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is a matter of great celebration,” is something I like to It doesn’t matter what our spiritual path is, we can be
contemplate. It reminds me to be mindful of the small kind, compassionate, and generous.
joys in life that are actually quite miraculous, even and
especially when circumstances are not ideal. What about teaching them mindfulness or
Buddhism? Do you have specific techniques for
Last week, I needed to take my son to the emergency young children?
room because his stomach was hurting him. It was
worrisome, and we were there until the wee hours of As a writer and editor, I very much value the written
the morning, squished together on a skinny hospital bed, word, so of course I love reading with my kids. Our
trying to sleep—no blankets or pillows. In many ways, I evening reading sessions are a time when we snuggle up
had a terrible night, but at some point I also realized that with each other. We have a good laugh if we’re reading
there was a sweetness to it. I was so happy lying beside something funny. We learn new things if we’re reading
my little boy. I had nothing to do but be with him. nonfiction. And we chat about any ideas or issues that a
book brings up for us.
As a young parent with two young kids, how do you
instill basic Buddhist qualities such as kindness, For me, it’s only been natural that the primary way I
compassion, and generosity in them? share the dharma with my kids is through Buddhist
children’s books. These days we’ve started using
Personally, I try to be mindful about where I place Carolyn Kanjuro’s The Monkey Mind Meditation Deck:
emphasis. For example, I got my daughter’s report card 30 Fun Ways for Kids to Chill Out, Tune In, and Open Up
the other day. She had a rocky first year of school because (Bala Kids). Each card is beautifully illustrated with
her kindergarten teacher got Covid-19 and never came images ranging from a sloth to the sun to colorful
back. So that year, month after month, my daughter had jewels, which makes my kids love selecting a card. One
substitutes, mostly over Zoom, and none of them were of my personal favorite cards is the Observant Owl. It
teaching her or the other students how to read, nor were suggests that kids go somewhere, preferably outside,
they even speaking in French. (My daughter is in French where other people can’t see them easily. There, they
immersion.) So, the next year, when she changed schools, can sit silently and observe what’s going on, using all of
my daughter was lagging behind her new classmates, their senses.
and she had to spend grade one playing catch up. Now, in
grade two, she’s all caught up with her French reading, Another recent highlight is Todd Strauss-Schulson’s
writing, and speaking, and I’m so delighted and relieved. Your Mind Makes Thoughts Like Your Butt Makes Farts
But the first the comment I had for her about her report (Wisdom). For me, the premise of this book is kind of
card was that her teacher says she’s always kind to too gross, but for my kids, it’s great! They love gross.
others and always ready to help, and that this made me They think it’s funny and fun! All I had to do was tell
incredibly proud of her. The message I always want to them the name of this book, and they were instantly
have for my kids is that being a decent human is more engaged with the material.
important than any academic success.
Are there also Dharma lessons that you have learnt
Of course, when it comes to raising kids, what we do from your kids?
sends a more powerful message than anything we can
possibly say. So, the best thing we can do to cultivate I wouldn’t exactly say that they teach me dharma
kindness, compassion, and generosity in our children lessons. What I would say is that my children reinforce
is to model these qualities. It’s also important to keep dharma lessons and give me a chance to integrate them
in mind that these are not qualities that Buddhism into my life. For example, it’s all very well and good to
owns. They are universal human qualities of goodness. be patient when your patience is not being tested, but