Benefits of Meditation for Children

As parents, we love to shower our kids with the best of everything in life. A commendable gesture! Why don't we move a step ahead and give them a life-changing experience that will help them for a lifetime? If you wonder how, it's none other than teaching them meditation, the mindfulness technique that keeps us relaxed, peaceful, and learns to live in the present. It's time that we get past the myths that meditation is restricted to spiritual retreats or for depressed adults. In fact, kids are naturally inclined toward mindfulness meditation as they are still oblivious of the biases and preemptive notions surrounding them.

Teaching children the art of meditation might still be in a nascent stage worldwide, but numerous schools have taken a proactive step by introducing meditation in their curriculum—as a substitute for detention time or by incorporating meditation in their everyday timetable. A deeper insight into the list of benefits can help us understand why schools have been tempted to take such drastic steps and also reinstates the importance of meditation in our kid's everyday routine.

Improve Focus and Attention: In an era where the Internet, social media, and electronic gadgets have overpowered the lives of all, kids these days are extremely restless and unfocused. Still, their thinking and imagination skills are mind-blowing, and harnessing their complete potential into something productive can have amazing benefits. Meditation can help children focus more and be better attentive, helping them excel in studies, do creative stuff, and devote themselves completely without distraction.

Be Emotionally Equipped: We relate kids with tantrums and outbursts of emotions. The fast-paced world and technological advancements have led to impatience in children. Put an end to your kid's fear, anxiety, and frustration by introducing them to meditation that keeps them emotionally well-balanced, stable, and better resilience to tackle the emotional traumas that they are yet to face in a lifetime.

Research studies support various mental health benefits related to mindfulness practice, such as better performance at school, sleep, eating behavior, and feeling of happiness and relaxation. We even have a study showing that kids with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) problems show gradual improvement with regular meditation practice. 

Self-Esteem and Self-Confidence: Every child faces some form of bullying that affects their self-confidence greatly. Practicing meditation not only equips them to overcome such insecurities but also helps kids develop empathy and self-awareness. A confident kid is a strong kid ready to face any challenges posed, and mindfulness practice promotes their ability to deal with any situation and develop problem-solving skills. In short, a mindful child is a happy child.

Overcome Stress

We might wonder what's there as stress for a kid, but children have their pressure and stressors in life. Don't you think kids these days are overburdened by academic pressure, the cut-throat competition among kids disturbs their mental peace, and situations outside school premises such as problems between parents, and peer pressure create trauma? Guide kids to get rid of such stressors by motivating them to meditate, which, in turn, lays the foundation for clarity, creativity, calmness, and inspiration.

Final Thoughts

Habits start from the home, and it would be a great value-addition to a child's life when you introduce him/her to the practice of mindfulness meditation. Let's start slow, with a few minutes of meditation daily for preschoolers moving on to 7-10 minutes for grade-schoolers. The best way to preach to kids is by practicing ourselves, and doing meditation with our children makes it a lifelong habit in their lives.