Teach Your Children to Practice Mindfulness and Watch How They Thrive
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In today’s quickly-advancing world, children are exposed to stressors that affect their well-being, growth, and social development.
But how can we help our children navigate a world riddled with stress?
Mindfulness practices can help. We can teach them how to be mindful and take productive “breaks” from their stress by recognizing it as a challenge they can navigate.
What exactly is mindfulness?
According to the Mayo Clinic, mindfulness is a practice wherein you focus on being intensely aware of what you’re sensing and feeling in the moment without interpretation or judgment. In layperson’s terms, mindfulness is recognizing what we are feeling in the present and doing so without judgment and with the intention of learning from it.
Why it is essential to teach a child how to practice mindfulness.
Emotional Regulation - Mindfulness helps children develop emotional regulation skills by cultivating self-awareness.
Concentration and Focus - Guided meditation and breathing exercises enhance children’s concentration skills.
Stress Reduction - By teaching children how to scan their body for telling sensations, a child becomes aware of how they are affected by stressors like academic pressure and personal anxieties.
Improved Self-esteem - Children learn to embrace themselves and their experiences without fearing harsh self-criticism by emphasizing self-compassion and non-judgmental awareness.
Academic Performance - According to this article by MIT News, the brain scans of students trained in mindfulness revealed less activation of the amygdala – the part of the brain that process fear and stressful emotions.
Less stress = better focus. Better focus = better grades!
Now that we know the benefits of mindfulness, how do we teach children to practice it?
Body Scanning
Mindfulness is all about observation without judgement. Being present in your body and witnessing what’s happening with it. Take opportunities to ask your child to observe what they can feel in their body. While you’re eating breakfast. After they’ve had a disagreement with a friend. When you’re rushing to get to an appointment. When you’re reading at bedtime. What emotions are they having? What does it feel like? Is it hot or cold? Squiggly or heavy? Where do they feel that emotion in their body? Is it in their chest or shoulder or legs? If your home is filled with children, pets, and the sounds of a bustling family, use it! Take a few moments to sit down with your child and ask them to observe what they hear and how it makes their body feel.
Meditation
Search online for guided meditations that are tailored specifically to children. When you put your little one to bed at night, take time to cuddle up together and listen to a guided meditation.
This meditation from New Horizon is a great place to start.
Breathing
Practice controlled breathing before it’s needed. Encourage your child to take ten deep breaths before bed and then ask how their body feels.
Wiggle and Freeze
Encourage your child to wiggle around in the room, and when they are at the peak of activity, say, “Freeze!” Then ask your child to note how their bodies feel at that moment.
Coloring Pages
Coloring is awesome for kids because it's like diving into a sea of creativity where they can splash vibrant hues onto paper and let their imagination run wild, all while giving their busy little minds a peaceful and relaxing break from the daily hustle and bustle. There are many free resources that you can print at home.
Lastly, Setting a Good Example
The best way to teach your children mindfulness is to practice it yourself and lead by example.
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