Meditation for kids – 4 easy steps

What is Meditation?

Meditation is a practice of relaxing the mind and body. There are many different types of meditation, from a simple breathing exercise to a more intense concentration on a specific image or sound.

Meditation is about being quiet, still, and centered at the moment – so that you can connect with your inner self and reach a place where you feel peace and joy.

While meditation can be practiced by children of all ages (some encourage even pre-school children to learn the techniques), it is generally easier to meditate once children are old enough to listen attentively, follow instructions, and don’t get easily distracted. All kids will be different, but here’s some guidance on how to get started.

Who is it for?

Meditation is a practice that can be done by anyone, but the benefits are especially helpful for children. From relieving stress to improving sleep and subsequently boosting memory, meditation can help your child succeed in school, athletics and life.

Why should your child meditate?

Studies show that children who meditate may have better focus, less stress, and fewer behavioral problems than those who do not. Kids who meditate may also have an easier time dealing with the pressures of school and sports.

While you may be skeptical about meditation at first, it’s worth giving it try to see if your child will benefit from it.

How to make your child to meditate?

Although there’re no set rules, here’re some easy tips to get started.

1. Practice what you preach

The best way to help your child is to start meditating yourself. You can then guide your child with your own example. The ultimate aim of meditation is to let go of all worldly pleasures, which means that you are not attached to anything at all. If the parents are attached, how can the children be detached? You should practice detachment from the world yourself before teaching it to your children. We’re all affected by the environment around us and children at a younger age, in particular, imitate their parents.

2. Set a specific routine

Apart from that, scheduling it as a daily practice is a good way to make sure your child meditate consistently. Starting with a few minutes a day is ideal. The most important thing when starting out is to create a routine, so find a time of day that works for everyone in your family and stick to it. If possible, try to do it at the same time every day. Your child might not be thrilled about having to clear his or her calendar, but scheduling time for meditation can really help make the habit stick.

3. Avoid negative thoughts

If your child is already listening to guided meditations, let them know what they can do if they hear any negative thoughts while they’re meditating. Encourage them to acknowledge their negative thoughts but not focus on them. Tell them that they can simply dismiss these thoughts and move on with the meditation, focusing on the positive aspects of life instead.

4. Make use of breathing techniques

If your child is using this as part of an anxiety program at school, encourage him or her to focus on ‘breathing techniques’ that can help lessen anxiety when there are triggers for anxiety in their everyday lives (such as being around people who make comments about their weight).  It’s important for your child to practice meditation and mindfulness regularly so that he or she can learn how to deal with these specific triggers in an effective way.

Conclusion

Suffice to say that meditation is a process that involves allowing our minds to be calm and in a more contemplative state. This can be very beneficial in many ways as it allows us to refresh and rejuvenate our minds.

The benefits you may get from meditation could change your life: reduce anxiety and stress, improve your sleep, help you become less stressed, happier, feel a sense of clarity and calmness, and even make you smarter.

Ultimately, meditation is a practice that people engage in to help themselves be better in life. Whether it helps you at work or in academics, the bottom line is that you will feel better. And if you are happy, then that is all that really matters.