Meditation: Why Children Benefit From The Practice
When I grew up, parenting in our small-town village was one-dimensional. Regardless of personality or professional diagnosis, all children were treated the same. On a non-school day, we whipped up a hearty meal for the adults who played pinnacle, kept score (math practice), or were expected to be quiet and out-of-sight.
If you were pouting or crying about something, the gown folk asked why you were crying. But, looking back, the inquiry felt more like it was for the adults to trivialize our feelings; whatever upset you wasn't that bad. They never meant any harm. You'll be alright, they would say. Go on outside.
My cousins and I knew we were loved and grew up to be solid and independent adults. The world is transformed. The family structure is different. The village model in many communities is a disappearing act replaced by side-eyed, mind your business and suspect neighbors.
Today, adding a proactive and microscopic science-lab approach to parenting supports raising emotional and mindful healthy children. The good news is the hard work has been done for you; an abundance of science-based research already exists and is a google search away.
I champion teaching mindfulness and meditation to children. Mindfulness is the practice of being present in the here and now. It is not a religion. Three bonuses of the practice are that it increases their ability to self-regulate, increases resiliency, and improves the body's response to stress.
Feeling sad, frustrated, confused, angry, or grieving is normal. But many of us matured, believing we should deny these feelings and emotions.
The amygdala is the region of the brain mainly associated with the emotional process. Hence, a child who learns to manage their emotions is less likely to have meltdowns. Some studies suggest that after just eight weeks of meditation, it can lower activity in the amygdala, which is linked to a better stress response. A study at Stamford University showed that after 8 weeks of mindfulness training, the fourth through sixth graders documented decreases in anxiety and improvements in attention.
During the week of Christmas, I stayed with family in Texas. I had so much fun teaching meditation to the cutest youngster. This little guy was your typical intelligent, highly energized, and inquisitive seven-year-old.
I don't recall how my conversation started with him, but the topic piqued his interest. He said he wanted to learn, and I promised to teach him later in the week. He knocked on our bedroom door the following morning and asked when I would teach him. I committed to later that day.
I started the conversation by asking him if he felt sad, angry, or very excited about something. He nodded in agreement. I explained that meditation and mindfulness could help him cope with his feelings. With eyes on me, he hung on every word.
Before I positioned myself, he took the traditional meditation pose. I chuckled because clearly, he'd heard of meditation from somewhere.
Namaste
The little things? The little Moments? They Aren’t little.
—Jon Kabat-Zinn
We sat poolside practicing deep breathing.
I told him we would meditate for five minutes when he was ready.
I played background music to help him settle down. We listened to the music and engaged in five minutes of mindful meditation. I think he could have sat for longer, but I did not want to push it. When I opened my eyes, his eyes were closed, and he was sitting still.
I wanted to perform flips in excitement.
Afterward, I asked him how it felt. He said he liked it. With a broad smile, he replied, "relaxing!"
I told him he could meditate anyplace and anytime. More importantly, when he gets upset or overly excited, use the breathing technique to calm himself.
I'm not kidding myself by thinking he will meditate daily. Nonetheless, I planted a critical seed that may later flourish.
Two days later, around 9:30 a.m., I was surprised by a knock on our bedroom door. The little guy came to show me a meditation app he found on his phone.
Before I could instruct him to check with his mom, he had already clicked the download button. It was a freebie, thank goodness.
Investing the time to teach meditation and mindfulness to children can produce a lifetime of positive results. Even if you are not familiar with the practice, I encourage you to learn more about it. If you're interested in learning more, follow the link here.
Be well!
Additional Reading
Mindfulness: An Eight-Week Plan For Finding Peace In A Frantic World