Taking Time to Slow Down

What You Need:

• Bringing Kindness and Curiosity to Everyday Tasks worksheet
• Shoes with laces

What You Do:

1. Tie your shoe laces, one quickly and messily, and the other carefully and neatly.
2. Show your child your shoes and your shoe laces.
3. Ask them what they notice. Explain that one of your shoes is messy, and one is neat.
4. Ask them what they think happened here. Say, "I took my time with one, and rushed through the other."
5. Ask your learner, "When completing a task, how can slowing down help us? How can we remember to slow down?"
   • Build upon their answers, and share that we can slow down in many ways, including feeling our breath, taking our time, feeling into our hands, and using mindfulness.
6. Mention that mindfulness helps us slow down and take our time when completing tasks.
7. Explain that mindfulness means purposefully paying attention to the present moment, with kindness and curiosity. We can bring this kind, curious attention to anything we are doing in the moment, such as tying our shoes, playing a game, walking, or reading.
8. Ask your child, "What do you think could happen if both my shoes were tied in a mess?" Say, "I could have tripped and fallen."
9. Share that scientists have found that when we practice mindfulness and slow down, we can prevent injury and actually get more done because we make fewer mistakes.
10. Explain to your child that today they will practice completing a task slowly, with care and mindfulness.
11. Show them the messy shoe again, but this time model for them how to tie it with mindfulness:
    • Take a few deep breaths, and slowly tie your shoes. Bring all of your attention to your shoe and laces, with kindness and curiosity. You can even share a grateful thought for having shoes.
12. Review the instructions of the Bringing Kindness and Curiosity to Everyday Tasks worksheet, and work with your child to complete it.