If you’re a parent, you’re well aware of the intense emotions your little ones experience. Navigating these feelings can often feel overwhelming, especially when they seem to explode out of nowhere. Remember, every child has their moments of frustration, and it doesn’t reflect your parenting skills. However, there are effective strategies to support them during these emotional upheavals.
Enter the world of mindfulness and meditation. These concepts have gained popularity in recent years, and for good reason. Mindfulness involves taking a moment to acknowledge and truly experience our emotions. Meditation can be as straightforward as finding a quiet spot, closing your eyes, and tuning into the feelings we often suppress. The principle is simple: recognizing our emotions is a crucial step toward managing them effectively. Research shows that mindfulness and meditation can enhance children’s emotional well-being, improve behavior, and boost their ability to concentrate in school.
Encouraging Mindfulness in Children
But how do you encourage your child to engage with mindfulness and meditation? What does that practice look like, and where should you begin?
In 2015, a talented duo, Emma and Mark Carter, created a beautiful short film that serves as an excellent introduction to mindfulness for both kids and parents. Inspired by their young daughter’s kindergarten lessons about emotions and the brain, they filmed her classmates sharing how they experience and cope with anger through breathing exercises.
The film features candid, unscripted moments where children express their feelings authentically. One boy shares, “When I’m mad, my brain can get a headache, and it can start hurting.” Another girl describes anger as “when your body can’t control itself, mad just takes over your body.” These sentiments are simple yet profoundly accurate.
One particularly insightful metaphor comes from a young girl who compares her mind to a jar filled with glitter. “When you shake up the jar, the glitter goes everywhere,” she explains, illustrating how emotions can feel chaotic. As the children share their coping strategies, one girl suggests, “First, you find a place to be alone, then you try to relax and calm down.” Another adds, “When I get really angry and want to yell, I just take deep breaths.”
By the end of the video, the children guide the viewers into a state of calm, almost like a gentle meditation led by wise little ones. With sounds of deep breathing and soft music, one child expresses the relief that comes after anger fades: “I feel more calm, my brain slows down, and then I’m ready to speak.” The girl who likened her feelings to glitter also shares that once her anger subsides, “all the glitter has settled down to the bottom of the jar.”
This charming short film not only evokes a warm, peaceful feeling but also showcases how articulate and insightful these kids are. It’s a valuable resource for introducing your own children to the concept of meditation, particularly since kids often respond better to their peers.
So, I’m planning to gather my kids for a viewing of this delightful film. I have a feeling we’ll all be “just breathing” a little more deeply and joyfully after watching it.
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In summary, the film “Breathe Easy” effectively illustrates how mindfulness can assist children in managing their emotions, providing relatable insights through the voices of children themselves. It’s a heartfelt reminder that sometimes, just a few deep breaths can make all the difference.
Keyphrase: Mindfulness for Kids
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