What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is about concentrating on the present moment; what’s happening around us, as well as our current thoughts and emotions. For many people, practising mindfulness helps them feel more accomplished and allows them to enjoy their life to a greater level. Generally speaking, children tend to be naturally more mindful than adults and parents are advised their youngster explore things at their own pace. However, there are also several ways that parents can help their kids become more mindful. With that said, an independent school in Hitchin have put together the below advice to help parents explore the concept of mindfulness with their children.
How to Practice Mindfulness with Your Children
It’s actually quite simple; you can practise mindfulness with everything you do, like eating an apple or embracing a loved one. The idea is to take notice of and focus on the wonders of life rather than allowing moments to flash by without recognition. Having said that, try and remember that you can’t push someone to be mindful, it has to be natural, so be sure to renounce your efforts if it’s not coming easily; you can always pick up again on another occasion with another activity.
Aim to keep things as simple as possible. Mindfulness is a big concept for small people, so it might be better to use words like “thoughts” and “feelings” when you’re explaining what it means.
Encourage your child recognise their thoughts and their physical and emotional sensations. For example, if they are feeling nervous about a spelling test at school, ask them if these feelings are accompanied by any changes in their body, such as nausea or sweaty palms. Another option is when you are enjoying some bonding time together at the park. Use it as an opportunity to discuss how much fun you are having together and how nice the day is. Ask them questions about the parts of the experience that your child is enjoying the most. If you help them to become more aware of their emotional and physical responses to various situations, they will learn how to appreciate the little things, while also understanding what to repeat or avoid again in the future.
Ensure Your Child Gets Plenty of Exercise
Make sure your child is getting enough physical exercise, even if it’s walking the dog before dinner. Whenever they are out and about, encourage them to think about aspects of their surroundings, like the wind blowing in their hair or the birds singing. This type of activity is undeniably great for their physical health, but it also helps demonstrate to them all of the magnificent things in the world around them and what their body is capable of. Discuss this with them so that they learn to be grateful for their bodies.
If you require more information on how to explore the concept of mindfulness at home, don’t be afraid to contact your child’s school with your thoughts and questions. Usually, teachers are very forthcoming when it comes to helping parents with a child’s home learning.
