BEING MINDFUL LIKE GRANDPA

A young child learns to cope with the stress and fears of moving by using some mindfulness techniques Grandpa teaches.

On one of their last hikes together before the big move, Grandpa gives the narrator a smooth pebble, calling it a calming stone, to keep in a pocket for whenever worry-thoughts happen. Rubbing the stone will soothe anxious feelings while the child thinks of something that elicits gratitude. In their new town, miles away from Grandpa, the young family of color embarks on a new hike, on a new path. With the calming stone in a handy pocket, the child’s worries are still there, but slowly, with the help of some mindful observations about the natural things quit being mindful all around and some slow, deep belly breaths Grandpa taught, the child’s anxiety begins to ease. Nature scenes of a brisk autumn day complement the soothing atmosphere. The author’s note provides several simply applied mindfulness strategies, which have been effectively demonstrated throughout the narrative. This will serve as a great introductory lesson for discussion and understanding as schools adopt mindfulness in their daily routines and children are increasingly required to navigate the stressful pressures of today’s world.

A necessary theme explored in an easily understood and accessible story sequence.