Photo by S Migaj on Unsplash

What Is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is the art of being present in the moment. One way to do this is through breathing techniques and affirmations to oneself. Read on to learn how mindfulness can positively impact your child’s growth and reduce their anxiety.

1. Mindfulness Can Help Both Physical And Mental Performance.

Practicing mindfulness can help you get tasks done when they seem overwhelming. The idea of mindfulness is to calm the mind when it’s racing. Dr. Karin Jakubowski gave this example “One child took three deep breaths, went back to the question, and he wasn’t anxious, he was able to finish his test and he really attributed to learning these breathing techniques.”

2. Improves Sleep Patterns

In episode #37 of The Parent-Teacher Project, Dr. Karin Jakubowski explains that “40% of kids said mindfulness tactics helped them sleep better at night”. There are a variety of reasons why a child struggles to sleep at night, but if you can pinpoint any stresses, or if you know that it’s assessment time at school, perhaps try some breathing techniques with them and see how they respond. Sleep is a particularly important part in our memory retention and mood.

3. It’s A Form of Self-Care

When you teach your children mindfulness, you are effectively teaching them how to look after themselves. It can be hard for some of us to give our mental health the attention it needs – am I feeling stressed, anxious or overwhelmed? Making regular moments for practicing mindfulness can no doubt help you overall. Better yet, if your children see your example, it could be a practice they choose to incorporate into their lives too.

In summary, mindfulness is now an accepted practice in educational contexts. Ten years ago, practicing mindfulness seemed like an unusual concept to many. However, with increased social media usage, the constant need to stimulate our brains, and events like a pandemic, mindfulness is more popular and powerful than it has ever been. If you are a parent, try to find a time in your schedule when you can create a consistent time to practice mindfulness.

Now, it’s time to take a breath.