BLOGGY BLETHERS AN CHAT
Book of the Month! March, 2021
We're so chuffed that Bea and Brodie's Mindful Journey has been chosen as The Scottish Book Trust's Book of the Month in March, 2021. As part o' the Book Trust's promotional campaign, our Susan did this Q & A session:
Q: Why do you think mindfulness is so important for children (especially in the current context)?
A: Now, more than ever, it is vitally important for children to learn that each and every one of them was born with the ability to manage their own emotional state so they can 'make each day a good day'.
The Bea and Brodie series seeks to introduce the concepts behind straightforward but important mental health tools to children, and the friends' 'Mindful Journey' introduces the simple yet beautiful technique of mindfulness which can be used to bring about a healthy, balanced, calm state of mind in a gentle, low key way.
The dynamic between Bea and Brodie is a Scottish ying and yang. The heaviness of Brodie, the big handsome Highland cow is complemented and balanced by the lightness of his best friend, Bea the flighty buzzy honey bee. This mirrors the natural tendency we all have, to varying degrees, to experience different levels of energy - sometimes we feel heavy and down, sometimes we feel as light as air, sometimes there's a reason, sometimes there's not.
However, what's important is that we take time to become aware of what's happening within our own selves and we slowly learn to understand it. It's also important that our fluctuating feelings are treated with compassion and ultimately, that we should feel empowered by the realisation that we are not at the mercy of a changing world but instead we can learn to manage our own emotional responses to it. This, in truth, is what can completely transform our lives.
