Planting the Seed Pack

Description

Meditation and mindfulness when taught early to the young child, provide them skills they can use throughout their life. In a world where there is continual noise and distraction, knowing how to meditate or practice mindfulness can provide young children with an edge over those who haven’t been shown these ancient practices.

So what are the benefits of teaching young children meditation and mindfulness? There are loads! But a few of the positives that can be life-changing include:

• Meditation and Mindfulness to Enhance Focus

The digital world in which our children are growing up in is a sharp contrast to the world our parents were raised in. The world has gotten so fast, that it is difficult for our attention spans to keep up. The ancient Greeks would have called technology “agathokakological” – composed of both good and evil! Technological advances have bought us the internet, social media, video games, and much much more. All of these things rob us of the simpler pleasures in life such as reading a book, playing outdoors, taking a walk, or taking up a hobby. Today’s children find it challenging to focus and remain attentive because they are used to being entertained by a multitude of sources at the one time! Meditation can teach them to stop and still their mind.

• Fostering Compassion and Self-Esteem

Life in the modern digital age is tough. Bullying is no longer confined to the schoolyard and competition for schools and jobs is out of control. So how do we teach our children resilience and self-belief when they are being battered from every angle? Through meditation! Meditation can increase a child’s feelings of self-worth and belonging, and this helps foster compassion for others and self-esteem.

• Boosting Confidence

Confidence is about self-reliance. A baby learns early on if they can rely on their parents for having their needs met. As the baby grows and develops he learns that he can do some things for himself. The more he achieves the more confidence he gains. Confident children are better equipped to manage change and difficult situations, and as they move into adulthood, they become adaptable problem solvers with a deep connection to, and understanding of, self.

• Building Empathy and Happiness through Meditation and Mindfulness

Studies have shown that children who practice in regular meditation and mindfulness sessions are more focused, participatory, caring, patient, understanding, listen more readily to others, and show empathy toward them. These qualities are definitely some of the most important ones we would all like our children to possess right! So it seems that children who practice mindfulness have the tools they need to not only BE happy children but FOSTER happiness in other children too.

So with all these benefits and many more, it’s difficult to understand why meditation and mindfulness are not part of the Australian school curriculum. Although meditation and mindfulness programs do not currently feature in ALL schools there appears to be a movement, an agenda for change occurring, that will see it become part of the Australian schooling system in the near future.

School administrators and teachers see the introduction of meditation and mindfulness programs as an answer – at least in part – to the ever-increasing decline in school-aged children’s mental health. Whether the decline in our children’s mental health is due to technology, social isolation, disengagement from school, poor family life, disease, or disability, those professionals involved in teaching and guiding our children all agree, that something needs to be done.

Here are a few stats provided by Beyond Blue:

Half of all the mental health conditions we experience at some point in our lives will have started by age 14,
One in seven young people aged 4 to 17 years experience a mental health condition in any given year,
6.9% of children and young people (aged 4 to 17 years) had suffered from an anxiety disorder in the past 12 months,
13.9% of children and young people (aged 4 to 17 years) met the criteria for a diagnosis of a mental disorder in the last 12 months, and
Suicide remains the leading cause of death of children between 5 and 17 years, with 100 deaths occurring in this age group, at a rate of 2.5 deaths per 100,000 children.

These statistics highlight the seriousness of the situation and reaffirm the need for a school’s approach to meditation and mindfulness. There is growing concern about a possible anxiety epidemic in Australian schools, stemming from the pressures young children experience. Whether social media, personal issues, or the need to do well at school and get top marks is to blame, many teachers argue that introducing these subjects into schools will give kids some tools to cope with life.

As parents, we want our children to cope. We want them to grow into healthy and productive young adults and not suffer from mental health issues. In order for this to happen, they need to be supported from a young age and this support can be provided through meditation and mindfulness. Start early and start young. Introduce your baby, your primary aged and older child to these practices and practice them regularly together. These are powerful tools that once learned, stay with your child forever. Let’s empower our young children to be better, do better, and understand themselves and others better.

This Planting the Seed pack contains many of the favourite meditation and mindfulness experiences that parents have used to introduce meditation and mindfulness to their young child including:

Star Baby Affirmations (7.53mins)

Magical Place Meditation for Preschool (10.33mins)

Breathing with Teddy Meditation (7.27mins)

Magic Wand Imagination Meditation 3-7yr olds (10.47mins)

The Snail Toddler Body Awareness (6.38mins)

Golden Cord Parent Meditation (8.56mins)

Breastfeeding Energy Boost Meditation (6.58 mins)

Magic Tree Meditation PreSchool Age (7.55 mins)

Immunity Meditation (8.13 mins)

See our shop for more meditations for your baby!

Enjoy!