The kids are listening. 

Even when you think they aren’t. They hear what you’re saying, and they’re watching how you behave. 

We have choices, all day long (and the days can feel LONG, I know, I have three): do we need to repeat that rumor? Do we really want to speculate about what might happen, within their earshot? How are we dealing with our own stress? 

Simple practices of mindfulness can be incredibly helpful now. 

I’m offering my Mindful Moments for Kids collection free to all here. 

Go download all of them, right this minute. Put them on your phone, and work your way through them until you find a few that you and your kids love. 

Maybe you pick Bear Breath to settle down at bedtime. Count to Five to head off a meltdown. Get Your Grumpies Out to shake off a yucky mood. Flower Breath when you’re out in the yard or on a walk. Send Good Thoughts when you’re feeling helpless about a faraway grandparent. There are so many, you’re sure to find something that’s helpful. And please share this link with any parent or teacher you know. 

Lots of wonderful people, many of them friends of mine who are children’s musicians or teach kids’ yoga & mindfulness, are thinking of the children, too—here are some of their great free resources:

—Yoga4Classrooms is offering free mindful activities each day
—Yoga Ed offers this toolkit for managing anxiety, and Little Flower Yoga has these 5 ways to handle this stress with your kids 

—Some of my kids’ music friends—Suzi Shelton, Key Wilde, and Joanie Leeds, among others—are offering live concerts on Facebook—what a great way to enjoy live music, which has such a power to lift us all up! 

And for you: Kim John Payne, author of Simplicity Parenting (a must-read) has recorded an incredible series on how to handle the current situation with children AND teens.

As best you can, model positivity and optimism now. Choose your words carefully. Do your darndest to be creative—take advantage of these resources—and make the best of this crazy, disruptive time. 

Breathe.