“Accept the children the way we accept trees—with gratitude, because they are a blessing—but do not have expectations or desires. You don’t expect trees to change, you love them as they are.” ~ Isabel Allende

Although the theme for August is “Family and Children,” don’t turn away if you’re not a parent. We have lots of content for you, too, including “Think Before You Ink – How to Make Body Art Safe and Reversible” on page 34, “Listening to Animals,” on page 40, and Joe Dispenza on “The Power of Thought Alone to Heal,” on page 30.

But if you are a parent, especially of young children, you have a treat in store. I sometimes feel regret when reviewing the August issue. Why regret, you ask? Because there are so many ideas and tips that I could have used when raising my own children. Of course my kids developed into creative, happy and healthy adults, so I have no real misgivings there. But I think this issue and the many August issues that came before provide a fun and supportive guide to parents looking for out-of-the-mainstream parenting solutions.  They provide proof that there is a community of authors and parents out there willing to ask some thoughtful questions about childrearing and buck the generally accepted routine of media, frenetic activity, and fast food that our society believes acceptable for children.  

This issue focuses on Parenting with Presence and Creativity. Our feature article, “Enlightened Parenting: Tips for Raising Confident and Loving Kids,” contains ideas that may help you navigate through the toddler to teen years. Among other ideas, it introduces the concept of “hummingbird” parenting, a style that allows children to explore and problem-solve through independent play, but keeps parents nearby, ready to zoom in if safety becomes an issue.

The “10 Steps to Family Happiness,” on page 26 gets to the essence of raising naturally healthy, happy kids. This is an article you’ll want to clip and share.  I also love the Kid Cookery article on page 27. By learning to cook, children can try new flavors and see what real food ingredients are.  Cooking can also be used as a springboard for learning about math, other cultures, geography and more. We present four fun recipes that kids will love to make. But don’t stop there: If your kids enjoy cooking, it’s easy to find kid-friendly cooking projects online.

Enjoy the remaining days of summer vacation,

Ana