The act of mindfulness is when you are consciously aware of your thoughts, feelings, sensations, and surroundings within a given moment, rather than letting experiences flash by without a second thought. This can help reduce stress and other challenging emotions because being present in a moment prevents you from dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. Anyone can practise mindfulness at any time, so you may want to give it a go with your child. Here are some tips from a sixth form in Wales on how to get started.
Ask Your Child How They’re Feeling
Recognising one’s emotions and physical sensations is one aspect of mindfulness, because it encourages you to be present in the moment. So, ask your child to think about how a certain experience is making them feel, both physically and emotionally. This could be anything from eating a snack to hugging a loved one. If your child can understand how their minds and bodies respond to certain things, they will know what to repeat or avoid in the future.
What’s more, by identifying how negative experiences make them feel, your child will be able to detach slightly and find a way to control themselves. For instance, if they are frustrated or angry, by acknowledging this feeling they will be able to do something to reduce it.
Engage the Senses
Try and find opportunities to talk to your child about how each of their senses are stimulated in any given moment. As an example, if you are out for a walk in the woods, you could talk about the fact you can hear leaves crunching beneath your feet or feel the cool breeze blowing through your hair. If your child thinks about their senses, they will be able to enjoy the experience more thoroughly, rather than allowing their thoughts to wander.
You could also practise this at bedtime, as it might help your child fall asleep more quickly. Ask them to close their eyes and think about how each part of their body feels against the sheets and mattress, from the tips of their toes to the top of their head.
Practise Gratitude
Encourage your child to think about the things they are grateful for, as this will enable them to be more mindful of the abundance in their life. At dinnertime, you could take it in turns to share one thing you are grateful for that day, no matter how big or small. Alternatively, you could provide your child with a pen and notepad and ask them to keep a gratitude journal.
Practising gratitude in this way will encourage your child to really pay attention to any positive experiences they have, rather than dwelling on what they are lacking.
Please feel free to share your thoughts on mindfulness with your child below.
*Collaborative post