazing Kids, LLC or the product’s company are not eligible.
- No purchase required.
- Comments submitted via the Enter Giveaways Here…. tab on Facebook may be copied & pasted into the blog post.
- Odds of winning will depend on the number of eligible entries received.
- The winner will be chosen from valid entries on June 16, 2013.
The Grand Prize Winner will receive 1 copy of editions 1 & 2 of the book & the person they nominate for the “A Way to Give” portion will also receive 1 copy of both editions of the book.
(I know this is a bit out-of-the box & different than most typical giveaways where the person who enters wins all the “stuff”. This is the new “A Way To Give” portion of giveaways on OMazing Kids. I was inspired to make giveaways more meaningful after this experience. Think of it as a way to plant some seeds.)
A 2nd Place Winner will receive their choice of 1 copy of Edition 1 or Edition 2 of the book.
- The winners will be notified via e-mail, will be posted on the blog post & will be posted on the OMazing Kids Facebook page. The company offering the prize may also post the winner’s name on their website, blog, Facebook page and/or other social media sites at their discretion.
- The winner’s address will be forwarded to the company and they will be mailing the prizes directly to the winners. Any questions about the prize should be directed to the company.
- Prize Value: books $10.00 each
Other Legal Stuff: I know it’s just some books but just to be safe here is all the legal stuff…
This giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. You are providing your information to OMazing Kids, LLC and not to Facebook. The information you provide will only be used for our internal purposes in relation to the administration of the giveaway. Your information will NOT be sold to any outside parties.
Indemnification/Hold Harmless: By participating, entrants agree: (a) to the decisions of OMazing Kids, LLC, which shall be final in all respects; (b) to release, discharge, and hold harmless OMazing Kids, LLC and its respective representatives and agents from all liability, injuries, losses or damages of any kind to persons or property resulting in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from the acceptance, possession, misuse or use of a prize, or from participation in and/or entry into the Contest or any Contest-related activity and for acceptance, delivery, or use of any prize; (c) that the foregoing parties have neither made nor are in any manner responsible or liable for any warranty, representation or guaranty, expressed or implied, in fact or in law, relating to any prize.
Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, IAYT, RCYP-2
Speech-Language Pathologist
Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness activities for kids of all abilities
Radiant Child Yoga Certified – Levels 1 & 2
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This giveaway is now closed. Thanks to everyone who participated! It was touching to read all the heartfelt entries. Congratulations to the winners:
Grand Prize Winner (will receive 1 copy of both editions of your book)
* Becky Roper a Kindergarten teacher Wiscasset Primary School in Maine
My heart is heavy with the situations my students must handle. This book appears to allow the reader to acknowledge their feelings and at the same time keep the feeling separate from their identity. They can be angry but that doesn’t make them an angry child. The pictures are beautiful and I can see making a class extension of this book where they take pictures to demonstrate the concept. It would be great for other kindergarten teachers like Lauri Burgess to have a copy of this book! I’d be using this book at Wiscasset Primary School. Her blog: http://msroperskindergarten.blogspot.com/
* For the “A Way to Give”, she nominated the following person (will receive 1 copy of both editions of your book)
Lauri Burgess at Wiscasset Primary School in Maine. Lauri Burgess would also benefit from this book as she teaches kindergarten and has worked very hard with several kids who struggle with tough feelings. She has boundless patience with the kiddos and is always on the lookout for new resources.
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2nd Place Winner (she chose to receive 1 copy of the 1st edition of the book geared towards younger kids)
* Thereza Howling
When teaching kids about mindfulness, it is so much easier if we can show what we are talking about with a book! Some of the younger ones have trouble visualizing what we say, even if they know what it is, like animals, for instance. It’s even harder for them to imagine abstract concepts. The colorful pages and big letters on the kids edition are awesome and I can already foresee the students who just learned to read lining up to read a page to the rest of the class! I can see much use in the edition for older kids and teens. I teach all ages, from 2.5year olds with moms/dads to 16 year olds, besides adults. Besides studios, I volunteer at a Boys & Girls Club, and I am also connecting to Street Yoga to spread yoga to the homeless teens. Some of the older kids I teach sometimes hear me talk about some “mindfulness stuff” and think it is just me and my “coo-coo” ideas… But if they had a book to look at, they would realize there are other people in the world talking about this, too! Those nice illustrations make this book very interesting and not too out of this world for the students. Beautiful work! Keep spreading the love. Her blog: http://apathoflight.wordpress.com
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Other Entries:
* OK, I hesitate to enter another giveaway when I very recently just won another one from Omazing Kids, but I can’t resist, because….. In February of this year I went to a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction course for health professionals led by the amazing teachers, Jon Kabat-Zin and Saki Santorelli. I was very unfamiliar with the concept and was immediately blown away. This (mindfulness) was so important for me, as a person, as a therapist. Then I realized, WAIT, this seems so important FOR EVERYONE! When I returned home after my week “on the mountain,” I began regular meditation and started wondering how I could integrate mindfulness into
my work as an occupational therapist. I’ve made an effort to do so passively, meaning using my own presence and awareness to benefit whoever I’m working with, adult or child. But, there’s a part of me that would so like to integrate mindfulness into therapy more actively. I’m a very beginner, but increasingly I believe that teaching mindfulness early on would be giving children an invaluable skill that would help them throughout the rest of their life–cope with hardships, adapt to change, accept themselves, deal with pain, and the list goes on. I would love ideas and resources to teach this skill to both younger children and older children as my practice serves the full range from infants/toddlers through teens. My goal is to eventually feel confident and skilled enough to lead Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction classes for the parents of children with special needs as they so often neglect themselves in the process of caring for their kiddos. SO, at risk of seeming oh-so-greedy by entering yet another contest, here I am again stating how valuable these books would be in my beginning home- and community-based
occupational therapy practice. 🙂 Thank you for the amazing resources you share!
* These really are gems!! Just beautiful! I would love to share these words of wisdom with everyone I teach. “you are not your thoughts” really struck a chord for me when I was studying for my yoga teacher training. I think this knowledge puts people at ease and better equipped to deal with the constant chatter of the mind (which is often not serving us well). I love working with kids of all ages! I have been very blessed to get invited to teach in a variety of settings for many different ages. I hope to continue and expand on this in September approaching more schools. I plan on taking courses with Kids Yoga Academy to further my growth in working with children of all ages. I am teaming up with friends and we are hoping to start a weekly youth group with a yogic twist. I have alot of camps with all ages this summer,I am so grateful for all these amazing opportunities! Many thanks to Angela for her continued inspiration!
* I work as a school psychologist in a K-6 school in Oregon in a rural district that has many challenges, poverty being one of them. These books would help in my work to let kids know that despite their circumstances, they are wonderful people who can rise above and be anything that they choose.
* I teach yoga to kids ages 3 – 17years. I would love to incorporate these books into my classes. This summer I am volunteering at a children’s camp and our focus is to connect the kids with the natural world around them. I think these books would be great.. I love the idea of being outside under a big blue sky and opening up the book to the cloud page as we explore yoga and mindfulness in a playful manner. Thank you for sharing. Namaste and play..
* These books would be very helpful for me for a variety of reasons. I volunteer to teach kids’ yoga at the DCCH Center for Children and Families. DCCH is a place that houses children who have been emotionally, physically or sexually abused. These kids have been through a lot and yoga really helps them find some sort of inner peace. I think these books would enhance the yoga classes I teach there because it would help to reinforce the act that they are something more than what others have told them.
* I am just starting out as a kids yoga teacher, and am looking to build up my supply of books, toys and props. As an Educational Assistant, I also do some yoga with the children I work with during the school year.
* I’m a yoga teacher who teaches both adults and children. Even though I belong to a studio it is my responsibility to pay for all of the resources for my kids’ classes. I love that yoga helps children become more aware of their feelings among many other wonderful effects. This book would help me encourage the children’s ability to articulate how they are feeling in and out of class. Thanks for the opportunity to enter your contest!
Shared and Tagged! 🙂
Invited friends! Have a lot before just by mouth ,but nice to know how to send the invite through facebook now!
These really are gems!! Just beautiful! I would love to share these words of wisdom with everyone I teach. “you are not your thoughts” really struck a chord for me when I was studying for my yoga teacher training. I think this knowledge puts people at ease and better equipped to deal with the constant chatter of the mind (which is often not serving us well). I love working with kids of all ages! I have been very blessed to get invited to teach in a variety of settings for many different ages. I hope to continue and expand on this in September approaching more schools. I plan on taking courses with Kids Yoga Academy to further my growth in working with children of all ages. I am teaming up with friends and we are hoping to start a weekly youth group with a yogic twist. I have alot of camps with all ages this summer,I am so grateful for all these amazing opportunities!
Many thanks to Angela for her continued inspiration!