Teaching Kids Self-Regulation Through the Practice of Meditation

Here's my latest article in "Macaroni Kids" on teaching kids to meditate:

When I tell parents that we teach meditation to kids as young as five years old, most parents wince with disbelief! It may seem impossible to get young kids to do anything that includes being quiet and sitting still, but we have discovered that kids actually love the practice, when introduced to it in small, bite-size pieces. First, it is helpful to de-mystify meditation. At its most basic, meditation is nothing more than creating a gap between stimulus and response, and research shows that children who can practice impulse control are more likely to be successful later in life. (You can google the now-famous “Stanford University marshmallow experiment”.)

Here is an easy meditation practice that you can try with your children at home. Find a bell or gong, something that has some resonance to it. Before ringing the bell, ask them to raise their hand when they can no longer hear the sound of the bell. This initial practice teaches them concentration.

Then, try the silent walking game—before beginning the walk, encourage the children to look at the world around them and be aware of what colors, sounds and smells they encounter—they can point to something interesting and do pantomime, but without talking. This exercise increases their awareness of what is going on around them.

After a short walk, give them an interesting photo or painting to look at, and ask them to write down (or draw) whatever comes to mind. This process teaches them to be aware of their thoughts and emotions. It’s great to have a discussion with them about what they wrote or the picture they drew. We find that many kids come up with amazing stories and deeply connect with what they see and feel.

Lastly, give them some examples of positive emotions--like smiling, love, happiness, joy, laughter.  Ask them to describe to you what these emotions feel like. “What does it feel like in your body when you laugh?” “How would you describe the feeling of happy?” “When you feel like smiling, what does that feel like in your body?” This process is designed to strengthen their ability to imagine positive emotions in greater detail and to gain confidence that they can create the experience of a positive emotion, even if their external circumstances haven’t changed or when they are having some difficulty.

These simple practices incorporate the three key components of meditation: concentration, natural awareness and positive imagery. If done on a regular basis, we have children who will actually ask their parents to “meditate” with them. It is wonderful bonding and calm time, for both parent and child. You can find out more about meditation at SerenityPause.org. Enjoy!

Janet Nima Taylor is a meditation teacher and author of Meditation for Non-Meditators: Learn to Meditate in Five Minute a Day, available at Amazon.com.


http://national.macaronikid.com/article/716438/teaching-kids-self-regulation-through-the-practice-of-meditation