Focusing on ‘the good’ and ‘the bad’

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by The Mindful Doctor on July 27, 2010

Question: My 5 year old son tends to see the negative in life.  If we go on a family outing he’ll complain it wasn’t fun because he was hot or the lines were long or his sisters were mean to him instead of focusing on the fun that we had.  It seems no matter his experiences – big or small - he only remembers the ‘not so good stuff.’

Answer: We all know adults like this.

People who see the glass as half empty and seem to squash ideas with their doubts and hesitations.  My guess is that you do not want this for your son.

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The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers.
 by Thich Nhat Hahn

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