Mindfulness for Kids

Mindfulness is a buzzword for this decade — and more recently, as we've struggled through COVID and everything that comes with it, having a healthy grasp of mindfulness is more important than ever. However, we often only look at mindfulness as it applies to adults. In this post, we're going to talk about mindfulness with our kids, teens, and young adults.

Mindful.org gives a basic definition of mindfulness that kids can understand: "Mindfulness meditation, at its simplest, is paying attention to what is happening in the present moment. It may be what you're feeling, hearing, or anything else you notice. There's no special place of calm you have to reach and it's not about clearing your mind — it's just an honest and kind look at what you're experiencing at this moment."

The New York Times recently wrote about mindfulness with kids: "Adversity comes at us from the moment we are born. Infants get hungry and tired. Toddlers grapple with language and self-control. And as children develop through adolescence, life grows ever more complicated. At each developmental stage, mindfulness can be a useful tool for decreasing anxiety and promoting happiness."

Mindfulness — paying attention to the present moment in an accepting, nonjudgmental manner — has emerged as a popular mainstream practice. It's being taught to executives, athletes, and increasingly to children both at home and in school.

The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) has linked mindfulness to two core social-emotional skills: self-regulation and self-awareness. These skills teach students not only how to recognize their thoughts, emotions, and actions, but also how to react in positive ways.

According to brain imaging research, practicing mindfulness can:

• Alter brain structure in ways that improve a student's reaction to stress
• Thicken the cerebral cortex, responsible for perception and reasoning
• Increase blood flow in the brain
• Reduce stress, anxiety, and depression
• Help children with learning disabilities, particularly ADHD

One study found that children with learning disabilities who received mindfulness training earned better grades and had fewer behavioral issues. Children in special education programs were better connected with their peers after mindfulness training.

In 2016, the New York Times reported on the benefits of mindfulness for children with different diagnoses. A 2015 study found that fourth- and fifth-grade students who participated in a four-month meditation program showed improvements in:

• Cognitive control
• Working memory
• Cognitive flexibility
• Math grades

A study of elementary school children in Korea showed that eight weeks of meditation lowered aggression, social anxiety, and stress levels.

Fundamental principles of neuroscience suggest that meditation can have its greatest impact on cognition when the brain is in its earliest stages of development — because the brain develops connections in prefrontal circuits at its fastest rate in childhood.

Imagine an elevator going down three floors inside your body:

• Top floor: head to chest
• Second floor: chest to belly
• Ground floor: belly to seat

Begin at the crown of your head. On each exhale, mentally chant "three," "two," "one" as you imagine the elevator lowering. Pause for an inhale at each floor. Feel your seat on the ground floor and enjoy landing fully.

Create gentle fists with your hands. With each breath, unfurl one finger from your palm. On your first exhale, open your left thumb. Pause and enjoy an inhale. On the next exhale, unfurl your left index finger. Continue until you have two open palms on your lap.

You can "om" for each finger unfurled, or use a personal mantra — peace, love, quiet, calm, relax. When children make up the mantra, it helps them develop self-awareness of what they need.

Take a deep breath in through the nose, and on the exhale chant out loud: "three" (thrreee). Enjoy another deep breath in, and on the next exhale chant "two" (twwooo). Take a last deep breath in and exhale, chanting "one" (onnee). Relax for a few breaths and enjoy feeling your body on the bed. Repeat if desired.

This barely scratches the surface of all the amazing benefits of mindfulness for you and your kids. There are apps, programs, books, and journals out there. Try ONE new thing with your family that engages everyone in mindfulness together.

Interested in learning more about supporting your child's mental health? Reach out to schedule a session.