Breathe, Mama, Breathe: 5-Minute Mindfulness for Busy Moms

by Shonda Moralis MSW, LCSW

Overview

A “Mom Must-Read”—Parents 

A National Parenting Product Award (NAPPA) Winner

Easy-to-follow practices that will help moms find quick, daily opportunities to reset and refocus with mindfulness
 
Moms can feel as if they are sprinting through life, crashing onto the pillow at day’s end only to start again the next morning. In Breathe, Mama, Breathe, psychotherapist Shonda Moralis outlines the benefits of daily meditation and shows moms how to do it—in just five minutes! Plus, she shares over 60 “mindful breaks” that will help moms tune into their own well-being (along with everyone else’s):
 

• Eat a mindful breakfast—with no phone, TV, or newspaper!
• Cuddle your child and take three deep breaths together.
• Give yourself a mindful-mommy high five—because moms can use positive reinforcement, too.

 
Every mom—whether caring for a new baby, an overscheduled grade-schooler, or an angsty teen—can become a mindful mama!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781615193561
Publisher:	The Experiment
Publication date:	01/03/2017
Pages:	288
Sales rank:	125,876
Product dimensions:	7.80(w) x 5.50(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Shonda Moralis, MSW, LCSW, is a psychotherapist in private practice specializing in stress-related disorders and mindfulness-based therapy. She writes the Psychology Today blog Breathe, Mama, Breathe and her own blog at ShondaMoralis.net. Shonda has developed and taught mindfulness courses and workshops for children, parents, teachers, and students.

Table of Contents

Introduction: The Breathe, Mama, Breathe Plan 1

Mindfulness for Mom in Five Minutes a Day 2

What's the Difference Between Mindfulness and Meditation? 8

The Power of Shared Success Stories 9

Setting Up Your Daily Five-Minute Meditation 12

Including Partners 16

Family Practices 18

When to Take Your Stripped-Down (Yet Incredibly Powerful) Mindful Breaks 20

Chapter 1 Foundational Mindful Breaks 25

Triangle of Awareness $

Step Out of Autopilot $

The Powerful Pause $

Body Scan $

SNAP Break $

Chapter 2 Staring Your Day 47

Waking with Gratitude $

Coffee $

Showering $

Breakfast $

Brushing Teeth $

The To-Do List $

The Bus Stop $

Chapter 3 Connecting with Your Family During the Day 71

The Three-Breath Hug 76

Your Teen Driver 78

Bottle- or Breast-Feeding 82

Lunch 84

Just Dance 87

Pleasant Moments 89

Pillow Fight! 91

Chores-Part I 93

Hit the Floor 86

After-School Snack 99

Homework 104

Sports and Performing 108

STOP the Teen 'Tude 112

Dinner 116

Sibling Strife 120

This, Too, Is Passing 124

Look into Their Eyes 127

The Live-In Zen Master 131

Prepping to Launch 136

Chapter 4 Connecting, with yourself During the Day 141

Wonder Woman 145

Driving 148

Nap Time $

Waiting $

Chores-Part II $

Self-Massage $

Turn Your Head $

Sit $

Stretch $

The Laundry $

Yoga $

Cooking $

Got Muilt? $

Mommy High Fives $

Sick Days $

Your Little Slice of Heaven $

After the Meltdown (Yours) $

Holidays $

Chapter 5 Connecting with the World 205

Gratitude 207

Unpleasant Moments 210

Delighting in the Senses 216

Good Enough 219

Don't Know 222

The In-Between Moments 226

Chapter 6 Ending the Day 231

Wine 232

Dishes 235

Bath Time 238

Reading 241

Recap the Day 244

Partner Time 246

Waiting Up 250

Prepping for Tomorrow 253

Progressive Muscle Relaxation 256

2 am Wake-Up Calls 259

Mindfulog 262

Bibliography 265

Acknowledgements 269

About the Author 276

Editorial Reviews

11/07/2016
This debut from Moralis, a psychotherapist and mother of two, consolidates the lessons of her Psychology Today blog into handbook form, offering harried mothers tools for cultivating mindfulness in the tiny bits of time that are often all that’s available. Moralis starts by touting, and giving basic instructions for, a short sitting meditation. But the bulk of the book is dedicated over 60 brief write-ups, consisting of a personal anecdote plus instructions, of short “mindful breaks” that can be taken throughout a typical parent’s day to become “still, less distracted, patient, and calm.” Many are for specific times—while drinking morning coffee, at the school bus stop, or while doing dishes—but others can be used whenever stressful situations occur, as with “STOP the Teen ’Tude,” or encourage self-care in quiet moments in the day. As the title promises, Moralis also provides breath exercises, including some that can be done with children, such as “The Three-Breath Hug.” Some juxtapositions jump between stages of life and can feel disjointed—”Your Teen Driver” is immediately followed by “Bottle- or Breast-Feeding”—and some suggestions lean away from quick fixes and toward broad attitude adjustments. Overall, Moralis’s suggestions strike an effective and empowering note. Agent: Claire Gerus, Claire Gerus Literary Agency. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

Moralis’s suggestions strike an effective and empowering note.”—Publishers Weekly

“With more than 60 mindful breaks that help moms tune into their own well-being, you will also learn the benefits of meditation and how to quickly and easily master it. Take five and reset.”—Washington Parent

“Learn the basics of daily meditation and the ways it can help you keep your cool in this how-to guide.”—Pregnancy & Newborn

“Breathe, Mama, Breathe is a breath of fresh air for stressed-out moms. At once practical and creative, author Shonda Moralis offers easy-to-use mindfulness tools and strategies for real-life moms needing peace, calm, and centering—along with a dash of compassion and humor that comes from her own experiences as both a mom and a long-time mindfulness expert. This is an excellent and much needed book!”
—Donald Altman, MA, LPC, author of Clearing Emotional Clutter, One-Minute Mindfulness, and The Mindfulness Toolbox

“Breathe, Mama, Breathe is a fun, practical guide to paying attention. Shonda Moralis shows us that mindfulness isn't about finding more time in the day—it's about savoring the moments we have.”
—Leigh Ann Henion, New York Times-bestselling author of Phenomenal: A Hesitant Adventurer's Search for Wonder in the Natural World

“Breathe, Mama, Breathe is filled with wise, helpful, and perhaps most importantly, totally doable practices for busy mothers. I’m so grateful Shonda wrote this gem of a book!”
—Carla Naumburg, PhD, author of Ready, Set, Breathe: Practicing Mindfulness with Your Children for Fewer Meltdowns and a More Peaceful Family

“Through honest, relatable, and often hilarious stories from her real life as a parent and professional, Shonda Moralis helps busy mamas everywhere understand the physical, emotional, and social benefits of consistent mindfulness practice. With dozens of practical, realistic ways to incorporate mindfulness into even the busiest of schedules, this is a book I will use over and over again!”
—Signe Whitson, LSW, author of 8 Keys to End Bullying: Strategies for Parents and Schools and How to Be Angry: An Assertive Anger Expression Group Guide for Kids & Teens

“Packed full of practical, totally doable mindfulness practices that can fit seamlessly into anyone’s daily routine, Breathe, Mama, Breathe offers effective ways to become more present and mindful—sending all of your excuses right out the window. This is not just a helpful resource; beautifully readable and wise, it’s essential reading for every mom (and dad!) trying to navigate parenting—and daily life—in a mindful way.”
—Kira Willey, award-winning songwriter & kids’ yoga expert, creator of Rockin’ Yoga school programs, and author of the upcoming children’s book Back Seat Yoga (Rodale)

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