TEACH YOUR CHILD THE ART OF MINDFULNESS
“When little people are overwhelmed by big emotions, it’s our job to share our calm, not to join their chaos.” – L.R. Knost
We, adults are ourselves so emotionally messed up that we often fail to pay attention to what our children are going through. Kids have their own emotional and psychological struggles to fight. It’s our duty to prepare them to be mentally strong for the tough times that they may have to encounter in their life. The first step towards improving your child’s mental health begins with teaching them the art of mindfulness. Mindfulness is the technique of being aware of one’s body, mind and feelings in the present moment. It has proved to be as effective for children as in the case of adults. Though mindfulness can be taught to children through little exercises that are easy to learn, it is always good to seek expert guidance. Emotional struggles of children:
The difference in temperaments in kids makes them behave differently in emotionally challenging situations. Some children are more easy going and quickly adapt to the situation whereas some struggle hard to silence their inner chaos. Here are a few common emotional problems that children suffer from-
- Kids with ADHD show symptoms including trouble in focusing, impulsivity, hyperactivity etc. As far as these kids are concerned, the emotional challenges are much more frequent and intense when compared to their peers. The emotional trauma they go through is reflected in their academic performance too.
- Family environment: Kids whose parents are divorced or are on the verge of divorce find it difficult to find solace. They often get frustrated and lose interest in everything surrounding them.
- Comparison: Children often dislike getting compared with others. Some react by showing anger, some others get discouraged and a few others get hurt. All these leads to a negative impact on children’s mental health.
How to develop mindfulness in children?
Mindfulness plays a pivotal role in improving mental health of kids. It helps kids to focus, regulate emotions and fight stress. Parents and teachers can take the initiative to introduce mindfulness practices in a child’s life. Here is how one can start teaching kids the art of mindfulness-
- In school, teachers can take a few minutes out to let the children do some easy mindfulness activities. For example, ask students to simply sit and pay attention to their surroundings.
- Students should be taught to focus on their breath and then quietly repeat the same with their thoughts.
- Once children are introduced to mindfulness sessions in schools, they will enjoy doing the same in their homes too. Practicing mindfulness on a regular basis will help kids learn to live in the moment. This would in turn help them come with more productive reactions in emotionally challenging situations.
Yoga, meditation and mindfulness centres in Trivandrum offer special mindfulness sessions for children to improve their mental health. Mindful parenting leads to a mindful child. Take your first step towards making your child emotionally strong so as to develop a positive outlook towards life. Mindsupport Trivandrum offers its support and guidance to impart mental and physical fitness to all who wish for a peaceful and successful life.
Get your child introduced to mindfulness!