How Our Kids Can Benefit From The Practice Of Mindfulness

Children who utilize mindfulness are more aware of their feelings and are in a better state of mind to observe and accept their internal experiences without judging them.

While employing the practice of mindfulness, many youth report a much lower level of anxiety, and higher flexibility in being able to transition from one emotion or task to the next.

This is important because with more flexibility in their brains, they are able to see the result in a reduction of stress.  Thereby helping to prevent mind wandering, attention deficit, and to bolster emotional processing.

Once the child starts their practice, and gains a larger understanding of how to label their emotions properly, many will see improvements in self-control, attention, and academic performance.

In fact, yoga and mindfulness-based therapies have also shown to be effective for treating not just anxiety (which is shown to affect 1 out of 3 kids) but also other common childhood disorders like ADHD, which can affect nearly one in 10 children and teens.

Furthermore, mindfulness and meditation techniques can also help children cope with the pain and emotional distress of having medical afflictions like cancer and other chronic conditions.

Mindfulness and meditation can be especially beneficial for children because it potentially strengthens their ability to focus and concentrate, as well as regulate emotions. Establishing these traits early will allow the traits to mature during this time and, thereby, set them up for success as they transition to adults.

As the research grows, many schools have adopted mindfulness programs as a way to help students better recognize their thoughts and emotions.  Not only that though, the children have a greater grasp on how their thoughts and emotions influence their actions.

Schools which have implemented mindfulness programs often report better cognitive performance, lower stress, and improved classroom behavior.   They are also seeing better social skills and even better grades among their students as well.

Mindfulness-based schools programs can improve student mental health while improving overall academic performance, all while potentially lowering the risk of bullying.