The most amazing sound of the world for me is a child laugh, and I believe for lots of people too, especially when you are a parent, and have to spend all the time at home, with your little treasure. In times that they feel less happy, you can redirect their attention and energy for something that will help them create wellbeing, feel calmer, relaxed, and maybe you can turn these interesting activities into marvelous family enjoyable moments. Creating excellent memories, teaching your little ones to achieve serenity, and dealing with their anxiety in a very positive and healthy way. This page has insights into Meditations for kids, games to help with kids' mindfulness, and ideas to put in place that is simple but very beneficial in helping children acquire the tools to take care of their mental health now, and in the future as adults. Then let us start with 8 great suggestions of how to introduce mental health awareness in a fun way to your kids. 1-Read The green child magazine
The green child magazine is the best place to start, you can subscribe for free and they have lots of content that you will just love, the sense that we can find insights in ways to raise a child with an awareness of a better word, and introducing a greener, healthier, and peaceful life to our little ones, is a dream made come true, with all the incredible articles in this magazine.
This is what they say: Nutrition, sleep, and exercise are the main pillars of health. But another important and often neglected component is stress management for kids. Chronic stress, even in children, is considered the root cause of many health problems. Meditation for kids can help. There are many stress management techniques that children and their parents can learn and practice together: journaling, mindfulness, progressive muscle relaxation, guided imagery. Other mind-body techniques that can help with anxiety, behavior, and mood disorders in children include biofeedback, massage, and music therapy. And there’s also guided meditation and traditional meditation for kids. Meditation for children is the ultimate stress management tool, and it can be taught to very young kids. And meditation won’t just benefit them. Families that meditate together are often more resilient to stress. Source:https://www.greenchildmagazine.com/meditation-for-kids-helping-children-deal-stress/ In this wellbeing online magazine, you can also find a page that is filled with guided meditation stories, that you can read with a soothing voice to your kid, making the experience of meditating more familiar. I just pick one for you to start and I will let you the link: https://www.greenchildmagazine.com/category/guided-relaxation/ if you like to explore more stories and let the little one choose. Guided Meditation Script: Inner Kingdom
Children love the use of vivid guided meditation and imagery for fun and stress relief. Simply read the following meditation script in a calm relaxed voice to your child before bed or anytime for relaxation.
These peaceful free guided meditation scripts are written by Mellisa Dormoy of ShambalaKids. Her guided relaxation audios help children and teens relieve stress and anxiety, improve self-esteem, feel fantastic in mind, body and spirit and develop a positive mental attitude at school and at home.
Get comfortable. Close your eyes, and imagine that you are part of this story.
Take in a very deep breath, and let it out slowly. As you continue to breathe deeply and calmly, think about something you do well.
What do you really love to do?
This is called talent, and we all have something that we’re really good at doing.
Now, just feel those good feelings of doing what you enjoy and continue to focus on your breathing.
Feel yourself getting lighter and lighter. Take another breath, and feel yourself rising up higher and higher.
Take another breath, and feel yourself rising up so high that it feels like you’re floating. Now keep breathing calmly, and fly through the sky, gliding around in the air.
When you’re flying like this, if you want to go to a place, all you have to do is think of it. Think about a kingdom where everybody loves your talent.
It’s a special place where everyone admires you so very much for your special talent! You are like the queen or king of that castle!
As you approach the castle gates, you see a big banner that says, “Welcome. We love you!” All of the townspeople are lined up on the side of the streets with flags and banners, and they’re all cheering for you as you walk toward the gate.
Everybody’s shouting and saying, “You’re awesome!” and “You’re FANTASTIC!”
You realize all the people in this kingdom are kind and compassionate, and they recognize the special gifts and talents of each unique person.
You walk toward the gate and go inside. A man in a funny-looking suit is standing there to greet you. “Welcome to our kingdom!” he says. “We’ve been waiting for you!”
This kingdom is a place where they really love and admire people who can do all the awesome things that you can do, and since you do things so well, they think you belong here as an important part of their kingdom!
All the people here love you. You are a role model and inspiration to every single person here!
How does that feel knowing this? Perhaps you have a huge feeling of gratitude welling up in your heart!
You can come back to this kingdom any time you forget how helpful or smart or kind you are, and all the people here will remind you how wonderful you are. For now, it’s time to go back home, but you can carry all the wonderful feelings back with you and enjoy them every day.
Now, I’ll tell you a secret about this kingdom of yours. The people from your kingdom – the people who think you’re amazing and awesome – are actually all around you!
They’re scattered about the waking world, so you might have to look for them.
But if you keep being awesome and looking for those special people, you’ll find a lot of people around you who know the truth of how special and wonderful you truly are!
Source:https://www.greenchildmagazine.com/guided-relaxation-inner-kingdom/
2-Do Yoga sessions with your children.
Yoga for kids and Parents. is very interesting as the kids like to feel all special doing silly positions, with parents. Yoga works with breathing therapy, and at the same time uses coordinated movements that improve all our body functions. What I normally do is I throw some towels on the floor, some little pillows, and my little boy special fluffy cover on the floor, and even before I set up which yoga video we will do, is laying down,( including my cat Jerry, LOL.)rolling, and saying Namaste. Is lots of content on youtube, just go for the ones that also have kids doing it, breathe,e and enjoy.
Try this one if you want, and have an amazing yoga practice with your little one, promoting wellbeing, and Namaste.
3- Try ABZÛ X Box and Playstation interactive relaxing games. I understand how frustrating can be to try to get our kids to stop playing on their most precious consoles, and these days is their way of distracting, and also interacting with other friends. But if you could turn this in our favor? Was a challenge that ABZU just nailed, with a relaxing environment, in a water world, that is so marvelous that even I was tempted to play their games. That makes it possible to promote wellbeing even when they are gaming. Check for yourself if is not just great?
Emily Aagaard review of the game was: Personally Mindful At first glance, this game is beautiful. It is atmospheric both in sound and environment. Sometimes the game gives you a beautiful melody, other times just a few quiet notes, and sometimes you’re just floating in silence. The soundtrack is incredible, not too positive or negative, just very neutral. As well as the expected undersea world, you find yourself exploring caves, the seafloor, and underwater ancient ruins. And some places that can’t really be described.
4-Teach them your childhood games, and play around the house. Do you remember playing "Tag", not the movie that is also Hilarious, I was watching it yesterday, and the quote:
We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing. George Bernard Shaw.
Makes all the sense, at this time we living kids need their parents to be fun, and not grumpy adults. Normal we don't imagine that playing is a wellbeing optimizer, but it is. Just get some ideas of old but temporal games that are easy to do at home, and have some fun, enjoying the kid that lives inside you. There are some ideas to get you to start but check the website, https://icebreakerideas.com/fun-games-to-play-at-home/ to find more.
Finger Wrestling
Another classic game that your children and their friends can engage in is Finger Wrestling! Requirements They’ll need nothing but their hands. How to Play Players clamp their fingers together, as in the example image. Thumbs remain in the air and wrestling begins. It’s quite a simple and fun game! The goal in this game is to put your own thumb on the opponent's thumb. As an alternative for multiplayer games to play with friends at home, we recommend “Rock, Paper, Scissors”. Benefits This game improves fine motor and reflex skills. Source: https://www.mentalup.co/blog/games-to-play-at-home 5- Cooking together, and teaching them fantastic new skills. Cooking is a super relaxing activity that brings awareness and, well-being, it can be enjoyable for both, parents, and kids. You can find super easy, and healthy recipes online, or help them do cookies and cakes. The mess is part of the fun and is amazing how kids react touching different food texture, taste, and smell, so instead of doing all the cooking by yourself bring your little helper too. No need to say be extra careful with hazards put all the danger away and have fun. You can check on this video a safe idea to cook with your kids.
Is a great time also to teach your kids your values, the story of your family, and include that special talent, that runs in the family. Doesn't matter what you think that is not valuable to teach but the truth is that are simple things that we didn't have time to share with our kids and know you can. Or even better you learn something new together Teach them how to plant seeds, how to paint, how to write a poem, sing a song, or dance. They will love it, and you will too.
6-Camping in the living room. Camping in the living room is fun no matter if you are bringing all the gear, or just making some improvised tents with old curtains. Using the imagination is what matters, and get serious no TV on just you and the kids, inside very cozy, telling stories, singing old songs, using lanterns, and sleeping in the tent all night. But please no fire, just do the marshmallows in the kitchen, LOL
7-Take time to talk with your kids. Your kid needs a friend and confidence. If you feel anxious about the times we are living, the little ones much more, them seat down and talk about your feelings, and let the conversation flow with ease, a gentle smile, and show them that no matter what you are always together. It will surprise how this will go, as they always have a way of also showing us that is all OK. Check these few ideas of how to start in a nice way, the best conversations with your kids from Kidshelpline, and visit this website: https://kidshelpline.com.au/parents/issues/helping-kids-identify-and-express-feelings if you need more assistance.
Here are some of the ways you can help your child learn about and express their feelings: Tune into cues - Sometimes feelings can be hard to identify. Tune into your child’s feelings by looking at their body language, listening to what they’re saying, and observing their behavior. Figuring out what they feel and why means you can help them identify, express, and manage those feelings better. Behind every behavior is a feeling - Try to understand the meaning and feeling behind your child’s behavior. You can help your child find other ways to express that feeling once you know what is driving the behavior. Name the feeling - Help your child name their feelings by giving them a label. Naming feelings is the first step in helping kids learn to identify them. It allows your child to develop an emotional vocabulary so they can talk about their feelings. Identify feelings in others – Provide lots of opportunities to identify feelings in others. You might ask your child to reflect on what someone else may be feeling. Cartoons or picture books are a great way to discuss feelings and help kids learn how to recognize other people’s feelings through facial expressions. Be a role model - Kids learn about feelings and how to express them appropriately by watching others. Show your child how you’re feeling about different situations and how you deal with those feelings. Encourage with praise - Praise your child when they talk about their feelings or express them in an appropriate way. Not only does it show that feelings are normal and it’s ok to talk about them, but it also reinforces the behavior so they are likely to repeat it. Listen to your child’s feelings - Stay present and resist the urge to make your child’s bad feelings away. Support your child to identify and express their feelings so they are heard. When feelings are minimized or dismissed, they will often be expressed in unhealthy ways.
8-Teach your kids Mindfulness Techniques.
Mindfulness is any pleasurable activity that makes the mind calm the thinking process and brings calm.
I know that is not easy to stop a kid in screams, and on some days you feel so frustrated that you wanna join him and cry. The beautiful part of mindfulness is knowing how to get out from the dramas of your mind and jump to a nice and very comfortable zone.
Then Mindfulness will bring relief for a bunch of the little one's anxiety,
But will also be fun to watch him throw the clever hat and tell you to relax when you try to give a speech about some behavior attitude.
This amazing website will help you understand and deal with a child's daily emotional bursts, as they have lots of content made to improve positive parenting.
https://parentswithconfidence.com/
By: Angela Pruess
The more I learn about mindfulness the more I am in complete and total awe of its vast power for transformation.
The research-backed benefits of mindfulness read like a parent wishlist.
Positive effects on a child’s physical and mental health.
Power to promote kindness, patience, and compassion for others.
The ability to boost self-control, increase attention/focus and encourage better decision making.
If you’d like your child to calm down more easily, stop himself before he kicks his little brother and listen the first time, raise your hand!
*all hands go up*
There’s no doubt getting familiar with mindfulness activities for kids is a wise investment.
Practice kind thoughts by prompting your child to think of 5 people they’d like to send kind wishes to
Bang on a pot/pan and invite your child to signal to you when they no longer hear the sound ‘hanging’ the air
Blow bubbles ‘slo-mo’ style, emphasizing a big deep breath in through the nose to fill the bubble… and out through the mouth as slow as possible
Squeeze and let go, tensing different muscles in the body for 5 seconds and then slowly releasing
Tune in to the body by getting down on your child’s level and feeling each other’s heartbeats
Focus on breathing by building ‘Elsa’ ice sculptures’ by taking in a deep breath (don’t forget to smell the ‘chocolate fountain on coronation day!) and then slowly blowing out to create amazing ice creations
Have a ‘mindful’ snack by describing the smell, texture, and taste of the food
Try this ‘Rainbow’ guided meditation to wind down at bedtime
Explore textures in nature, take a walk to collect several different objects, and observe/describe how each feels
Have your child give you the ‘weather report’ on how they’re feeling, “I’m dark and cloudy with some raindrop tears coming out.
Source: https://parentswithconfidence.com/25-mindfulness-practices-for-kids-who-cant-sit-still/ https://parentswithconfidence.com/category/insights/child-development/
Enjoy all the moments together, I hope this article can be helpfull, then please let me know your results or sugestions. I BELIVE you can do it, be fun, and be safe.
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