Mindfulness and meditation set the stage within us for compassion and empathy. Spending mindful time as a family creates a sense of contentment and connection. This feeling makes every other aspect of our lives, including reaching a helping hand to others, more doable, even amid a busy schedule.

The research-backed benefits of mindfulness include:

• Positive effects on a child’s physical and mental health.
• Power to promote kindness, patience, and compassion for others.
• The ability to boost self-control, increase attention/focus and encourage better decision making.

“In today’s rush, we all think too much, seek too much want too much, and forget the joy of just being”

– Eckhart Tolle

There are a variety of ways we can incorporate mindfulness within the family unit. In this article we share our top three favourites.

Gratitude-Giving

Going around the table before dinner to express gratitude is a powerful practice that enhances mindfulness of the abundance we have to be grateful for. Each family member can share one thing they are thankful for with a simple word or sentence. This practice can also spark meaningful conversation around the dinner table.

Explore the senses

Sense exploration encourages kids to become more aware of their surroundings. This type of practice can be used to explore food. For instance, encouraging children to tune into all five senses as they take a bite of their meal and explain what they are feeling. It can also be explored while taking a walk outside, inviting children to tune into their sense of smell, touch, sound, sight, and taste.

Emotion Exploration

Exploring emotions is a powerful practice that is useful for all ages. When emotions are strong, we can invite our children (and ourselves) to explore where these feelings are present in the physical body. And what they might be saying about who we are at present. Becoming inquisitive when emotions arise is a practice that will foster healthily relationships for children. Especially, as they grow up and as their relationships become more intimate and complex.

When to practice mindfulness

Mornings and evenings are both excellent times to practice mindfulness. A few minutes of calm can give you energy for the day ahead, and some deep breaths before bed can help you sleep more soundly without worrying about the next day. Remember to be kind to yourself, and don’t stress if you’re finding it hard to focus or sit still.

Tiny Terrors is providing in-home parenting and behaviour support services to help your child improve their behaviour and day to day activities. You can call us on 1300 00 14 14 to discuss your child’s needs.