Mindfulness is all about focussing on the current moment; what’s going on around us, in addition to our present thoughts and feelings. For a lot of people, practising mindfulness allows them to accept things that are out of their control, therefore letting them enjoy their life to a greater level without worrying too much about the future.
Children generally tend to be instinctively more mindful than adults and it’s recommended for parents to allow their youngster to explore things at a pace that suits them. However, there are also numerous ways that parents can help their kids become more mindful. With that said, a primary school near Gerrards Cross has put together the following tips to help parents explore the notion of mindfulness with their children.
If you’re new to mindfulness, don’t worry; it’s actually fairly simple. You can practise mindfulness no matter what you’re doing, even if you’re just eating a snack or hugging your mum.
The idea is to pay attention to your experiences and concentrate on the enjoyment of them, rather than letting moments slip by in the blink of an eye. This will help you to appreciate every moment and is something that you can help your child with as well.
Having said that, try and bear in mind that you can’t force a person to be mindful, it has to be second nature and will take time to get used to, so be sure to abandon your attempts if it’s not coming naturally to your child. You can always pick up again at a later date with another activity.
Try and keep things as straightforward as you can, as ‘mindfulness’ might be a tricky concept for small people to comprehend. Sometimes it’s better to use words like “ideas” and “emotions” when you’re describing what it means.
Help your child to become more aware of their thoughts and their physical and emotional experience. For instance, if they are feeling anxious about an upcoming test at school, ask them if their nerves are accompanied by any alterations in their body, such as sickness, sweaty palms or inability to get to sleep at night.
When you are having some quality time together, use it as a chance to talk about how much fun you are having together and how wonderful the day is. Ask them what they like or dislike about the experience. If you help them to become more conscious of their emotional and physical reactions to a variety of situations, they will start to appreciate the little things, while also knowing what to do again or prevent in the future.
If you require some additional advice on how to explore the concept of mindfulness at home, don’t hesitate to contact your child’s school with your thoughts and questions. More often than not, teachers are very helpful when it comes to assisting parents with a child’s home learning – and this includes mindfulness and self care.
Leave a Reply