Taking care of your child’s mental and emotional well-being is more important than ever. The Covid-19 pandemic has caused tremendously challenging and worrying times for children.
Studies show that negative emotions can have a huge impact on a child’s future. Childhood stress in particular can take years off an individual’s life.
Mina Om Shah, an early year's teacher with a diploma in Mindfulness for Children says, “This can be avoided through the correct practise of mindfulness and meditation.”
Inspired by Black Lotus and her meditation and educational experiences, Mina Om practises mindful activities daily with her students and is passionate about introducing mindfulness to children of all ages. She believes it is the best tool for children to stay calm and focused and has seen positive results in her classroom.
Speaking to Asian Voice, Mina Om said, “Children need to have a daily routine. Unfortunately, with the current situation, their regular school routine no longer exists, even though many schools have set up a timetable for virtual teaching, ensuring children are dressed in their uniforms and registering their attendance in the mornings and afternoons, it’s not enough.
Whilst in lockdown my students tell me they miss their friends and teachers, they miss the classroom. And it’s not difficult to see that many are going through an emotional time.
The restrictions can trigger frustration and anger. Some children will not know how to deal with being indoors for the most part of their day, especially since the second wave has arrived in the winter months, making it less desirable to enjoy the outdoors, and children are now more likely to be behind a screen for longer periods of time which dulls the mind.”
Some benefits of mindfulness and meditation for children:
- Better focus – Children can pay better attention in class
- Calmer – Less stress and less anxiety in the mind and body
- More awareness – Of the body, emotions, and thoughts. Having this awareness, helps a child to become aware of any destructive patterns and they can be stopped before they escalate.
- Improves Memory – An obvious advantage for any child in education
The difference between meditation and mindfulness for children: Meditation, although it seems similar, differs from mindfulness. With mindfulness children are required to focus on the present moment, for example to focus on a task, or on their immediate environment, whereas in meditation, the child is in a still posture and more focused on clearing the mind of stray thoughts by yoking their attention to their breath or some gentle music or using their imagination to visualise something that makes them feel happy.
Mina Om advises that children start every morning with meditation and practice it daily. She said, “As meditation techniques can be varied, it is best to keep it simple for children and to start with one minute per session and build up the duration gradually.”
(Part 1 of 2)
