Mindfulness and Children.

The best way to teach a child to be mindful is to embody the practice ourselves. We are their world, they look to us for guidance, knowledge and advice. While TMP Village is focused on us as mothers directly it indirectly provides potential to contribute to our families lives too – when we help ourselves we help the people around us.

For children who are anxious or struggling, overthinking or hyperactive here are two helpful mindful exercises you can try with your children:

The Finger-counting breathing is an ancient Indian ritual used in meditation. It is also used as a mindfulness exercise around the world , the one below has been simplified for children. 

(Jillian Pranksy a therapeutic yoga teacher explains the exercise beautifully)

It is a useful do-anywhere exercise for the middle of the day to calm a child who is having a meltdown at a birthday party or just to re-centre. Create gentle fists with your hands, and with each breath, unfurl a finger from your palm. For example, on your first exhale open your left thumb from your fist. Pause and enjoy an inhale. On your next exhale, unfurl your left index finger. Pause and enjoy an inhale. Continue until you have two open palms on your lap. Sometimes we “om” for each finger unfurled, or use a personal mantra that evokes the feeling we are looking for, like peace, love, quiet, calm or relax. When children make up the mantra, it helps them have self-awareness of what they may need, as well as how they can take charge of how they want to feel.

This is a practical mindful exercise I do with my girls when they are worked up about something.

1.     Acknowledge the feeling.

I can see you are really frustrated/sad/angry because…

2.     Ask the question is there anything we can do about it? If the answer is no we move on. If the answer is yes, we discuss what we can do about it and decide what that will be. (Parent modelling calm voice)

3.     Important next step: ‘Let’s think about what is happening right now that you are enjoying.’

4.     If your child is struggling, you can model the ‘good thought’ first – something that is in the moment. So if you’re in the car ‘I love all the different colours of flowers I’m seeing in people’s gardens at the moment.’ Give your child a turn.  

5.     Watch your child come back to the moment. You will be in the moment with them too. 

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