Mindfulness Meditation For Kids – How Young Is Too Young?
Mindfulness meditation for kids at each developmental stage can help reduce anxiety and promote happiness at school and at home. Mindfulness meditation for kids and mindfulness, in general, is a simple meditation technique that emphasizes paying attention to the present moment in an accepting, nonjudgmental manner and has emerged as a popular mainstream practice in recent decades. It is being taught to executives at corporations, athletes in the locker room, and increasingly, to children both at home and in school. Meditation has been linked to multiple physical and mental health advantages. Meditation and mindfulness have all been scientifically proven to lower stress, increase longevity, reduce healthcare costs, improve emotional control, and enhance physical performance. With such significant rewards, you may be thinking about getting your child involved in a regular meditation practice. The effectiveness of mindfulness meditation for kids partly stems from how the brain develops. While our brains constantly develop throughout our lives, they form connections in the prefrontal circuits most rapidly during childhood. Meditation has been proven beneficial for adults, senior citizens, and the elderly. It can improve the lives of men and women, so it is logical for parents, grandparents, and others who care about children to wonder, "How young is too young to introduce a child to meditation?" If you are asking this question about mindfulness meditation for kids, you are not the only one. Browse the Internet, and you see more than a few questions like the following: "Is my 9-year-old daughter too young to learn meditation?" "My son just turned 6. Is that too young for meditation?" "I have heard about meditation for toddlers. How does that work?" Meditation may not be the first thing you associate with energetic preschoolers and toddlers. Many think these young children, because their brains are not fully developed, are incapable of meditating properly and that the practice is a waste of time. Science tells us differently in many studies around the world and in all cultures. Multiple studies show "immediate behavioral changes in children" once they begin meditating. The National Therapies Research Unit at the Royal Hospital for Women in Australia performed a study on 26 children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) between 2003 and 2012. The children were between 4 and 12 years old. Regular practice of Sahaja Yoga meditation took place for 6 weeks. Here are just a few results of that meditation practice. • A reduction in medication use by 50% of the child test subjects • Better parent-child relationships • Enhanced feelings of self-esteem and self-worth • A reduction in hyperactivity, and a simultaneous improvement in attention • Less impulsive activity. Mindfulness, which promotes skills controlled by the prefrontal cortex, such as focus and cognitive control, can therefore have a particular impact on the development of skills including self-regulation, judgment, and patience during childhood.
A driving meditation? Say what? After reading that title, you may be thinking, "Meditating while driving? That's crazy!" You are probably envisioning someone trying to drive a vehicle with their eyes closed, seated in the lotus position, chanting mantras, and forming appropriate mudras with their hands. That is the typical experience most people associate with the word "meditation." Driving meditation, also called mindful driving, is an entirely different practice. Many types of meditation simply ask you to be mindful of your present experience. This means opening your mind and all your senses to everything going on around you. Doesn't this sound like the perfect recipe for safe driving? How many hours a day or a week do you spend behind the wheel of your car? Instead of considering the drive as a wasted, stressful time, why not use it as a chance to practice mindfulness? Notice that this "driving meditation" practice is called "mindful driving" and not "road rage," "judgmental driving," or "revenge driving." Being fully aware of everything going on around you while you drive means you'll definitely notice poor driving habits by other drivers. When you practice mindfulness, whether driving or seated comfortably in your living room, you become aware of your current experience. However, you do not judge the experience. You simply encounter it, allow yourself to experience it, and focus only on being truly in the moment. If more people practiced mindful driving, the number of traffic accidents and road rage incidents would drop dramatically. It can definitely help lower your stress level if you are heading to a job you hate and can help you de-stress after a challenging day at work. This means less stress and anxiety when you arrive home, which promotes a happier home environment. There are many reasons to practice mindfulness while driving, such as through a driving meditation. Not only do you become a safer, more aware driver, but your daily commute can also become a stress reliever rather than a source of stress and anxiety. The next time you drive, practice a driving meditation and be present with everything going on around you. Develop an awareness of your situation without reacting judgmentally. You will find more peace and less stress in your life and may actually enjoy driving.