Tag Archives: Children

‘Finding the skills to stop telling my kid what and how he should be doing his life!’

My son is home for a week to fill up his tank with unconditional love!  This morning I wondered if my son and I are old souls with an agreement to continue on through lifetimes in some form of relationship!  Is our agreement to share lessons that turn out to become milestones and  powerful experiences?  We are both dominant kinesthetic learners which means we are extremely sensitive to each others feelings pre-verbally.  This often becomes a trigger and can sabatosh harmony!

I noticed he had a movement pattern that I knew could be supported with a movement lesson.  He accepted my offer to work with him and while doing so, I was able to engage his somatic experience to such a degree that he went into a deep rest that appears as sleep.  I know this rest is extremely powerful in calming nerves and shifting one out of anxiety.  It is a state that gives rest when none is available in one’s regular routine.  I have only had one practitioner in my life time who I experienced this with personally and she was unable to let it be a part of our experience together.  She would pull me out of this rest due to her own fear and not understanding it.

However, I let my boy stay in this state to enjoy the quality of the rest he was experiencing.  I did not want to wake him by leaving the office so I decided to sit and meditate while he rested.  Settling in, a recent conversation came to mind on the Hawaiian practice of releasing attachments.  It seemed appropriate in this moment to practice my interpretation of the Ho‘oponopono Clearing Mantra.

Sitting in mindfulness with the intention of releasing mental, emotional, physical and lifestyle attachments to this child, I began reciting:

SAMSUNG

In reciting this mantra I quickly recognized it was about me releasing my drama around this young man to free him of my responses, reactions and moral judgments.  My experience of this practice unexpectedly provided me with freedom!  Freedom for acceptance of myself and my actions!  In the few days since, I notice I am less attached to what I think he should be doing that is creating more space in my mind.  I am acting on my own needs instead of focusing on my opinions about what he is doing!  Whew, a relief for us both.

I cannot predict his or our future, however, I can say that I am more grounded and connected with myself and in our relationship as young adult and mom.  I like him even more than I did before and am not concerned with what he is not doing or is going to do.  During his childhood my focus was on what he was doing and how he was affecting and contributing to the family that allowed me to experience empathy for my own parents and siblings.  Once he left home this shifted to what I did and how I contributed to this child’s family experience that allowed me to reflect upon my pain, guilt and joy of my parenting and begin to take accountability and responsibility of my actions. Now reciting the Ho‘oponopono Clearing Mantra focused on my son it has shifted into acceptance.

I have been told that Hawaiian Families come together when a family member is ill to practice this Ho‘oponopono Clearing Mantra with them.  The purpose is to release attachment for a better healing journey.

Reciting this mantra was a heartfelt experience and I believe it has given a greater degree of separation to let us have greater autonomy.  If and when he ever discusses his pain around any parenting situation he experienced with me, it is my opinion that I will be able to be more empathetic and less attached to my fear of being judged.  I believe I will be more honest and be a better listener! This is the gift I want to give my kid!    No more fixing, strategizing or enabling!


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Renee Lindstrom, GCFP,
Feldenkrais® Practitioner since 2007, Value-Based Communication & Empathy Coach since 2004, Art of Placement  since 2000, Founder of Greater Victoria Peace & Intercultural Celebrations since 2010 & Greater Victoria Labyrinths since 2012, #yyj Peace Week Calendar Founder – 2014 & 2015

Judge for 2015 Peace Pal International Children’s Art Contest!

By Renee Lindstrom, 20/05/15

2015-03-24 06.16.14-1

Previous Year Winner from Canada

Today I spent the morning reviewing some of the most beautiful artwork on the planet! I was asked to be a Judge of children’s artwork submitted to this years 2015 Peace Pal Children’s Art contest.  This year the theme honors the 70th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.  The children have been asked to convey their message (Love to Hiroshima – Love to Nagasaki) through their artwork and writing (optional) special messages to the people of both cities.

I am finding it hard not to choose each and every picture submitted. The children’s art is unfiltered, honest and speak loudly!

Winners will be announced Hiroshima on August 6, 2015. I cannot wait to see the final results – more info on winners from previous years read more @http://wppspeacepals.org/category/gallery-of-artists/

Announcing ‘The Teaching Labyrinth’ @ Brentwood Bay School!

Children's Peace & Nature LabyrinthInside is pleased to announce that ‘The Teaching Labyrinth‘ program will be one of the four workshops at the World Children Summit on Peace and Nature being held May 28th, 2015 at Brentwood Bay Elementary in Saanich.  This is one of Greater Victoria Communities!  Our program, The Teaching Labyrinth, will be one of four at Brentwood Bay Elementary.  The three other workshops will be; Storytelling, Photography and Nature, Music with the Ukulele.

To find out more on how you can host The Teaching Labyrinth workshop at your school please contact us here at Inside.

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Lets take care……

“Let us take care of the children,
For they have a long way to go
Let us take care of the Elders,
For they have come a long way
Let us take care of those in between,
For they are doing the Work.”

Nelson Mandela

Announcing the birth of the Children’s Peace and Nature Labyrinth Design

Jerry Etzkorn and Renee Lindstrom have done it ​*again!  They have
collaborated and created the Children’s Peace and Nature Labyrinth Design for the ​Contemplative Workshop at the ​World Children’s ​Summit on ​Peace and Nature  in May, 2015.  ​Renee had the idea of creating a Labyrinth design that children of the future could make their own  and Jerry magically turned ideas into amazing and creative results.

This labyrinth design has an entrance at the base of the trunk
and an exit at the top of the branches.  It was specifically designed
this way for the movement and contemplation program for the
World Children’s Summit while keeping the traditional four directions.

 

Enjoy the beauty in this pattern.  This design will be available in a  30 foot by 30 foot painted portable indoor labyrinth by November 1, 2014

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Children's Peace & Nature Labyrinth

*Jerry and Renee collaborated in the fall of 2013 on a heart shape labyrinth design for wedding ceremonies.  .

Maturing, Experiential and Qualitative ‘Heart’ Empathy: understanding your parents

When you nurture your own children, empathy for your parents deepens and you transition from child to parent.

Not living with the responsibility of  children you likely remain the child and  wisdom from the integration cycle, past and future,  is interrupted.  Knowing is learned and not lived.  Missing is the joy and pain of parenting and a shared reality with your parents.   Healing the child within comes easier with a child of ones own through the dawning of understanding and acceptance.

Renee Lindstrom – 22/10/2013

School for first timers!

Preparing for fall workshops in the community I was invited to a meeting to discuss what the school Counselors would like me to present in my Parenting and Teacher  getting Intouch Workshops.  In this meeting  I learned many possibilities for supporting parents who are getting their little one’s off to school for the first time.

Sitting now at this end of the parenting years (17 and 19 years old) and looking back  I remembered how lost my children and I where entering the first time.  We didn’t know we were lost!

I would like to say the first time was kindergarten yet we discovered each year and each teacher is a first time experience.  Sorry parents.  There are the milestones of being in elementary, moving to middle school and then up to high school.  Each time is a new experience.

Lets go back to kindergarten.  Even after a few years of pre-school immersion and early child focused classes,  school was a huge adjustment and learning curve for all of us.  Besides being able to cut, color, draw, paint and create little projects children that are attending kindergarten are now  expected to be able to:

  • have letter recognition,
  • write letters,
  • know the beginning sounds, 
  • have reading readiness (awareness of words going from left to right)
  • be attentive and follow directions
  • have polite social skills

  for description of each point – go to link

Wow!  My mother was a stay at home mom and these learning goals she  left to the teacher.  This was before kindergarten and pre-school!  Wanting to be better prepared myself I did have my children in a part-time pre-school and filled their time with other learning activities like early childhood music  and many socialization opportunities.  We also had a full schedule of our own activities and play learning.  Yet, when it came to school, we lacked the preparedness level expected of them.  I discovered that I had focused upon a different set of skills and apparently so did the pre-schools!

The first ugly thing to rear its head that became a huge distraction for us was behavior.  Yes parents in kindergarten.  A wake up call.  As a fresh new mom with beautiful and innocent children this was a nightmare and the last thing I expected.  We ran into bully kids, bully parents, bully teachers, bully secretaries, bully school principals.  No discrimination here!  Yet they all had one thing in common.  Each one was trying the best way they knew how to get their needs met.

I want to support kids in the best way I know how and that is through supporting parents, teachers and schools in finding new ways of integrating behavior awareness, that with practice, makes life easier and more fulfilling.  Therefore after the requests of the above mentioned meeting and to support my current classes I have begun this series of supportive tips.

My goal focus  is to present material to parents that would include the educators needs yet still include the parents perspective.   As I was hearing the needs expressed from the members of the school administration I was able to discriminate my parenting  needs without judgement either way.   Unique, yes and it will allow a rounded outlook that includes more equality.  

Parents stay in touch and find concrete solutions for supporting your children through tips and fall workshops.