10 Mindful Minutes: Giving Our Children--and Ourselves--the Social and Emotional Skills to Reduce Stress and Anxiety for Healthier, Happy Lives

by Goldie Hawn, Daniel J. Siegel (Foreword)

"Goldie Hawn embodies delight and joy, and 10 Mindful Minutes radiates these. Her book can help any adult-parent, grandparent, teacher-make double use of their moments with the children they love and have a terrific time while helping shape that child's brain for a lifetime of resilience and happiness."
-Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional IntelligenceAcross the country, the revolutionary MindUP program, which was developed under the auspices of the Hawn Foundation, established by Goldie Hawn, is teaching children vital social and emotional skills. By understanding how their brains work, children discover where their emotions come from and become more self-aware. They learn to appreciate the sensory aspects of their lives and to value the positive effects of mindfulness, compassion, and kindness. This, in turn, empowers them to manage and reduce their own stress-and helps them be happy.

Those who have seen the remarkable effects of this program have been eager to learn how to implement it in their own homes and use its practices for themselves, too. Now, for the first time, its secrets are being shared with all parents and children in 10 Mindful Minutes.

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction, Self Help, Psychology, Education, Health, Spirituality

256 pages, Hardcover

First published September 27, 2011

About the author

Goldie Jean Hawn is an American Academy Award-winning actress, director and producer. She is best known for starring in popular film comedies of the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.

Reviews

[Marissa Morrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I once toured a mansion in Rhode Island with Goldie Hawn and her family, and I was struck both by how genuine she acted and how fakey-fake she looked. Reading this book was a similar experience--the book is filled with warmth and wisdom, yet at the end there's a portrait of Hawn looking like a pouty twenty-year-old dressed for a nightclub. Aside from that weird photo, this is a great book containing thoughtful personal reflections and useful calm-down techniques that readers can share with children.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you want to learn more about mindfulness and meditation but not really about Buddhism, then this book is a great secular introduction. I had a teacher in elementary that taught me a few simple tools for stress relief that I used throughout my life and found very helpful. Before that experience, I did not know what to do with stressful feelings. I think these tools can be very empowering for children and allow them to take more control over their emotions and physiology. This book outlines recent research about the helpful effects of mindfulness in a very simple and readable way - definitely for the layperson. While there are some good suggestions of activities to do at home with your children I purchased the curriculum from her foundation because this book didn't give me the level of detail I needed. We are going to go through the lessons together as a family. This book, together with the curriculum from her foundation, was exactly what I was looking for to teach these skills to my family.

[Nancy Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would not ordinarily pick up this type of book. My mind wanders too much to meditate. I happened to catch an episode of Dr. Oz this summer and Goldie Hawn was a guest. I think she amazed me with her in depth knowledge of the human brain. Then I was ashamed of myself for equating her with the roles she plays in movies. Because the exercises in the book are designed for children I think they are basic enough that I might have some success in trying them. As she notes, even if the mind wanders off, you strengthen the muscle when you refocus. It has definetly helped with sleeping a couple of times in the last couple of weeks.

[Roxanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is great to see the passion that Goldie Hawn has regarding our children and giving them the tools to live the happiest lives possible.

The book was not anything spectacularly new for me, rather a reminder of how much work needs to be done.

I agree with Goldie that Emotional Intelligence is essential to being able to function better in all aspects of life.

A couple of areas that always intrigue me:

1. How Sweden manages to have the brightest and happiest children (people in general) and the children spend the least amount of time in the classroom. So why as a country do we always think our way is THE WAY and everyone else is wrong?

2. The difference between being a teacher and an educator. I know my son, who is now a young man, has had very few educators in his life. I remember my disgust in the amount of memorization that was being taught in our local school district versus critical thinking and problem solving.

Goldie gave so many helpful lessons in her book, but I always feel very overcome by the work that needs to be done. And, she didn't even touch on parents who are totally unengaged, suffer from addictions, and can't even take care of themselves versus help their children be at their happiest. It reminds me of the phrase "it takes a village" by Hilary Clinton. In today's economy, so many people are focused on basic human needs - food, clothing, shelter. There is no time for anything else. Does this mean then that our educational system has to make major changes and MindUP needs to be implemented everywhere? My personal answer is yes.

In addition to the MindUP philosophy, I am embarrassed by the lack of knowledge our children have about personal finances. I feel like it is similar to birth control. People think it is being taught and discussed at home by parents, but for the most part, it is not. So, once again, we expect our educational systems to cover those topics.

I have always liked and related to Goldie Hawn. I respect her and found one of her personal reflections in the book that struck close to home for me. I loved both of my parents. Just like Goldie shared, losing them were the saddiest times in my life. When the second parent died, I felt an overwhelming lonliness. The feeling of an orphan even though I was an adult.

In summary, I am thankful for Goldie's easy how-to advice, but I'm not so sure it's as easy as that. At least not for many. Establishing the MindUP program with educators seems to be the best option for optimal success!

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hawn suggests that focusing on a subject as simple as breath can have long term benefits for adults and children, improving ability to concentrate, control temper, calm and heal, increase awareness, stimulate the brain for learning and memory. I intend to get my boys into the daily routine of breathing for 3 minutes a day, twice a day. I keep forgetting until they're in a crisis of tempers, when its too late for practice.

[Shannon Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was in such a panic about my children starting public school. Documentaries and news reports seemed to all be saying that our school system was horrific and that if I didn't get my kids into the right school at kindergarten, that was it, they were doomed for life.
I picked up this book and before I even got into the main chapters my attitude was flipped! All those months of fretting, worrying and yes, even crying into the night, evaporated.
I came away from this book feeling in control and much more at ease. Studies show that when people are relaxed and happy they retain more information and do better on tests. I am happy that my kids can and will have extraordinary lives, not just because of the A on the test but because they are happy, productive people.

[Tamilyn White · Rating 5 out of 5]

EASY, EASY read and great, useful way to explain meditation and brain functioning to well, virtually anyone. i thought Goldie's personal recollections were a little cheesy but, well, she is Goldie Hawn and the daughter of her parents.I use this with clients of all ages often.

[Bea Elwood · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was really directed more towards parents than teachers, which is unfortunate since my only children are my students. I was hoping for a more comprehensive approach to teaching MindUp which is the school program Hawn has helped create but I guess I'm just going to have to demand my district send me to some training...

I value how this approach is for students and their families, we could all do with a little more understanding of how our brains work and respond to stress. It feels like empathy and calming down are skills that have skipped a generation (or two) and a guide like this can be very helpful for parents who learned from their parents to be reactive instead of proactive.

[sau s. · Rating 5 out of 5]

i finished this book almost a month ago and have already begun to see improvements in my sleep, anxiety symptoms, and general quality of life. it took time to annotate, highlight, and actually incorporate the practices mentioned, and it was not easy to start. however, Hawn does an excellent job of outlining roughly how long it takes to begin to see results and what to expect along the way. i really hope to be able to utilize the coping skills given for as long as i can in my personal healing journey.

[Magulec · Rating 4 out of 5]

Świetna pozycja, nie tylko dla rodziców! :)

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I came into this book because my wife read it and felt like I needed to read it. Call it guilted reading, or what ever, but I had to do it. I'd feel like I wasn't being the best father I could be if I didn't at least give this a chance. I was heavy on the skepticism going in, though. Like Moulder and Scully skeptic. I mean, c'mon, Goldie Hawn! Bird on a Wire! What! You've gotta be kidding me, right? But actually, she dropped some knowledge on me. I would recommend this book to any parent, or educator for that matter. Any body who has to work with young people, and anybody who wants to be happy inside their own heads. There's some great advice and practical applications for gaining mindfulness in one's life. I do believe that being mindful of my own emotions, my surroundings, the feelings of others, and how I interact with others has helped reduce stress and my white man rage. In a way, there's the paradox of, well, I'm hyper aware of what's going on with me at this moment, but that awareness allows me to step outside of myself. Even if you don't make it through the whole book, there are some interesting sections worth checking out, and the whole mindful movement is pretty awesome.

[Jacob · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a nice reminder of how to be mindful and the positive effects of, well, positive emotions and actions. I'm already very aware of myself and I'm good at focusing on my current situation, so perhaps I am already "mindful". Even if I didn't need a lot of the advice or guidance in the book, however, it was a pleasant and easy read so I didn't mind. Plus there are a number of stories involving the author's significant other, Kurt Russell, whose movies I enjoy.

[Holly Weiss · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was completely blown away when I heard Goldie Hawn speak about mindfulness. I think she has an exceptional understanding of how this may help children. She has a passion and a mission to help children everywhere. I hope to be able to use the skills I learned from this book to help my grandchildren. The book helped me personally as an adult in ways I never suspected. It certainly widened my perspective in positive ways.

[Warren-Newport Public Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't usually pick up celebrity books, but this was actually pretty good. It has practical things to do with kids to reconnect and give them ways to cope with stress and anxiety. A good reminder to turn off the screens, and focus natural discovery. Nothing groundbreaking, but it's very readable and relatable.

~ Rebekah

[Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am un-apologetically skeptical of any celebrity author (in this case, Goldie Hawn) opining let alone instructing outside her field of expertise, but I actually found this book to be written from a credible and genuine place and really quite helpful. I have begun using the principles and suggested practices in my parenting and will continue to do so.

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book last spring and summer and enjoyed it so much that I also listened to it on audio on walks as well :-)

[Kayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even though I don't have kids, I think every parent needs to read this. This is a quick read and provided me comfort in a time of grieving.

[Liz Townsend · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is nothing new. If you’re not familiar with mindfulness, then maybe this will work for you....

[Danielle W · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is all about encouraging you and your kids to slow down, really look at and enjoy the world around you, and be present in the moment. Intended audience is parents of 5-12 year olds but I found it helpful for my 3.5 year old too. I can imagine anybody who works with kids would benefit from this type of mindful practice.

While nothing in this book was new information, it was really well put together. About 1/3 book focused on research, 1/3 on how to put it into practice and 1/3 on Goldie’s own personal life stories. The last chapter acts as a “sparknotes” summary of the book.

P13 Around the age of 4, the ability to put words to feelings starts to develop, and parents are better able to reason with their children in what might be called a more rational, logical, and “adult” way.
P13 Around age 8 kids begin to show a tendency to favor one side of the brain or the other, depending on temperament (including left/right handed).
P17 The most important years for the growing brain are from birth to age 6
P68 3 minute of mindful breathing is enough to strengthen and change the brain
P109 When we’re stressed our perception narrows to focus solely on the problem. Without such stress our perception is widened.
P109 positive emotions have the added bonus of allowing us to take in more information and see a wider range of solutions. We are better at what we are trying to do if we approach a job with optimism.
P127 focusing on what’s wrong makes us unhappy and unhealthy, while focusing on what’s right boosts mind, body, and spirit. Practice gratitude.
P179 Small acts of kindness strengthens our immune system and boosts our health. Even just watching someone show kindness activates our immune system.

[Christel El Hayek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very soothing read. Although I do not yet have children of my own, I was always fascinated with the different approaches cultures embraced to raise their children to be made more self-aware, as well as aware of their surroundings. Moreover, I believe today's world adapted to a shallow, quick-paced lifestyle that inhibits every individual - young or old - from embracing the little treasures and gifts the world tends to offer us. We are programmed to brush off elements that are valuable to us and tend to make us happy in order to reach the ideal posed by a made-up happy society. I specifically recommend this book to people who struggled to adapt to the emerging conditions of the pandemic, things definitely slowed down and adjusting to a potentially new world dynamic is tough. Remembering to be mindful of whatever is around us is truly important for our survival: mental health, relationships next to or away from us, and physical strength. This book truly brought things back into perspective, and allowed me to shift some of my focus to the most important aspects of my life that I was programmed to neglect and/or not process: smell, touch, happiness, fear, and most importantly empathy. Thank you Goldie Hawn for this.

[Dewin Anguas Barnette · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really wonderful, clearly written overview of mindfulness techniques for the family. It discusses the myriad of beneficial effects that mindfulness has on us physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. I really appreciated the intermittent Reflections sections in which Hawn describes how she has experienced the techniques and their effects in her personal life.

In the book, she quotes Dr. Richard Davidson as saying, "Training is seen as important for strength, for physical agility, for athletic ability, for musical ability– for everything except emotions...but these are skills too, and are trainable like any others." Emotions affect us in every moment of our waking lives, yet we pay little attention to them, as if we have no control over them but are doomed to live under their unpredictability. I believe some of this is fear out of what we will see if we look too closely at our emotions. But if we can get past that initial discomfort of admitting how we truly feel long enough to examine it from a detached perspective, we can make changes in our lives that will extend our lifetimes and make ourselves and others happier and healthier. I wish every parent would read this book.

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an easy read with lots of quotes from reputable sources. There's nothing really new here. At the same time, it was really interesting to read Goldie Hawn's personal reflections on each subject. It makes me a little interested in reading her autobiography. She certainly has some stories to tell.

She does have some good suggestions about how to help children learn and practice mindfulness. I'm curious if her children think she was a good mother to them. It certainly comes across that she was. It also comes across that she came from a very loving home.

I like this book, there just isn't anything particularly new or helpful for me. It might be a nice introduction to mindfulness for someone who is new to the concept.

[Abby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I kind of can't believe I'm giving a book about mindfulness by Goldie Hawn four stars, but there you have it. This book gives a simple overview of what mindfulness is and why it's beneficial, which isn't anything special other than the reader friendliness of it. What I really liked about this book were the simple activities to do with your children to incorporate mindfulness into their lives. I will use some of these strategies in the work I do (pediatric occupational therapist) and will refer back to this book when my own girls are a bit older. If you want an easy way to teach your children to be mindful, this book is a great resource.

[Ana Gutierrez · Rating 4 out of 5]

l enjoyed reading this little book.

It flows well and gives both scientific explanations and information but also simple mindfulness excorsises for both parents and children and most importantly suggested excorsises for both to do together and with the whole family.

I'd definitely recommend this to any of my friend and family who have children.

I'm certainly going to try a few of the excorsises myself since I'm still a child at heart, even if I have to play at being a grown-up during the majority of my day.

[Sandra Strange · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish I had read this book when my children were little. It really does give parents some handy tools for supporting and creating peace in ourselves and our children in this age of stress and anxiety. Goldie Hawn has written a readable book with explanation of the brain science hat underlies her suggestions, the studies that bear out and support them, and narratives of her own experiences that illustrate. A good read, but better for putting into action in our lives and the lives of our kids.

[Lacy Lovelace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and thought Goldie Hawn did such a great job! I really liked what she had to say and found the book really insightful. My boss gave all of the counselors the MINDUP curriculum with this book so we had a background on how it came about. I had no idea that Goldie had such a passion for mindfulness. I loved the activities she gave throughout the book and started using them as guidance lessons. The kids really enjoyed them! I can’t wait to use the techniques with my little guy when he gets older.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I heard Hawn mention this to her son on the podcast Sibling Revelry, which he hosts with his sister. I'm interested in this subject matter. I'm not a parent but acknowledged that the content would either apply to me or not.
The subtitle is "Giving Our Children--and Ourselves--the Social and Emotional Skills to Reduce Stress and Anxiety for Healthier, Happy Lives". OURSELVES.

It was a quick read, and I highlighted a ton. Whether you're a parent or not, if the book's description appeals to you, then go for it.

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was really impressed by this book. Hawn has created a foundation that supports research on meditation for kids, and the book is a fast, easy read with lots of good activities for kids (probably best for ages 3-8) and summaries of the science on mediation. The very first day we tried it, we noticed a big difference in our stress levels and. how we related to each other, and had one of the best days we'd had in months.

[Prati · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mind is a beautiful thing, however, it can easily be corrupted by stress, anger and anxiety. It's so important for us to have control over these emotions... Mindfulness is a great way to bring peace into your life. This book by Goldie Hawn beautifully describes how we can have better control over our mind, emotions and relationships by using mindfulness.. Though the book focuses more on parent and child relationships, I think it's an Excellent read for all!!

[Linn Delzer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I truly love Goldie as an actress, but I’m not sure if I learned anything new here. I’m actually not into “celebrity” authors and to read this for a mindfulness certification class. I was a little taken back that they choose this book as a “text book” for mindfulness with kids. It was still very Hollywood-lifestyle based, nothing I could really use for kids with some extreme anxiety, amongst other things.