Mindfulness for children

New findings in neuro- plasticity means that the more we practice something the more we in-grain this on our brain pathways, so they become new habits over old ones almost subconsciously. Debra Burdick (2014) explains it like a worn out pathway that keeps getting trodden over and over again (Mindfulness for kids and teens). Repetition is then the key. MINDFULNESS helps to decrease the negative pathways in the brain. Encourage children and particularly teens to share with their parents what they are learning. Build up in duration of time for mindfulness as the child gets older and according to needs. Turn mindfulness into a game for kids: Mindfulness of breath. Mindfulness of surroundings Mindful listening Seeing, tasting, touching and motion. Then add: Mindfulness of intention, Relationships, intuition and compassion. What else can we do? R= Recognize- notice what you are experiencing A=Accept-Allow and acknowledge those feelings I=Investigate-Try to find an attitude of interest, curiosity towards those feelings. Ask why? N=Not Identify- not self- don’t identify with those feelings/thoughts as ‘that’s just me’, you don’t have to be that thought or feeling. See them as parts of you arising and falling. Reduce what’s negative, increase what’s positive with mindfulness. Identify what is a thought, what is a feeling and what is a behaviour. An easier one for younger children: STOP- stop what your doing, take a deep breath, observe what your feeling, then proceed. Put them on a note in their pocket or as a reminder on phone. Tracey Maclay