No matter how much you pack into a day, chances are your child will say that they’re bored and have nothing to do. But that’s actually a good thing, according to Christine Gardner. The author of A Moment of Quiet is Nothing To Fear talks about how grind culture isn’t always the best thing for our families, our kids, and even our own mental health. Gardner explains why it’s okay to rest and how to stop over scheduling…once and for all.
Let’s talk about A Moment of Quiet is Nothing To Fear. It’s a fantastic title.
This is my first book. I am trying to help people, myself included, that the pace of our lives has gotten so frantic. Pulling kids into that rhythm is a challenge for them. It’s okay to just do nothing every once in a while. Take a deep breath and see what happens.
The book is an extension of your company, More Green Moms.
It’s all about environmental health and awareness. It’s learning to eat properly, to read labels and it all ties together very beautifully with this hand-drawn painted picture book. It resonates with children and with parents, too. I think this is what our generation needs to hear.
The reason why it caught my attention is that this is the model of what I ascribe to. I couldn’t live that frenetic lifestyle, and I don’t want my kids to, either. Personally, I just like hanging out with them.
That’s great. I think that a lot of people keep their kids busy because it’s more work to have them at home. Either I’m going to make myself available, or my child might question why I’m not entertaining them right now. When I actively ignore them, they go off in their own realm of what I remember as a child. They create little silly games, which is perfectly normal and wonderful for children.
I think it makes parents nervous if their kids are not doing anything.
True. The movement is to keep them overly stimulated, which is not good for the parent or the child.
Has the book been received?
The book has been on a wonderful journey. I’ve taken it to schools and read it. The parents love it; it makes them so happy. They feel good to hear that it’s okay to have that moment of quiet.
Now you self-published the book, which is no easy feat. Where can readers find it?
It’s available through Amazon, although I wish it had a larger audience. It’s a timely topic. One of my goals for this year is to find a publishing home for it. And keeping with the green theme, it’s printed on 70% recycled paper.
What are your plans for the future?
I would love to do a follow-up book, with a much broader focus on creating a healthier lifestyle. What we’re eating, how we’re eating, and what we can do as moms to shift the dynamic in the culture right now. I want to create a greater awareness, and weave in this as a core message to make life have a brighter promise. We need to find a way to shift that landscape and we can do it.