Happy Read Across America Week! 📚
To celebrate, I’m excited to share that I’ll be doing an official in-store visit at Bean’s Books, located at 315 US-65, Conway, AR, United States, 72032. If you’re in the area, stop by between 12 and 2 PM to say hello and grab a signed copy of my debut children’s book, Oh Brother, My Brother. I’d love to meet you. ✍🏾📖
I also want to share that my conversation on the Little Rock School District podcast Wright on Education, is now live. It was a powerful discussion with Superintendent Jermall Wright, architect Ernest Banks, and school counselor Marquis Cooper about how we raise emotionally secure and healthy boys who grow into strong leaders.
It’s a conversation I hope many families, educators, and mentors will watch.
A Busy Week with Kids
This past week has also been full of school visits and meaningful conversations with students.
On Read Across America Day, I had the honor of visiting Bryant Pre-K and reading Oh Brother, My Brother to Ms. Allen’s class.
Seeing children engage with the story, ask questions, and recognize themselves in the characters is always one of the most rewarding parts of this journey. ❤️
But something else happened this week that reminded me of an important parenting lesson.
Is an Idle Mind Really a Problem for Our Kids?
Growing up, many of us heard the saying:
“An idle mind is the devil’s playground.”
And sometimes that’s true.
But this week taught me something different.
Sometimes, a restless mind can be just as dangerous.
My wife and I have three daughters, and like many parents, we try to give them every opportunity we can—sports, arts, activities, experiences we didn’t always have growing up.
Between tumbling, acrobatics, practices, school, and even attending the opening night of MJ the Musical at the Robinson Center, our schedule was packed this week.
One evening after practice, one of my daughters became quiet as we walked to the car. I could see tears forming in her eyes.
When I asked what was wrong, she said something that stopped me in my tracks:
“Dad…and I just want time to relax.”
She didn’t want to be doing something every night.
She wanted to go home, be in her space, read, and simply rest.
Kids Need Reboots Too
That moment reminded me of something we often forget as parents.
Kids need reboots, just like we do.
As adults, we take walks, meditate, decompress after long days. However, sometimes in our desire to give our children more opportunities than we had, we accidentally take away something equally valuable:
Time to simply exist.
Time to recharge.
So, we adjusted. Instead of filling every night with activities, we scaled things back. Fewer practices. More space to just be present.
Because raising healthy children isn’t only about keeping them busy.
It’s about helping them find balance.
Final Thought
An idle mind may sometimes cause trouble.
But a restless mind, one that never gets a break, can wear down a child’s spirit.
As parents, mentors, and educators, our job is to help children find the space where effort, joy, and rest all coexist.
And if you want to explore more of the conversations around family, connection, and emotional awareness, I invite you to check out my book.
📖 Oh Brother, My Brother is available now.
Visit BrandonDCampbell.com to learn more and grab your copy.
Sometimes the most important lessons we teach our kids…
are the ones they teach us first. 💙
Saturday, March 7th at 12 pm to 2 pm, Book Signing in Conway, AR!
To RSVP or learn more information visit here.
