Belonging, Smartview Stories Book 3

Written to help parents, educators and therapists begin conversations with their children. Smartview Stories use real-life situations that people will likely encounter. Our books bring our inner world to life via three Inner Companions based on neuroscience concepts.

These Inner Companions demonstrate HOW to use our body/brain to be our own best friend or self-mentor. Learning to BE our own best friend gives us the power to create the world within us we would like to experience around us. A world with qualities like patience, kindness, courage and authenticity.

Belonging, Book 3 features the Poplar Family. Here we learn more about 4-year-old Levi. Levi is Mama Dawn’s nephew. He comes for a visit which unfolds to something more. Our first story, “Stone Play”, describes Levi’s first full morning staying with the Poplar’s and how he finds a sense of belonging. “It’s Not Fair!”, is about sibling patterns, surprise, and how a good listening friend can help us find a new perspective around an old assumption. Our third story, “Bird Song”, opens with surprise and confusion that transform to a spacious welcoming toward one of Levi’s unique skills. 

Throughout all three stories, the initial surprise, fear and confusion that we often feel entering a new relationship or community, are transformed by our inherent abilities to sense what is needed here and to create more space until all feels safe to be the way it is. The Poplars mess up plenty. With the help of their Inner Companions, they catch themselves and find a better way forward.