Mindfulness for children offers us a range of opportunities to improve their attention, empathy, tranquility and emotional management from an early age, in addition, starting our children in the world of meditation helps them connect with themselves. adapting to any environment and, above all, to the day to day.
We know that the use of mindfulness in our day to day offers us multiple benefits in this complex adult world, these dynamics in which we are involved both at the work level and personal “touch us deeply”, causing stress and anxiety. meditation and each of the mindfulness strategies are useful, cathartic and effective.
- Give your child a safe space.
- Free of stress and anxiety.
- Learn where your balance is through mindfulness.
- Provide a calm environment where you can better understand your emotions.
So, if mindfulness serves us, why not show it to children?, it must be said that there are already many schools around the world that have integrated this practice into the classroom. Breathing, meditation and mindfulness exercises that are included daily in young children’s routines. Facilitate understanding of the great achievements that will occur in its development.
However, it is necessary that these types of exercises be established as a habit from the beginning, we all know, for example, how difficult it can be to do a relaxation session for the first time in a high school classroom. , young children between the age of 3 and 4 consider certain aspects normal, such as the silent treatment of certain stimuli or the concentration in their own breathing, in this way they can progress in the development of other skills.
Let’s see below how and how to start them in this widespread practice that offers good results.
The benefits of mindfulness for children are accepted by educationally recognized countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada, the Netherlands, the United States or Australia, which intend to include it in education plans so that by 2020 it is in all schools. At the moment, it is gradually entering kindergartens: the intention is to take advantage of the time when the child’s brain is much more receptive to these practices.
If we wonder at what age it is more practical to start with mindfulness, the answer has a small nuance to talk about. The 3 years are undoubtedly the most suitable age to do so, but remember that if we want to get good results we must be constant until the novelty becomes a habit. Let’s go a little further.
The main goal of mindfulness for children is to arouse their curiosity, attention and the fact that their ability to be surprised never expires, as well as their interest in connecting with the outside from a more relaxed, responsive and secure interior.
In addition, this ability to focus attention on certain stimuli will increase your concentration, probably essential in this world so overloaded with stimuli and stimulants, where children do not have reasonable and stable filters to handle this sensory and perceptual avalanche.
On the other hand, as we have already said, mindfulness goes beyond a simple collection of exercises: it is a way of life. His techniques, philosophy and approach often bring about great changes in us; changes that are significant enough to show us new perspectives.
Children will be able from an early age to better manage their negative emotions, understand the source of their anger or sadness so that they can channel them properly, something like this improves their social skills, the way it connects with others, for example, avoiding situations of violence and aggression in the classroom.
“Mindfulness is a tool to help our children gain more humanity. Not just to become workers and consumers, but to cultivate their skills to live in this world and become aware of their beauty and fragility from an early age. “The son is the father of man, ” wrote the English poet Wordsworth. Personally, I am convinced (at the moment, I have no evidence or study to prove it), that mindfulness can help our children become better adults?. ?Cristophe André, psychiatrist at Sainte-Anne Hospital in Paris?
First of all, something important that we must clarify is that mindfulness for children is not limited to teaching them to meditate, relax or breathe, it goes much further. Can we not forget that mindfulness is also linked to food, work, how we relate to each other and even the practice of sports?
So, let’s see what strategies we can develop so that this philosophy adapts to your lifestyle. The requirements are twofold: make it simple and fun. These are some of the strategies that we can use with children between 3 and 6 years old.
There’s nothing better than using your toy to learn how to breathe by following the instructions below:
Quiet and attentive as a frog? It is a sensational book by Eline Snel, which offers parents interesting strategies to introduce children to meditation. weather.
Mindfulness for children is not limited to making them sit in the lotus position, to meditate, our children are active and reactive beings, people eager for experiences, insatiable spectators, they need contact, games, continuous interaction, that is why we need to adapt mindfulness to your daily needs and pace of life.
A very effective exercise that can be done daily with them when, for example, one takes them or brings them from school, walking with them by hand or making the purchase, is to play the game: “Do I understand?I think?.
It’s just about encouraging them to be receptive to everything around them and everything that happens, no matter how small it sounds. “Do I sense that I hear someone laugh in the distance?”Do I sense that the man who passed seems sad?” Do I sense that I hear in the distance the breeding of a bird call its mother in the nest?” Do I notice that a cloud was hiding the Sun?
In conclusion, we know that there are many other Mindfulness exercises that we can teach our children, we will find the ones that best suit your age and your way of being, besides do not forget to be your best example, a reference of calm, balance and eternal love.
“In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, we all think too much, look too much, want too much and forget the joy of being. “Eckhart Tolle?