Suzanne Tucker, aka Zen Mommy
Here’s an idea for your family to bring stillness and awareness to you and your kids. It’s a “Pebble Mediation” and my kids LOVE it. All you have to do is walk outside with your children and pick up a few pebbles or rocks… grab a permanent marker… and the rest is easy. Let the kids think of words like love, joy, play, giggle… or if older: miracle, transformation, breath, stillness, empathy, etc… words to inspire and guide us in our day. Fill a jar or bowl with these little mini meditations and set it out, then each morning everyone in the family can pick one and carry it all day in their pocket as a mini moving meditation. This is one of many ways that you can involve your children in your meditation routine.
At the end of the day, you can share about the things that happened and how having this pebble… this word to hold to made a difference. The pebble then goes back in the jar and you are ready for the next day. I love how the words I seem to pick always jibes so well with what is up for me that day… a loving reminder from the universe or sometimes a nudge in the direction I have been searching for right there on my little pebble. It’s an amazing alternative to other mindfulness and calming techniques that I’ve come across. From Bullet Journaling to meditation self help books, to natural remedies such as Kats Botanicals kratom, which you can find online, there are many amazing and different ways to achieve mindfulness.
May this loving ritual bless you and your family with peace and joy all year long.
For a beautiful Pebble Meditation we parents can do each morning to help us find and maintain our “center” all day (sign me up for that!!! *smiles*), please visit this link. You will enjoy Thich Nhat Hanh’s valuable pebble meditation, reminding us of our flower freshness, mountain solidity, calm water clarity and spacious freedom. This six minute YouTube video is wonderfully presented by Plum Village brother Thay Phap Huu. I just watched it and can already tell I am breathing a little slower and deeper this morning… 
In addition to mommying to two magical girls born in 2000 and 2003 and expecting twins in Jan of 2010, Suzanne co-owns a holistic health center with her husband Shawn in St. Louis, Missouri where she practices as a physical therapist, Certified Educator of Infant Massage and health education teacher. Certified in a number of healing and life education approaches, Suzanne offers ongoing tips on parenting and is the co-creator of the Yogi Parenting approach to positive parenting.
Article originally found here.