The Mindful Child

" Practicing Mindfulness helps children to notice the positives, and develop a sense of appreciation, gratitude and contentment.”

Why should children practice mindfulness?

Practicing mindfulness has been proven to be highly successful when focusing in on ways to ensure stress management, focusing skills and regulating emotions in people of all ages, especially children. In a popular NewYork Times article, Mindfulness for Children written by David Gelles, provides some interesting knowledge around the benefits and effectiveness that practicing mindfulness has on children; “Part of the reason why mindfulness is so effective for children can be explained by the way the brain develops. While our brains are constantly developing throughout our lives, connections in the prefrontal circuits are created at their fastest rate during childhood. Mindfulness, which promotes skills that are controlled in the prefrontal cortex, like focus and cognitive control, can therefore have a particular impact on the development of skills including self-regulation, judgment and patience during childhood.” Implementing mindfulness into the daily routine of any child's life will likely up the chances of a healthy and positive relationship with examples such as optimistic thinking, having empathy and compassion for others, along with a heightened sense of curiosity overall.

By stepping away from the business of life and setting aside a few minutes everyday to practice mindfulness, will decrease the likeliness of developing mental health issues and unhealthy thinking patterns in your child's future, as stated in The Importance of Mindfulness for Young Children pdf; “Mindfulness develops the whole brain and helps children to understand their emotions and feelings, reducing their risk of mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. Practicing Mindfulness helps children to notice the positives, and develop a sense of appreciation, gratitude and contentment.” All it takes is a few minutes a day!

Below is the link to the Mindfulness for Children article, along with The Importance of Mindfulness for Young Children pdf, which provides a more scientific approach with research and multiple resources surrounding the topic of why mindfulness is so important to include your child's daily routine.

Helpful links:

Mindfulness For Children

The Importance of Mindfulness for Young Children