Why Should My Child Learn About Mindfulness?

Written by A. Simon, June 2019, MN USA

©️Minnesota Kid’s Yoga Co., LLC - Blog

 
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Mindfulness is a term that is being used everywhere…

I am sure you have heard of the term mindfulness. Many companies are working to create mindful moments within their work places. Nutritionist, are working to teach people about mindful portions. Teachers are working to introduce mindful actions towards peers and classmates within a classroom. And finally, doctors are teaching parents about mindfulness meditation to help aid kids with various health issues.

The Child Mind Institute stated in its article “The Power and Benefits of Mindfulness” that,

“In the last few years mindfulness has emerged as a way of treating children and adolescents with conditions ranging from ADHD to anxiety, autism, depression, and stress disorders. Further… the benefits are proving to be tremendous. But how do you explain mindfulness to a five year-old? When she’s teaching mindfulness to children, Dr. Amy Saltzman, a holistic physician and mindfulness coach in Menlo Park, California, prefers not to define the word but rather to invite the child to feel the experience first—to find their “still, quiet place. We begin by paying attention to breath,” she says.

Personally, as a teacher who recently taught several students with emotional disorders, autism and sensory needs, as well as, several kids with ADHD and anxiety, I practiced mindful breathing with my students daily. When I noticed the energy in my classroom rising, or if I saw some kids becoming overly stimulated to the environment around them, I would have my students sit in a circle on the carpet, we’d close our eyes, and take deep breaths in and out. We would also take turns saying something nice about one another. This mindful moment, or minutes of peace, helped many students calm down, and refocus.

So, in other words, all children AND adults need to learn about mindfulness. Mindfulness, simply put, is one’s ability to refocus their thoughts into being productive and positive. Mindfulness is similar to meditation in that, when we become mindful of our surroundings and our own emotions, we slow down and listen to what our body needs. Mindfulness is being healthy and present.