Heart Bubbles: Exploring compassion with kids is a guidebook to compassion for young children. It teaches kids that compassion is a natural human response to others who are in distress. More than that, it teaches about self-compassion. Compassion for others is rooted in compassion for oneself.
Self-compassion involves self-kindness, mindful awareness, and a sense of connection to others. While these abilities come instinctively to kids, they tend to unlearn self-compassion as they age. Cultivating self-compassion helps children maintain these skills as they grow and see their own value and place in connection with the greater world. Mindful self-compassion teaches heartfulness—a kind connected presence—which leads to genuine care for self as well as others and supports emotional well being and resilience.
Dr. Krantz's previous book Mind Bubbles: Exploring mindfulness with kids used bubble imagery to explain mindfulness. Heart Bubbles uses bubble imagery once again to explain compassion and offers practices that can elicit a felt sense of self-compassion. Additionally, a guided heartfulness practice is offered at the end of the book, which can enhance feelings of compassion for self and others. If children can learn these practices when young, they can practice them for a lifetime.
