Sensei Jonathan Hewitt is the co-author of “Life Ki-do Parenting: Tools to Raise Happy Confident Kids from the Inside Out” and founder of Life Ki-do Martial Arts and Life Education in Austin, Texas. In this conversation Jonathan, David, and Rebecca talk about body awareness and how use stories and images to help our children calm down, relax, and be present.   About SparkleCast: SparkleCast explores the use of story in parenting and education. One week we share a free story for you to enjoy, and the next week we discuss the story with an expert and thought leader – with the aim of using the story (and all stories) as a parenting and educational tool. For more stories and tutorials, visit the Sparkle website: www.sparklestories.com Questions? Ideas? Requests? Email us! info@sparklestories.com Enjoy!

In today's story: It’s autumn: the days are getting shorter, and the dark comes earlier. Martin is feeling nervous. His eyes don’t work  as well at night, and he worries about shadows and other things he can’t see. All of it makes it difficult for him to go to sleep at bedtime. Momma encourages him to use his other senses, and guides him through a hearing, smelling, and feeling exercise that not only reassures him, but relaxes him enough to fall deeply asleep. *This story is the subject of our conversation with Jonathan Hewitt, founder of Life Ki-do Martial Arts and Life Education. The story models how we can calm our busy minds by relaxing and being present in our bodies.*

Dr. Carrie Contey is not your typical parenting expert. Her work offers a new perspective on children, parenting, family life, and being a healthy, happy, whole human being. In this conversation, Carrie, David, and Rebecca discuss how children can healthily experience their rich emotional lives and how parents can be present and guide their children without being “plugged in” to their experience. About SparkleCast: SparkleCast explores the use of story in parenting and education. One week we share a free story for you to enjoy, and the next week we discuss the story with an expert and thought leader – with the aim of using the story (and all stories) as a parenting and educational tool. For more stories and tutorials, visit the Sparkle website: www.sparklestories.com Questions? Ideas? Requests? Email us! info@sparklestories.com Enjoy!

In today's story: There was once a land far to the north that was held in healthy balance by a dragon and a unicorn. When the people of that land tried to control the dragon, the unicorn returned to the clouds and the people suddenly experienced what is was like manage pure power — the power of a dragon’s emotions. This is a story about the big emotions that all children feel. It gives guidance on how to be both the dragon (emotional) and the unicorn (presence through the emotions) at the same time. *This story is the subject of our conversation with Dr. Carrie Contey, parenting expert and columnist, about the big emotions that all children feel. The story gives guidance on how to be both the dragon (emotional) and the unicorn (presence through the emotions) at the same time.* About SparkleCast: SparkleCast explores the use of story in parenting and education. One we we share a free story for you to enjoy, and the next week we discuss the story with an expert and thought leader – with the aim of using the story (and all stories) as a parenting and educational tool. For more stories and tutorials, visit the Sparkle website: www.sparklestories.com Questions? Ideas? Requests? Email us! info@sparklestories.com Enjoy!