Mindfulness Tips

MINDFULNESS TIPS

In today’s world many of us, especially our children, lead schedule-focused lives. Rushing has replaced spontaneity. After school activities have replaced unstructured playtime. Screen time has replaced time for us to connect with each other. It’s easy for children to become distracted, over-stimulated and stressed. While we can’t hide our children from the anxieties that life will inevitably present, we can bolster their social and emotional health so that they develop tools that will help them to reduce stress, have confidence and understand their emotions.

H E R E A R E T H R E E O F O U R F A V O R I T E T I P S T H A T W I L L H E L P Y O U A N D Y O U R L I T T L E O N E S T O C U L T I V A T E C A L M !

Help Your Child Reduce Anxiety with Mindfulness Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to what is going on inside and outside of the body right now. Children who have an ongoing mindfulness practice have been found to have increased happiness, reduced stress and a greater ability to control their emotions and behavior. When children throw a tantrum or behave in an out of control way, it does not feel good. Conversely, it feels scary to experience emotions that seem large and overwhelming.

Establishing a mindfulness practice arms children with tools to calm themselves down when they feel upset. Our Calm Mind Kit introduces mindfulness to children in a playful way through activities like “the noodle,” which teaches progressive muscle relaxation and “color breathing,” which teaches visualization.

To see the full benefit, it’s important to establish a consistent mindfulness practice with your child so that they have known tools they can turn to for comfort and relaxation in moments of stress.

Just Breathe Empowering children to understand that they can have an effect on their own feelings and emotions is powerful. One of the most effective ways to help a child reduce butterflies when faced with a long day, stressful moment or new environment or routine is to encourage them to breathe.

Believe it or not, deep belly breathing is a skill that needs to be taught, as we often breathe in a shallow way when nervous, which reinforces anxious feelings. When children (or adults for that matter!) take a deep breath from their stomach, they are telling their central nervous system that their body is safe, which turns off the “flight or fight response.”

One of our favorite breathing exercises is called ‘Waves Breath’. To introduce wave breathing we ask children to place an object, like our linen bean bag, on their stomach. We then encourage them to watch the beanbag rise and fall like waves as they breathe deeply in and out.

Let Your Child

Experience the FeelsWhile learning to regulate emotions is an important skill, it is equally important to allow children to experience and process what they are feeling in an authentic way. Instead of disciplining your child for uncharacteristically negative behavior, identify the “why” behind the behavior, and offer extra empathy and support.

For example, in a tough moment try offering your child a hug, hand, or lap and encourage them to retreat to a cozy, quiet space with a favorite story or activity.

Thank you to Rose & Rex creators of the Calm Mind Kit for Teens