Children as Zen masters

6th May, 2009 - Posted by Jon -

I was wrapping up my semester last week (I teach when I’m not parenting or working on Sharonimo), so I dropped the blog ball, and I’m only half picking it up this week, since I’ve still got some grading to do. But I want to be a somewhat responsible blogger, so I thought I’d take this opportunity to a comment on a conversation that struck me when I was listening to the radio a few weeks ago. Every once in a while, when we remember to do it, Lisa and I listen to the NPR show “Speaking of Faith”, hosted by Krista Tippett. It’s a very thoughtful and thought-provoking show, and if you’ve never listened, I recommend it. Anyway, on April 16 Krista interviewed a guy named Jon Kabat-Zinn on the subject of mindfulness. The section of the conversation that struck me most was one in which Kabat-Zinn compared kids to Zen masters, and the challenges and rewards of parenting to the challenges and rewards of monasticism.  As I remember it, he said something like: “If your four-year-old can’t decide what dress she wants to wear, that’s not a problem, unless you make it one–that’s just what a four-year-old does.” Since I’ve got an almost-four-year-old who would happily take all morning to get dressed, this statement resonated with me. As the morning parent on duty, and a guy with a perpetually expanding to-do list, I have many opportunities to experience this spiritual challenge, and I think I’m starting to grow with it.

What does this have to do with Sharonimo? Not a lot, I guess, except that Sharonimo is the thing that usually competes with my girls for my attention (I’m ignoring their cries as I write, for instance), and Sharonimo’s mission is, in part, to help its users be more mindful of their resources and relationships. By helping you maximize your resources, strengthen your bonds with loved ones  and generally enjoy a less wasteful, more connected life, I hope Sharonimo really will help you live better, in every sense of the term.