2286: 8 Fun, Mindful Activities for Parents And Kids by Rachael Kable with Erica Layne.co on Parenting & Mindfulness

[00:00:00] [SPEAKER_00]: Now before we start, you might want to check out our other podcasts covering topics like personal

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[00:00:17] [SPEAKER_01]: This is Optimal Relationships Daily, 8 Fun, Mindful Activities for Parents and Kids

[00:00:23] [SPEAKER_01]: by Rachael Kable with Erica Layne.co

[00:00:27] [SPEAKER_01]: Hello everybody and welcome to another edition of Optimal Relationships Daily. I'm your host,

[00:00:33] [SPEAKER_01]: Greg Audino, here today to bring you another parenting article. And this one I'm sure you'll

[00:00:38] [SPEAKER_01]: enjoy as author Rachael Kable will be offering a really fun list of how we can spend time with

[00:00:43] [SPEAKER_01]: our kids, all while teaching them a bit about mindfulness along the way. So get those

[00:00:47] [SPEAKER_01]: notepads out and listen closely. We're going to dive in right now and start optimizing your life.

[00:00:57] [SPEAKER_01]: 8 Fun, Mindful Activities for Parents and Kids by Rachael Kable with Erica Layne.co

[00:01:04] [SPEAKER_01]: I was studying psychology and volunteering on a helpline at an anxiety recovery center

[00:01:10] [SPEAKER_01]: when I really began creating my own mindfulness practice. After struggling with stress for much

[00:01:15] [SPEAKER_01]: of my life, I was grateful to discover such an empowering way of managing it. And the more

[00:01:21] [SPEAKER_01]: mindful I became, the more benefits I discovered. Better sleep, stronger relationships, more calm

[00:01:28] [SPEAKER_01]: and enjoyment, increased self-awareness, and so much more. Being more mindful has helped me

[00:01:34] [SPEAKER_01]: learn how to sink into the present moment and actually experience it rather than constantly

[00:01:39] [SPEAKER_01]: being distracted by the future or the past. It's given me so many opportunities to discover

[00:01:44] [SPEAKER_01]: richness and depth in daily life, whether I'm going for a slow walk around my neighborhood

[00:01:49] [SPEAKER_01]: or spending time with the people I love. If you'd like to experience the benefits of a more

[00:01:55] [SPEAKER_01]: mindful life and teach your kids at the same time, here are 8 simple, fun,

[00:02:00] [SPEAKER_01]: mindful activities you can start trying today. 8 Fun, Mindful Activities for Parents and Kids

[00:02:08] [SPEAKER_01]: 1. Taste Test Choose 5-10 safe things to taste test and have your child put on a blindfold.

[00:02:17] [SPEAKER_01]: Ask her to try and guess which item she's been given, using only the senses of smell, touch

[00:02:22] [SPEAKER_01]: and taste. When she's tried everything, swap roles so she can choose things for you to taste

[00:02:27] [SPEAKER_01]: test. Encourage your child to explore her senses and describe what she notices about each

[00:02:33] [SPEAKER_01]: item of food. 2. Press Flowers

[00:02:37] [SPEAKER_01]: Go out in the garden with your child and find some fresh flowers to press.

[00:02:42] [SPEAKER_01]: Put each flower in an old and heavy book, make sure it's one you don't mind being damaged.

[00:02:47] [SPEAKER_01]: You could always pick up a book from a secondhand shop if you prefer,

[00:02:50] [SPEAKER_01]: and spread the flowers out so that there are thick spaces in between.

[00:02:54] [SPEAKER_01]: Close the book and place something heavy on top. Every few days, move the flowers to

[00:03:00] [SPEAKER_01]: different pages so they can continue absorbing the moisture. After 2 or 3 weeks,

[00:03:05] [SPEAKER_01]: the flowers should be dry and you can very gently move them. Your flowers can be framed,

[00:03:11] [SPEAKER_01]: used in art projects, or preserved in a scrapbook.

[00:03:14] [SPEAKER_01]: Creative projects like these are great for cultivating mindfulness as they help us focus

[00:03:19] [SPEAKER_01]: our attention on what we're doing and express ourselves creatively.

[00:03:23] [SPEAKER_01]: 3. Communicate Make intentional communication a regular part of your day and practice

[00:03:30] [SPEAKER_01]: mindfulness in a meaningful way. Simply ask your child to describe their day and listen carefully

[00:03:35] [SPEAKER_01]: and non-judgmentally, taking the time to reflect back what they've said to show your paying attention.

[00:03:41] [SPEAKER_01]: Need a few more interesting ways to communicate? Try some of these questions.

[00:03:46] [SPEAKER_01]: Tell me which emotions you felt today and how they came about.

[00:03:49] [SPEAKER_01]: What's your favorite thing to do at the moment? Describe what you like about yourself.

[00:03:54] [SPEAKER_01]: And who do you look up to? 4. Go on an adventure

[00:04:00] [SPEAKER_01]: Adventures are wonderful opportunities to be mindful, as they naturally draw our

[00:04:05] [SPEAKER_01]: awareness and bring us into the now. Here are a few ideas for fun adventures you can go on with

[00:04:10] [SPEAKER_01]: your child. Berry picking, beach hopping, exploring local gardens or nurseries,

[00:04:17] [SPEAKER_01]: and visiting a museum, art gallery, or chocolate factory. If possible, leave unnecessary

[00:04:23] [SPEAKER_01]: technological items at home so you can immerse yourselves in your adventures together.

[00:04:28] [SPEAKER_01]: 5. Color and create

[00:04:31] [SPEAKER_01]: You can scrapbook, take photos, color, paint, make a blog, press flowers,

[00:04:37] [SPEAKER_01]: c-tip number 2, play music, whatever you would both like to do.

[00:04:42] [SPEAKER_01]: Talk about the creative process and discuss ideas, trying not to judge the final outcomes

[00:04:47] [SPEAKER_01]: or be critical. The focuses for these creative sessions are to have fun, connect,

[00:04:52] [SPEAKER_01]: and pay attention to each moment you have together.

[00:04:56] [SPEAKER_01]: 6. Yoga Do some research and find if a yoga center offers

[00:05:01] [SPEAKER_01]: child-friendly classes, or look up an easy tutorial online to try in the living room.

[00:05:07] [SPEAKER_01]: Encourage your child to listen to his body and tune into his breath,

[00:05:10] [SPEAKER_01]: and make sure you try too. 7. Meditate

[00:05:15] [SPEAKER_01]: Try attending a class together, using a meditation app, or downloading a simple

[00:05:20] [SPEAKER_01]: meditation script and reading it to your child. 8. Journal

[00:05:26] [SPEAKER_01]: Journaling is another mindfulness practice that we can easily incorporate in everyday life,

[00:05:30] [SPEAKER_01]: and it can be a fun and meaningful way to spend time with your child.

[00:05:34] [SPEAKER_01]: Here are a few ways you can try it. Buy matching journals for you and your child,

[00:05:39] [SPEAKER_01]: and dedicate 10 minutes each night to sit down and write about your favorite memories

[00:05:43] [SPEAKER_01]: from your days. Keep a memory box. At night, write down with your child a

[00:05:48] [SPEAKER_01]: favorite memory to place in the box. Before the start of the new year,

[00:05:52] [SPEAKER_01]: read through all the memories you kept from the past year.

[00:05:55] [SPEAKER_01]: And create a gratitude journal by passing a journal back and forth between you

[00:05:59] [SPEAKER_01]: and writing down three things you're grateful for. No matter which exercises you try,

[00:06:04] [SPEAKER_01]: keep in mind that mindfulness is the practice of being present in the moment,

[00:06:08] [SPEAKER_01]: letting go of the past and future, and being open to your experience

[00:06:12] [SPEAKER_01]: without being judgmental of it. Enjoy! You just listened to the post titled,

[00:06:21] [SPEAKER_01]: Eight Fun Mindful Activities for Parents and Kids by Rachel Cable with EricaLane.co

[00:06:28] [SPEAKER_01]: and be sure to stick around for my commentary in just a minute.

[00:06:32] [SPEAKER_01]: Thank you to Rachel, some really terrific ideas from her today.

[00:06:35] [SPEAKER_01]: And mind you, a lot of mindfulness can be found from reflecting on things we've done,

[00:06:41] [SPEAKER_01]: right? Not just in the moment of performing these mindful activities.

[00:06:45] [SPEAKER_01]: What I mean is that you can take pretty much any of these great ideas here today

[00:06:49] [SPEAKER_01]: and make a mindfulness practice out of discussing them with your kids afterwards.

[00:06:55] [SPEAKER_01]: So if you're creating or coloring, for example, you might look at the finished products after

[00:07:00] [SPEAKER_01]: and ask your kids what they were thinking about when they made them.

[00:07:04] [SPEAKER_01]: What colors made them think about certain emotions, etc.

[00:07:08] [SPEAKER_01]: Yoga is another great example. You know, ask them did they feel at peace during the yoga

[00:07:13] [SPEAKER_01]: session? Did they notice certain imbalances? Were they antsy? No matter how we spend time

[00:07:19] [SPEAKER_01]: with our kids, the conversations we have with them can turn any moment into a mindful one.

[00:07:26] [SPEAKER_01]: Something to keep in mind everyone, but for now it is time to sign off and say goodbye.

[00:07:30] [SPEAKER_01]: Thank you as always for listening today and every day.

[00:07:33] [SPEAKER_01]: Enjoy your Friday if you're listening in real time and I'll talk to you again tomorrow

[00:07:36] [SPEAKER_01]: where your optimal life awaits.