Thao Le began writing her new children’s book, Mindfulness with Aloha Breath, “with the intention to share mindfulness as a resiliency resource for keiki and connecting the practice to Hawaiʻi placed-based skillful values of aloha,” she recalls. “I did not realize it was going to be so timely for keiki and families during this pandemic.”
Thao, of the Human Development and Family Studies program in the Dept. of Family and Consumer Sciences, has partnered with the Hawaiʻi Dept. of Human Services' Office of Youth Services: 3,000 copies have already been delivered into the hands of six Hawaiʻi Dept. of Education area complexes on Oʻahu and Big Island, and 1,000 copies to nonprofit organizations serving youth and families throughout the islands.
Using her new book as a springboard, Thao is currently doing professional trainings for Hawaiʻi DHS staff to cultivate resiliency in children across the state.
“I'm so grateful and excited for this opportunity,” she says. “Our keiki have been living in a most unusual reality of not being able to play with friends or hug grandparents, while required to sit in front of a computer screen for hours, and being scared of this dangerous invisible virus.”
She adds, “It is a challenging time for all of us to focus on the here and now with patience and kindness. Learning to practice mindfulness by being in touch with one’s feelings and thoughts, to understand how and why they arise, and to regulate them, can help reduce the anxiety, increase focus, and rejuvenate one’s brain to move forward. This book is a step to help children embrace mindfulness.”
Mindfulness with Aloha Breath is available directly from Legacy Isle Publisher or on Amazon.