Do you ever feel sometimes that your thoughts just run away with you? That sometimes the chatter in your mind just doesn’t stop causing you to feel stressed out? The same thing can happen to children, which sometimes leads to loss of focus and concentration. This is where meditation comes in.
According to a Forbes.com article titled, Science Shows Meditation Benefits Children’s Brains And Behavior, there was a study conducted in 2004 on kids who practiced meditation with their parents twice a week. The results showed that children who practiced meditation continuously showed improved attention and behavior, better concentration, and reduced anxiety. Another study conducted in 2013 of boys who were diagnosed with ADHD, when taught mindfulness and meditation over an eight-week period, showed dramatically improved hyperactive behaviors.
The benefits of teaching mindfulness and meditation to children further include a boost in self-esteem, better grades, and generally results in happier children. Meditation is one of the best tools to use to improve overall mental well-being.
Because children have shorter attention spans than adults, meditations for them should be quick and easy. When I meditate with my kids, we generally meditate no more than 5 minutes. Even though it sounds short, children really can get into a deep meditative state quickly. Often times, the 5 minutes we take to meditate results in a happier state of mind to start our day. When we’re done, my 8-year-old typically says, “I feel so good!” I recorded one of the meditations I do with them so that you to may introduce meditation to your children. I hope you enjoy it.