Benefits Of Meditation And Mindfulness For Children
So What Are The Healthy Benefits Of Meditation And Mindfulness For Children?
Well sadly more and more children are suffering from anxiety, stress, depression and over-stimulation that is why mindfulness for children is now so popular. Society places a lot of pressure not just on adults but children and teenagers.
More and more children are becoming addicted to technology, sugar and other unhealthy habits from a very young age. Unhealthy patterns that could seriously impact on the quality and potential of their adult life. Meditation and mindfulness can support a child in many ways, in-fact in many ways meditation can be your child’s best friend.
Why meditation and mindfulness for children is extremely powerful
Meditation And Mindfulness Can Reduce Anxiety, Stress And Depression– Sadly more and more children are over-stimulated, over-anxious and depressed. Meditation and mindful activities encourage the body off the stress response into the calm response. A reason why mindfulness for children has became the latest skill in many schools.
Meditation and Mindfulness Calms The Monkey Mind– Children have an amazing ability to think quickly and grasp new tasks and activities, look at the way even young toddlers quickly grasp how to use your mobile phone or their own mini ipad. But the biggest challenge with children today, is focus and over stimulation one of the biggest causes of anxiety, stress and other mental health challenges. Mindful activites and meditation techniques loosen the attachment to the monkey mind. And in many ways relaxes and resets the child’s mind and body into a more natural state of being.
Mindful Activities And Meditation Creates Confidence– Lack of self-esteem, self-worth and confidence are all triggered and caused by our mental beliefs, by over-thinking. When a child learns to let go of these self-destructive tendencies they become more calm and confident. Your child recognises they are enough, they are not their thoughts. When we access a place of deep peace regularly we are more at peace with ourselves. I have witnessed many children with various disabilities and challenges completely change in attitude, confidence and ability through learning meditation. You would be surprised how powerful these skills can be when encouraged in a child’s daily life and way of being.
Mindfulness And Meditation For Emotional Wellbeing–We all have to go through different life challenges and emotional pain, but how we approach and go through is what makes us struggle or suffer. The powerful aspect of the right mindful and meditation tools is that they can teach your child to accept their pain, accept their emotions without judgement. When we allow our pain to arise and flow in acceptance, we reduce reaction, fear, destruction and denial. All of the things that create the biggest unhappiness in life. An emotionally healthy child is a happy child, a child who creates happier and healthier communication skills and positive relationships.
Daily Meditation And Mindfulness Encourages Healthier Sleep Routines–When a child is more calm and peaceful throughout the day, it is much easier for their mental, emotional and physical body to switch off.Many people are so focused on tiring their children out, they fail to recognise their is a huge difference between physical tiredness and mental tiredness. Mental tiredness is often mental stimulation and one of the biggest reasons children and teenagers don’t want to go to bed. With so much information and technology overload, many kid’s natural circardian rythm is out of sync. Programs that include meditation and mindfulness for children can encourage the mental and physical body back into its natural circardian state.
As someone who has meditate for 30 years and taught meditation to all ages including children for over 15 years I have been very fortunate to witness the many benefits and blessings.
Common signs of a highly sensitive child? Want to learn if you have a HSP Child? Lets explore some of the challenges and traits of highly sensitive children.
So what are some of the more common signs of a highly sensitive child or HSP?
Thankfully research todays recognises the most common traits of the highly sensitive child or highly sensitive person.
The Highly Sensitive Child Is Intuitive
HSP’s are usually very intuitive and are good judge of character. But because of deep compassion and empathy will often let their heart rule their head. It is important they learn to trust and be guided by their inner guidance.
Highly Sensitive Children Are Easily Overstimulated
The easily over stimulated child is often a HSP. Thus they are more easily stimulated; noise, visuals, smells, touch, movement and taste. For some the sensitivity can be so extreme, it can seriously impact their life. For example they may not be able to tolerate touch or find specific or loud sounds extremely painful, certain clothes too itchy or uncomfortable.
Highly Sensitive Kids Need Time Out
They will usually need more time out and alone. Highly sensitive kids and teenagers need more time to unplug from technology and other’s, Even if they appear sociable and talkative. They burn out and get over stimulated very easily. This can appear as high energy or fun to be around, but can often be over stimulation or over excitement.
Highly Sensitive Child Struggles With Violence In Media, Stories
Dislike Violence, Horror Movies, many highly sensitive children will find even the slightest violence quite disturbing. They can appear very cautious or fearful in doing certain activities which may appear to have a risk such as climbing.
Highly Sensitive Children Over Identify With Other People’s Stuff
They are very sensitive to not just stimuli but are often sensitive and highly empathic to other people’s emotions, needs and pains. In-fact they will often over identify or take on other’s emotional pain, especially as they find it difficult to set healthy boundaries. Which can seriously affect their physical, mental and emotional well-being. They can suffer from Irrational or irrelevant guilt due to their highly empathic nature and difficulty identifying their own emotions with others.
HSP Children Are Often People Pleasers
They tend to be people pleasers, often to their own detriment. Many HSP’s will go out of their way to be kind, please others as they don’t want to hurt others or cause conflict.
Powerful Yet Simple Life Tools You Can Teach A Highly Sensitive Child
Highly sensitive children need calm and respite from the over stimulation and information over load of modern life. As a healer, therapist and stress expert I have witnessed for many years, the huge benefits highly sensitive children achieve from learning meditation. Especially the right meditation skills and the right relaxation techniques. The right type of meditation helps one access inner calm and peace no matter what is happening around them.
Highly sensitive children who struggle and don’t learn how to harness their gifts and traits tend to really struggle in adulthood. The more we can learn how to love, accept and honour ourselves as children, the more happier and healthier we become. But if we are misunderstood, not given the support we need, not taught the skills we need we end up carrying those wounds into adulthood. That is why Inner Child Therapy has became so popular, why so many highly sensitive and highly empathic adults are attracted to Inner Child work.
Tools For The Highly Sensitive Child
Healthy Boundaries
The highly sensitive child needs to learn about personal boundaries from a young age. Be able to learn how important it is to set and maintain healthy emotional and energetic boundaries between other people, parents, siblings, friends and family.
Highly Sensitive Kids Need To Learn To Switch Off And Relax
The HSP Child should learn how to become more resilient to anxiety, stress and any form of over-stimulation. It is important for them to be able to take time out,switch off and relax.
Traditional meditation techniques can help the sensitive child or sensitive teenager find their own inner calm, own inner peace. Guided meditations for sensitive children are extremely common as they can help encourage not just deep relaxation, but help them nurture a safe space within them self.
Highly Sensitive Children Need To Ground More
HSP’s and empaths
often struggle with being grounded and centred. So it is important that they do daily activities that will help them become more earthed and grounded. They can easily do that by spending time in nature, around plants, flowers, trees and animals. The use of essential oils and flower essences can also be very helpful.
Improve A Highly Sensitive Child’s Self Worth And Self Esteem
Parents of a highly sensitive child should work on helping the highly sensitive child know they are enough, the need to learn and develop self-love and self-worth. Not base their worth on being the rescuer, helper or healer to other people’s needs.
Inner Child Work For The Highly Sensitive Adult
Inner Child work when approached safely and effective way can be extremely helpful. But in many ways most inner child healing is about healing trauma so there is certain approaches that must be used. It is not something that can be approached lightly.
As someone who has studied a variety of therapeutic approaches for 30 years. Not just different healing and therapy modalities but counselling, psychology, psychotherapy, archetypes and inner child work. I use a variety of safe and effective tools and approaches in my work to ensure my sessions and courses are safe and soothing.
Eileen has worked with many highly empathic and highly sensitive children and highly sensitive adults, HS kids with Autism, Aspergers and other sensory processing issues. She offers 1-2-1 inner child support for highly sensitive and empathic adults LEARN MORE
So how do you calm the kids at Christmas? Christmas is certainly a crazy time of year and is often anything but calm. Kids not only get excited about Santa or about spending time with family; grandparents or cousins. But are often over excited and over stimulated by the whole hype of Christmas.
So What Strategies Can You Use To Calm The Kids Down During The Festive Season?
Well the most important thing about learning how to calm the kids down, is to recognise what actually over stimulates your child or teenager. What over excites them and even what causes them anxiety or fear? Too much excitement can be stressful for the sensitive or anxious child, because their nervous system is much more acute.
Many adults want to relive the Christmas magic through our children’s eyes. But most children are far more over stimulated, over stressed than we ever were as children. So it’s always worth considering how your child naturally responds to the Christmas season. Thing about how they react to new events, surprises, change, basically things outside their comfort zone. It’s much easier to calm the kids down when you can cushion them from the impact of stressful situations.
Top Tips To Calm The Kids Down On Christmas Eve And Festive Season
it can be more challenging at this time of year but do what you can to minimise stimulants. Sugar, caffeine, artificial sweeteners, even fats can seriously increase anxiety, stress symptoms. They are extremely stimulating and play havoc on the bodies sugar levels and digestive system.
Eliminate External Stimulants:
Encourage some seriously unplugging and time out. Information overload and blu ray from TV, computers and mobile devices plays havoc with the brain. Especially the melatonin and the bodies natural circadian rythm which is vital for good quality sleep.
Be Organised, Prepare and Plan:
If your kids are going to be out for the day or away from there normal routine. Get organised and prepare them and yourself for usual challenges. Especially if your child is extra anxious or sensitive, for example have a plan that includes some healthy cushioning from the impact of the situation. If your child is going to be exposed to a lot of noise, stimulation or lots of processed foods. Have some strategies in place to make it as less stimulating as possible. A contingency plan is key for young or sensitive kids with aspergers, autism who struggle with noise, lights, smells… E.g. take your child out for a short walk or to another room for a rest or for time out. Bring things like a book or colour-in book or a less stimulating game that can be a more healthy or balanced distraction. Bring things like healthy snacks, earphones or comforter or lovable toy for young children. These can help soothe anxiety levels and encourage a sense of security and familarity.
Boundaries:
As an adult you have to be the one that has clear boundaries that you stick to. It maybe deciding before hand how long you will stay or have your party. Clear boundaries on when your child has had enough to eat, drink, run about or when it’s time for bed. This in the long run can minimise a heap of drama, exhaustion and tantrums. Don’t be tempted to give in just because of the time of year etc. Christmas day, new year, family parties all play their toll on a sensitive or more anxious or stressed out child’s nervous system. In this state kids are often so confused they can struggle to recognise what they really need. Clear boundaries can help nip stressful or anxious situations in the bud before they get out of hand.
No matter if your their carer, guardian or parent, if you aren’t calm, you can’t expect the child your caring for to be calm. Don’t let your child feed off your emotions. Become a more calmer parent or guardian.
Holistic aids can be extremely useful for one off type of situations. Both lavender and chamomile essential oils can be soothing for some children. Simply add a few drops to their bath, check with children who are highly sensitive to smells. Here is an interesting article on the use of Chamomile Tea and Oil for ADHD. Lavender pure essential oil can also be added to a handkerchief and placed inside a child’s pillow slip, lavender oil is a great oil for the family first aid kit. Rescue remedy for kids is a powerfully soothing flower essence blend which can quickly reduce anxiety, stress and fear.
Teaching your child how to meditate is a powerful life skill that supports children deal with stressful situations more effectively. Kids need plenty Rest, Relaxation and Repair so ensure they get enough good quality sleep. My FREE Guided Meditation For Kids can help your child relax, switch-off and set healthier energetic and emotional boundaries.
Top tips for stressed out kids, children and teenagers. Looking at why so many children are anxious, stressed and depressed than calm, happy and content. Many struggle to fall off or achieve good quality sleep and most struggle to relax and switch off.
Why Is There So Many Anxious, Stressed Out Kids Today?
Well there is a variety of reasons but one of the biggest causes is information overload from technology another is toxic overload from our environment, food and substances we take in internally.
Unhealthy Conditioning And Stressed Out Kids
There is also a major problem with modern day conditioning, where we believe we are more important or are of more value in doing rather than just relaxing and just being.
Society as a whole is struggling to be present, struggling to switch off and move from that active, doing state to our more natural state of being.
When a baby is born it doesn’t need to try to relax or be calm and content it just is. But with a world based on fear and distraction particularly stimulation overload, the child becomes exposed to more anxiety and stressful environments which trigger off the stress response.
Why Sensitive Children Are More Likely To Be A Stressed Out Kid
This is an inherit problem with sensitive children who are naturally more sensitive to their environment around them, including other’s peoples physical and emotional pain.
How To Nurture A Calmer Kid Than A Stressed Out Kid?
Well the first thing you the carer or parent of an anxious, sensitive or stressed out kid, is manage your own stress.
Manage Your Own Stress
Learn how to live your own life as a more calm confident parent. Kids and teenagers feed off of their parents fear, anxiety and stress as well as their unhealthy trauma and distorted beliefs. So it is so important to address your own challenges, manage your own stress and heal your own inner child trauma.
Teach Your Stressed Out Child How To Relax
The next important thing is to teach your child simple but effective life skills that will help them experience more calm and peace. One of the most powerful ways to do that is to teach your child meditation and other forms of relaxation strategies like guided meditations. Which most children love and find easy to do.
Teaching your child how to meditate as in more traditional meditation techniques, can seriously help your child to stay centered, present and calm within them self no matter what is going on around them.
Guided meditations are also extremely helpful in supporting calmer kids, encouraging deeper states of relaxation but they are also very powerful at helping build self-esteem, confidence and creativity.
These strategies can be really helpful at teaching your child how to switch off, relax and have time out which is so important. And is a key part of ensuring a child is relaxed enough to achieve deep quality sleep.
Encourage More Relaxing Hobbies
Encouraging more relaxing hobbies for the whole family can help everyone feel more calm and relaxed. Some activities the whole family can take part in is jigsaws, mindful colouring activities, yoga, meditation or a family walk.
Reducing Overwhelm And Overstimulation In Stressed Out Kids
So many kids are in a constant state of overstimulation they suffer from overwhelm, hyperactivity and hypersensitivity to their surroundings, the information overload, the noise and toxins around them and even in them.
Most kids playtime or relaxation time is not very calming or relaxing, but full of technological devices and distractions that overload the mind. Activities that trigger all sorts of hormonal and emotional over reaction that is anything but healthy.
Just look at how much time young children and teenagers spend today on their phone, i-pad, x-box or computers. And how little time they spend out in nature, that is why it is important to…
The Importance Of Grounding For Anxious Stressed Out Kids
Our natural state of being is to be connected with nature, with the earth not spend most of our waking day behind a screen, sitting in a concrete home that only garden is artificial grass and artificial plants.
Just like the electricity in our home needs earthed, needs grounded so do we, that is a big reason for so many stressed out kids, teenagers and adults.
So get out into nature, take a walk in the countryside, the local park, help your family get more grounded.
Essential Oils For Kids That Are Anxious Or Stressed
Check out my blog Essential Oils For Sensitive Kids to learn about some great essential oils that are great for children that are anxious, stressed or sensitive.
Bring things like a book or colour-in book or a less stimulating game that can be a more healthy or balanced distraction. Bring things like healthy snacks, earphones or comforter or lovable toy for young children. These can help soothe anxiety levels and encourage a sense of security and familarity.
