Mindfulness Practices to Help Our Children Be More Focused, Calm, and Relaxed
Dr. Christopher Willard received his Bachelor's degree in English from Wesleyan University, where he first became interested in meditation. After graduating, he spent time traveling and working a variety of jobs including as a teacher in a psychiatric hospital and as an artist's assistant. In graduate school he did his doctoral work on the psychological applications of meditation and mindfulness practice. Over the past ten years, he has attended retreats with Thich Nhat Hanh, Jack Kornfield, Pema Chodron, Noah Levine, and other Buddhist teachers in both the U.S. and Asia. Although he considers the Engaged Buddhism of Thich Nhat Hanh his spiritual home, he has studied and practiced extensively in the Theravada tradition, with some dabbling in Tibetan Buddhism .In the past few years, he has taught meditation to a wide range of people, from young children to recently paroled murderers to psychotherapists and schoolteachers. Dr. Willard has taught with the Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy and volunteered at the Insight Meditation Society's Teen Retreat. He currently works as a psychotherapist at Tufts University, and consults and does private work in the Boston area. When not working or practicing he enjoys cooking, hiking, reading, writing, international travel, and any combination of these he can manage.
"This wonderful book suggests simple and fun exercises that lead to
profound growth towards joy, calmness, strength, and emotional
intelligence. The list of A hundred things for kids to do mindfully
is worth the price of this important work. I recommend Child's Mind
to therapists, educators, parents, and anyone else who wants to
help children develop into kind, happy, and resilient human
beings."
Mary Pipher, author Seeking Peace and Reviving Ophelia
"Chris Willard is a thoughtful and wise teacher. This book is sure
to help anyone interested in the path of mindfulness. When I was a
lost and angry young adult this is the book I was looking for."
Noah Levine, author of Dharma Punx
Child s Mind is a wonderful reminder that every young person is
capable of great understanding, compassion, and joy.
Thich Nhat Hanh, author of Being Peace
Christopher Willard s delightful book Child s Mind makes the wonder
and transformative power of mindfulness meditation accessible to
everyone. His elegantly simple practices are a joy to read and will
impact kids and families for generations to come.
Susan Kaiser Greenland, author of The Mindful Child.
Teaching mindfulness to children sounds great in theory, but
really, how do we do it? This wonderful book, chock full of
mindfulness practices adapted to children of all ages, is the
answer! Christopher Willard offers us skillful advice, illuminating
words, and a treasure chest of practices for schools, clinicians,
and our own family s kitchen table.
Diana Winston, Director of Mindfulness Education at the Mindful
Awareness Research Center of UCLA and author of Wide Awake: A
Buddhist Guide for Teens
This book is an excellent resource for parents, teachers, and
health-care providers who want to share the benefits of mindfulness
with children. The varied practices are presented with clarity and
joy, making them both accessible and engaging.
Amy Saltzman, M.D., Association for Mindfulness in Education and
creator of the Still
Quiet Place CD series.
As a parent and teacher, I am deeply grateful for Christopher
Willard s book. It is an important contribution toward making the
practice of meditation an integral part of the school curriculum
and, more generally, toward raising healthier, happier
children.
Tal Ben-Shahar, author of Happier
Child s Mind is an invitation to raise children who grow up
relating to themselves, others, and the world around them with care
and compassion. Parents and teachers looking for practical advice
for teaching mindfulness to children will find it here.
Paul R. Fulton, Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy
If you re considering how to bring mindfulness into the lives of
children, this book is the place to begin. It breathes the
sweetness of mindful awareness. The author offers a basket of
skillful, detailed exercises designed to entice and revealnever to
be a chore. There s something for every child, including those with
special challenges. I recommend this book for anyone who wants to
be eased into the original wonder and delight of mindfulness
practice, or who wants their kids to grow up savoring each precious
moment of their lives.
Christopher K. Germer, Ph.D., Clinical Instructor in Psychology at
Harvard Medical School and author of The Mindful Path to
Self-Compassion
Child s Mind is a wise, creative, and practical collection of
exercises for teaching mindfulness to children. Willard s
compassion and his skillful translation of meditation practices
shine through every page. Every teacher, parent, and therapist will
benefit from this book, as will the children in their lives.
Janet L. Surrey, Ph.D., Institute for Meditation and
Psychotherapy
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