“It’s morning time! I am woken up by my mom, constantly telling me to “hurry up!”. I can barely brush my teeth and get ready that I realize that there are milk and breakfast to be gulped down! So, I think I can definitely compete for the Olympics as I do my daily practice of running till the bus-stop! I am a five-year-old!”
Children in modern times are more stressed than we ever were because of the endless chores that we have in our daily routines. We are always either multi-tasking or thinking of the next thing while doing something. We are unconsciously passing on this behavior to generation Z.
Meditation for children –
Is meditation for children?
To meditate is to give your attention to only one thing. In today’s time and age of digitization and technological advancement, meditation is more relevant than ever before. Why? Because mediation is not just about focus and mindfulness but also a way of becoming calm and relaxed.
In fact, in the UK many schools are planning on introducing “Mindfulness” as a new subject to help children regulate their emotions. With the advancement of AI and automation of many jobs in the future, Emotional Intelligence will be much needed for the adults of tomorrow. In fact, this quality is highly indispensable, for their own well being too.
Mediation leads to mindfulness and a greater attention span. Research also points to its benefits on improved memory, enhanced sleep, and prevention of life diseases. A relaxed mind is definitely more receptive and creative!
Unplugging from the cycle of activities and thoughts and just being in the moment is what comes naturally to children. However, our lifestyles are teaching them something else.
Mediation is a life skill that will empower our children to take on challenges, to deal with disappointments, to adapt to changes and to be more compassionate human beings. Even a 2 to 4-minute meditation practice on a daily basis can do wonders!
It is no surprise that Mahatma Gandhi said, “If you want real peace in the world, start with children.”
What are your views about the same – Is meditation for children or not?
Here is a relaxing music for kids to meditate and relax –
About the author-
This article is written by Stuti Mehrotra. She is a passionate educationist who has a rich experience of working with kids. She has been a teacher, trainer and an educator before being an entrepreneur and running her own preschool called Linden Montessori in Bengaluru.
Stuti highly believes in the Montessori Philosophy of believing greatly in children and allowing them to make their own choices and take certain risks within limits to help them in achieving their real potential as being over-protective with children makes them lose out on a number of learning opportunities. She is founder and director of Linden Montessori.
Other articles by Stuti – How to make children eat and also choose healthy food
How can we get kids to listen without yelling
March 27, 2019 at 12:14 pm
Yes, I believe Meditation helps children. It calms them down, relaxes the and helps them concentrate, and even sleep better.