If you’re a parent, you’re no stranger to the overwhelming emotions that children often experience. One of the most challenging aspects of parenting is navigating these emotional outbursts and not always knowing how to respond effectively—whether it’s your child or even yourself who’s feeling overwhelmed.
Let’s be clear: every child has their moments of frustration, and encountering these situations doesn’t reflect poorly on your parenting skills. However, this is where mindfulness and meditation can play a vital role. These concepts have been gaining traction online, and for good reason. Mindfulness is about taking a moment to acknowledge our feelings—allowing ourselves to fully experience them. Meditation can be as straightforward as finding a quiet spot, closing your eyes, and tuning into those often-repressed emotions.
Research indicates that simply becoming aware of our feelings is a significant step toward managing difficult emotions. Moreover, mindfulness and meditation have been shown to enhance children’s emotional and behavioral well-being, boosting their focus and academic performance.
Introducing Mindfulness to Children
So, how do you introduce your child to the practice of mindfulness and meditation? What does that look like in reality, and where do you begin?
Wavecrest Films offers a beautifully crafted short film that serves as an excellent introduction to mindfulness for both kids and their parents. Created by filmmakers Mia and James Reynolds, the film was inspired by their son’s kindergarten lessons on emotions and how breathing techniques can help regulate feelings.
In this unscripted film, the Reynolds gathered a group of their son’s friends and family members to candidly discuss their experiences with anger and how breathing can assist in managing those feelings. The result is a heartfelt portrayal of children articulating their emotions in a way that is both genuine and relatable.
For instance, one boy describes anger by saying, “When I’m mad, my brain can get a headache, and it can start hurting.” Another girl shares, “When your body can’t control itself, mad just takes over your body.”
The metaphor one girl uses to explain her anger is particularly striking: “It’s kind of like if you had a jar, and your jar would be your brain and the glitter in your jar would be how you feel.” She continues, “When you shake up the jar, the glitter goes everywhere…that would be how your mind looks.”
These simple yet profound observations make the concept of anger more relatable for anyone.
Practical Advice from Children
As the film progresses, the children offer practical advice on what to do when emotions become overwhelming: “First, you find a place to be alone, then you try to relax and calm down,” suggests one girl. Another adds, “When I get really angry and want to yell, I just take deep breaths.”
By the end of the video, viewers witness a journey toward calmness, as the children breathe through their feelings, leading to a sense of resolution. The soothing music and sounds of deep breathing create an almost meditative atmosphere, with one child stating, “I feel more calm, my brain slows down, and then I’m ready to speak.”
The girl who used the glitter metaphor explains that once her anger has subsided, all the glitter settles to the bottom of the jar.
Not only is this video heartwarming, but it also showcases the wisdom and clarity that children can possess. It’s an ideal resource for introducing mindfulness to your own kids. Since children can easily sense disingenuousness, hearing about meditation from their peers offers a credible perspective.
So, I’m off to share this inspiring short film with my children. I anticipate that we’ll all be “just breathing” a little deeper and embracing a sense of well-being together.
Additional Resources
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Summary
“Just Breathe” is a touching short film that highlights how mindfulness can aid children in managing their emotions. Through candid reflections from kids, it provides relatable insights and practical techniques for finding calm amidst emotional chaos. This film serves as a valuable resource for parents looking to introduce mindfulness practices to their children.