Children and Mindfulness—A gift for Life

Teaching and practicing mindfulness with your child can be an extraordinary experience for bonding and providing your child with a gift that will have long lasting effects. 

Mindfulness is the practice of the intentional attention to internal and external experiences without judgment .  For example, as an anxious person attends to their heart palpitations, focusing on the intensity, duration and quality, without judging (I’m having a heart attack), the physical symptoms will lessen.  The focus will be on senses rather tharn thinking and analyzing  .  Being mindful helps one to stay in control, make better choices, self-regulate.

 

You can teach your child to be mindful in any number of ways.  I suggest taking into consideration the age and stage of development and being creative.  Here are a couple of suggestions that you can modify based on your child.

 

Walking is an easy and fun way to be mindful.  Mindful walking involves focusing on your steps.  I start by counting every fourth step and I do this for a few minutes of my walking. In my mind I’m counting from one to four over and over.  Next, I notice what the surface under foot feels like--the hardness; the softness; the smoothness.    If you take your child on a mindful walk, encourage her to walk in a slow pace and to notice the sky, the smells, the wind, the color of the grass. 

 

Take ten minutes and relax with your child on the sofa.  Tell her that together you’re going on a vacation to nowhere; that together you will go someplace that is peaceful and only the two of you know about.

If your child is into it, get her to go first describing where this place is.  Encourage her to describe the sounds, the smells and other sensations that are particular to this place.  She might describe an island with clear purple skies, red water and orange turtles.  The more descript the more the positive affect.  Chime in with the descriptions if your child is struggling.     At the end of the trip, try to get your child to describe what she’s feeling in her body.  Try to get her to notice any sensations without any judgment.  For example, what do her arms, legs feel like? What does her breathing feel like?

 

Mindfulness is best taught through practice.  It is a wonderful way to connect with your child and to have your child to become more self-aware.  The benefits are immeasurable.