"I value color as a way to communicate and as a way to share ideas and be able to feel movement of emotion and energy in your body." One of the biggest hurdles of being a parent is helping our kids fall asleep at night. As parents, it's necessary to find the right tools to help kids learn to relax, process, and be with their big feelings – and many parents are still learning these skills as well. On this episode, I talk with Susanne Benton, who has this seemingly magical ability to help kids relax and fall asleep. She creates bedtime meditations for kids on Insight Timer, and seamlessly weaves in magic, beauty, and wonder into the stories she tells. Susanne shares her behind-the-scenes process for writing these meditations for kids, how she comes up with the right stories, and why she emphasizes the importance of imagination and color. About Susanne Benton: Susanne is a mother, step-mother, and grandmother with a degree in Child and Family Studies from the University of Wisconsin Madison. She opened her own daycare called Magical Child Family Daycare, where her goal became to create an environment in which children felt welcomed, challenged, and supported in their unique growth. Susanne also developed a thriving practice as a massage therapist over the last 12 years. Four years ago, Susanne combined her bodywork, mindfulness, and relaxation skills with her experiences with children and families, and with that began writing bedtime stories and recording bedtime meditations. She loves sharing resources for both parents and kids that make falling asleep easier each night. Some Questions I Ask: What drew you to begin creating the bedtime meditations for children? (8:47) Can you share about why you emphasize colors in your meditations? (19:44) How do you come up with the meditations? (25:51) How do the elements within the meditations become tools for kids? (27:49) What do you love most about creating meditations? (33:13) In This Episode, You Will Learn: Why developing skills to balance intense, accelerated learning with relaxation is so beneficial for children. (5:56) How Susanne incorporates imagination and colors into her meditations. (10:38) How parents can supply their children with soothing and skills to manage trauma and fear. (16:06) What kids like about their custom meditations. (25:03) How to make bedtime a smoother process. (35:09) Connect with Susanne Benton: Insight Timer Website Facebook Instagram

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