Mindfulness Might Help in the Aftermath of Orlando

Posted on June 14, 2016 by llpitlwp

Mindfulness Might Help

Sunrise

Orlando, Paris, Sandy Hook….my mind cannot embrace all the recent violence and the extreme sadness that it causes so many people that I don’t even personally know.

As a parent and grandparent I am concerned for the future and wish I could change the past painful events and I look for ways to rid myself of the feelings of fear of the future and repossess some of the casualness of my younger self.

Today I am reading thoughts from blogger friends who have a way with words and are suffering too as they ponder the future and how to prepare themselves and their families for so many uncertainties.

I would like to share some thoughts on meditation which has helped me out in times of stress.

Mindfulness is one way to ease our thoughts and stresses and allow ourselves to live in the “Now” which helps us to have moments where our mind is quieted even for a minute of meditation. Anyone can do meditation and it can be done almost anywhere, although I would not recommend doing it while you are driving.

In an effort to offer what I can to help in this time of upheaval here is a link to a simple but an effective way to practice some mindfulness in you day.

According to spiritual teacher Jeff Foster:

Regret is the longing to change the past. Fear is the desire to control the future. Peace is the surrender to Now.

Surrender to Now. How do we surrender to Now? We accept what is and we move ahead. Surrender doesn’t mean we approve or like what is happening. It means we focus on solutions instead of problems – what can we DO? WE can take action with love and peace. We can become active in the causes we support. We can spread joy and love and peace in our home, among our friends, in our community. To do this we must be mindful. Here are three ways to find mindfulness even in the most stressful times.:

Source: Three Ways to Find Mindfulness Today | You Know Neen

Weekend Pics from Parenting in the Loop

Posted on October 30, 2015 by llpitlwp

Weekend Pics from Parenting in the Loop

It is almost Halloween!

This weekend will be busy with all the ghosts and goblins traveling around our neighborhood tomorrow.

Added to the festivities, I must not forget to adjust my clocks at the end of the night on Saturday so that the extra hour does not catch up with me not realizing it till I get to church at the wrong time on Sunday.

With daylight savings coming to and end there are sometimes problems with sleep patterns for our littlest family members. They only have their inner clocks to alert them. The canine members of our family can also be a little problematic since they also run on their internal clock and feeding schedule. I have learned the hard way that one hour to them is an eternity.

Here are my pics for reading this weekend if you have time!

Consistency is key in whichever approach you take. We always manage to get through this time of year unharmed! Remember my two favourite words. Persistence and consistency! You got this – candy overload and all.

Source: Daylight Saving Time + Halloween = Sleep Sh*tshow :: YummyMummyClub.ca

Getting settled down in the evening and going to bed has it problems at times. Consistency can be rewarded for parents who set a bedtime and a bedtime ritual early on with their little ones. These days that is much easier said than done.

Meditation is something I love introducing to children at a young age. It can help them quiet and self soothe at times when this seems impossible to do. For parents it also provides the same soothing feeling when the inevitable ~~stress~~ sh– hits the fan!

Meditation for children and parents is a great way to relax before bed, and is one of the most commonly suggested methods for helping children sleep better.

Source: Meditation for Children and Parents – Bring Back Bedtime

As pretty as Fall is we all know that winter winds are just around the corner.

For me the shorter days with sunset so early in the evening makes me wish to ‘hit the hay’ earlier with a good book. It also makes me wish for a nice cozy fire and warm pot of stew on the stove in the late afternoon.

What are some of your favorite Fall foods that give you comfort as we head into winter weather?

Have a wonderful weekend!

Celebrate the small stuff!

Weekend Reading from Parenting in the Loop

Posted on July 31, 2015 by llpitlwp

Weekend Reading from Parenting in the Loop:

Dog Days of August

The first of August is here with all its heat and humidity.

In Chicago, we are in the midst of Lollapalooza this weekend at Grant Park. Soon summer will be winding down and there are signs of it with getting back to school ads popping up everywhere.

It is no secret that I am a baby boomer. But that being said, in many ways it is no fun getting older. In other ways there are many blessings like grandchildren and being comfortable in my own skin. The younger me was busy, very busy taking care of my family and my elderly mother. The older me is still busy but gratefully healthy and still able to do what I do best, helping to take care of my family. When I read the following post, I related to some of this baby boomer’s words especially when it comes to marketing products.
P.S. I am not attending Lollapalooza this weekend even though Paul McCartney is there.

Baby Boomer

Many of us baby boomers have paid off our home loans, our kids have finished college and we have money to spend. Why aren’t we being targeted by upmarket car manufacturers, fashion and holiday companies? I wouldn’t necessarily spend a fortune on a fancy car, a Gucci tote or two weeks in Vanuatu but it would be nice if advertisers thought I might.

Source: The Seventh Decade Blues | Sue Margolis

I love meditation. Meditation and yoga are part of my life and have been for a very long time. Many years ago when I was young and single a physician colleague suggested yoga to me. I did not take up yoga at the time but I did begin to meditate. Meditation changed my life and is something everyone should be taught to do from childhood.

Meditation moment

Life with Roozle is one of my favorite reads…because it just it. If you read it once I think you will see why.

“Mommy, it’s easy.
Posted on July 31, 2015
“Mommy, it’s easy. Just do what they tell us to.”
We’ve been meditating together as long as she can remember. Sometimes I lead her in a guided meditation to calm down her body, to help in an anxious moment, or to settle in for bed. Lately, we’ve been meditating before settling in for bed and for no particular reason other than just to build a meditation practice. It’s way better.

life with roozle

Preparing yourself and your child for kindergarten. Here are some tips from Cool Mom Picks another of my favorite websites.

Preparing for school

We are having so much fun with our kids home for summer break, the occasional sibling squabble aside, but we’re already thinking about back-to-school. Especially on behalf of those of you in the south who start in what, like four minutes? There’s so much to do to get ready any given school year, but those of us with kids going off to kindergarten for the first time (sniff, sniff), we are always looking for tips for getting kids kindergarten ready, to be sure that they — and we — have a successful first year at school.

Source: 12 tips for preparing kids for kindergarten | Cool Mom Picks

As we welcome August, I hope you all have a nice weekend full of lollapalooza and some meditation with your kids and grandkids.

TGIF Weekend Reading

Posted on March 22, 2015 by llpitlwp

Weekend Reading:

Despite the weather here in Chicago this weekend, I keep thinking Spring…soon…wait for it!

Meditation is not difficult to learn and practice. For me it has been a journey over many years through my own pregnancies and it continues as a grandmother. You can do it for a moment or you can do it for an hour. I hope you find time to try it for yourself…maybe even this weekend.

From stress reduction to improved attention and memory, meditation is a practice that yields a large number of health benefits. Mediation has slowly been gaining in popularity in recent years, garnering a number of scientific studies to determine the specific effects the practice has on the body. It has been found that meditation and other forms of relaxation and mindfulness not only change the immediate state of mind, but also alter the actual structure of the brain.

via 5 Ways Meditation Affects Your Brain.

What is the “Grandparent Deficit”? When you have children later in life the chance of them having “vibrant” active grandparents changes and many times diminishes. I feel somewhat on the cusp of this as a grandparent myself. I want to do so many things with my grandchildren but I find sometimes my energy level just cannot always meet my expectations.

She and my two daughters are among a growing number of kids who will see their grandparents primarily as people in need of care rather than as caretakers. They are the leading edge of a generation whose mothers and fathers had children later in life. They’ve seen us juggle our jobs, their school schedules and their grandparents’ needs simultaneously–one day missing work to be at the bedside of a parent who’s had a bad fall, another day trying to call an elder-care aide from the back row of a dance recital.

via The Grandparent Deficit: Why Fertility Isn’t the Only Biological Clock | TIME.

This link appeared in my feed this week and it took me by surprise that a Lego Magazine would incorporate something like Emma’s Beauty Tips into its pages. What do beauty tips have to do with Legos? Well, see for yourself how this mom felt when her 7year old daughter became concerned about the shape of her face! YIKES!

My 7-year-old wants to know if she has an oval face. Why? Because “oval faces can often have almost any style haircut because almost everything looks great on this face shape!” Her sudden concern with her hairstyle “looking great” comes courtesy of her new Lego Club Magazine, which included “Emma’s Beauty Tips” in the March-April 2015 Lego Club Magazine.

http://mobile.nytimes.com/blogs/parenting/2015/03/16/beauty-tips-for-girls-from-lego/

The weekend remains precious to me. Sometimes, I am able to recharge by having dinner with friends along with great conversation…other times I am able to grab a few extra hours of sleep or reading. Whatever it is you do on the weekend, I hope you make a little time for yourself.