Back To School…

Ready or not, here it comes—a new school year. Here's how to make sure it finds you prepared. 

Perhaps you’ve already checked off the supply list, having purchased (or dusted off from last year!) the necessary materials—pencils, binders, school bag and more. Maybe there are a few new clothes in your child’s closet, and gleaming gym sneakers still sitting in their box. What’s left to do? Just one thing: peruse our suggested reading list to help get your mind school-ready too.

Mindfulness and Learning: What’s the Connection?: The use of mindful awareness practices can make a real difference in students’ lives, says Patricia Jennings. Not just for individual children, but in educational reform.

Parenting Happily: As parents, we experience stress at various times during the day—whether during a hectic morning routine, a hurried bedtime ritual, or a silent drive to school. But mindfulness can help in many ways, says psychologist Raelynn Maloney.

The Family ADHD Solution: Mark Bertin, M.D., discusses how mindfulness can be a useful tool for both parent and child when dealing with issues surrounding ADHD.

Rollie’s Vision: As Tom Preble drives a noisy school bus to its destination, he befriends a nine-year-old blind boy named Rollie. Over time, the pair come to help each other better appreciate the world around them.

The Big Questions: Anne Cushman’s young son, Skye, keeps her on her toes with his many questions: How do we know the things we know? How do we justify our decisions?

Photo © iStockPhoto.com/sjlocke