Buddhism for Mothers of Schoolchildren

Raising school children is a radically different experience from tending the under-fives. Sarah's first two books - Buddhism for Mothers and Buddhism for Mothers with Lingering Questions concentrated on the experience of mothers with young children, toddlers and babies, and what mothers could learn from Buddhism to help them through this often desperate, tumultuous time. Now, with children at school, life is both easier and harder and there are very different challenges on the horizon - mothers are often thinking of going back to work, or juggling work/life balance issues. They are questioning what they want out of life, how they want to interact with the world, and creating new definitions for themselves. Children are more demanding too, asking questions, testing boundaries, beginning to define themselves as separate from their parents. Sarah Napthali explores the distinct issues arising from this phase of motherhood and how Buddhism can play a role in providing answers and direction, in her usual warm, wise, inclusive and accessible style. Keywords: Parenting, Mothers, Postnatal, Mothers Health and Wellbeing