Book Review: What Does it Mean to be Present?

By Rana DiOrio

What it’s about:

The idea of being present – something we all need to work on in this age of smartphones – is especially important for kids. This book breaks it down in the simplest way. When we say “be present,” what do we even mean?

What we love about it:

Have you ever caught yourself looking down at your phone while your child calls out, “Mommy! Look at me!” … and simply nodding, “Wow, sweetie!” without even looking up? Everyone gets caught trying to do too many things at once sometimes. Kids need to be able to focus on one thing at a time, like the math test in front of them. Thinking about recess or their after-school snack prevents them from “enjoying the warmth of the sun and the sound of the rain.” This book is full of tiny little lessons, like appreciating what you have even if what someone else has seems better. It’s a simple story (with wonderful illustrations) that would be great to read aloud to kids and discuss. And of course, it has a valuable lesson in there for adults too.