10 Mindful Minutes
By Goldie Hawn
Goldie Hawn – 10 Mindful Minutes
What it’s all about: Goldie Hawn is not just a cute actress who won our hearts in Private Benjamin and Overboard (what?! You’ve never seen Overboard? Do yourself a favor and try to find it on Netflix. The scene with the garden hose itself makes it worth it). She also started the MindUP program through her Hawn Foundation, which helps children develop social and emotional skills with a cognitive-based, mindful approach. This book shows parents how to help their children connect with their emotions and develop into empathetic adults who are able to
channel and handle their emotions in a positive manner.
Goldie Hawn – 10 Mindful Minutes
Who it’s good for: Parents who are worried about their kids growing up in a technology-based, fast-paced society where the real things (love, connection, kindness) often get overlooked. The book is especially useful for those with young children (eight and under) as most of the exercises would make any tween roll her eyes.
The good stuff: The book is balanced with in-depth research on how our brains function (especially in children) and lighter, fluffier portions on being kind, managing emotions and living a happier, more centered life.
The not so fabulous: If you’ve done much reading on mindfulness or cognitive development, you probably won’t find much new in this book (although the way it’s related to parenting does offer up some new perspectives). There are also numerous personal ‘reflections’ from Goldie’s life that seem to just take up space (unless you’re super interested in Goldie’s life, in which case, you’ll love these. Unfortunately, no stories about Overboard. Have I mentioned I loved Overboard??)
Favorite takeaway: Helping your child be mindful early on not only helps their coping skills, but also actually changes how their brains PHYSICALLY develop. This really puts the importance of the topic into perspective.
The epilogue: We have a huge job as parents and it can often be so overwhelming we forget about what’s really important. This book helps boil down some of the most important parts of parenting and gives some practical tools to help us raise happier, more resilient kids. Read the book. Then go watch Overboard.
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