 By Shelby Nace, LMSW
You likely know by now: mindfulness is all the rage. As both a social worker and former yoga instructor, this feels like great news! Mindfulness is an ancient practice, and now many medical and mental health professionals are beginning to recommend it for various issues. The downside is that many of us don’t quite understand how to actually practice it, especially with our kids. With Mindfulness Day approaching on September 12, there's no better time to discover the profound benefits of mindfulness on the mind and body. Mindfulness is a learned skill. The earlier we understand it, the better we can model and teach these practices to our children. Understanding Mindfulness in Early Childhood: Let’s start with the basics: What is mindfulness? It’s the practice of being fully present in the moment, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, without getting overly upset by what’s going on around us. For young children, the part of their brain that controls calming emotions (the prefrontal cortex) is years from being fully developed. So the reactionary part can be quite difficult to control. Things like focusing attention, noticing emotions, and responding with intention don’t always come naturally. Modeling and talking about mindfulness regularly will help kids learn these principles early, so they become automatic as they grow up. Mindfulness into Daily Routine: Many parents I talk with try to get their kids to be mindful when they’re already upset. As you might guess, it usually doesn’t go great, and kids can even form a negative association with being asked to take deep breaths or talk about their feelings. It’s easier to introduce simple mindfulness exercises into your child’s daily routine in moments when they are calm, so they can learn without stress. Activities like positive affirmations, yoga and deep breathing can be fun for kids, so try doing one or two each day. Then, children can start feeling comfortable with these practices. Recognizing Natural Mindfulness: In many ways, young children teach us about mindfulness all the time! Without necessarily having the language to name it, they act in mindful ways. For example, how many times has your child slowly put shoes on or stopped to watch an ant when you were in a rush? Odds are, they weren’t trying to work your nerves, but were just totally focused on the present moment. Next time you get frustrated when your child’s present-moment focus makes you late, take a breath and try experiencing the moment with them. More often than not, they’ll start to mimic your calmness. Parent Involvement is Key: For mindfulness to really work, parents have to be fully on board, not just going through the motions. Children learn by watching, so when they see their parents practicing mindfulness, they’re more likely to do so themselves. If parents just tell children to do these things without doing it themselves when upset, children may pick up on that too. That’s not to say that we need to be perfect – it’s good for children to see that grown-ups have big feelings. What matters is how you express those feelings, and what you do to cope. Maybe you yelled at your child because you were upset. It happens! But then, we must learn to stop, take a breath, and apologize. “I’m sorry I yelled. I’m feeling upset about something at work. I love you and I will try to remember to do my breathing practice next time I feel that way.” Responding like this shows children what we want them to work towards when overwhelmed. Kid-Friendly Mindfulness Resources: The good news is there are now tons of child-friendly mindfulness resources available! Meditation videos and apps like Headspace, Calm and Cosmic Kids Yoga on YouTube can engage kids in age-appropriate ways. Community support can also play a crucial role in connecting kids to mindfulness. For local kid-friendly yoga classes in Kansas City, check out Full Circle Yoga or Mindful Child Aerial Yoga. Safe Spaces by KC Healthy Kids Safe Spaces, also called Calm Corners, Peace Corners, or Regulation Spaces, are designated areas where children can go to calm down, reflect, and process their emotions. These spaces are being more widely used in schools to promote mindfulness. They promote relaxation and self-regulation with soft cushions, calming jars, and stress balls. Thanks to a grant from the 15 and Mahomies Foundation, KC Healthy Kids recently installed Safe Spaces in two early education centers and trained staff on using them. Research shows these safe spaces improve kids’ emotional regulation and well-being throughout the school day and beyond. Already, educators report that children using these spaces are better able to manage their emotions, resulting in fewer disruptions for the whole class. Here at KC Healthy Kids, we aim to continue offering mindfulness resources like this to young children. Remember, mindfulness is a practice—it gets easier and more effective over time. As we learn and model these practices ourselves, we set a powerful example for our children, helping them develop lifelong skills. We hope you’ll join us in this work of nurturing mind and body for your kids. Shelby Nace is a licensed social worker with KC Healthy Kids and self-described “big feelings person.” She is passionate about building strong bonds among families. Shelby hosts a monthly community story time at PH Coffee to help young children explore and understand their feelings. Learn more Comments are closed.
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