Well-meaning parents and teachers have inquired about mindfulness and its benefits for school-going children. When the techniques are shared with developing minds, the objectives are two-fold: to strengthen focus and to support emotional self-regulation.
Alarming attention deficit
If it is not obvious to you, the younger generation grows up spending a lot of time in front of their smartphones and computers. Like us adults, the devices offer them instant access to a world of information, entertainment and relationships. Whatever their brain can think of, the Internet genie delivers. Conditioned from an early age, our children are training muscles of distraction instead of concentration.
Strengthening focus
During my classes, I have witnessed teenagers tussling with trying to pay attention during their mindfulness induction. The phone, the need to chat, the restlessness. The list goes on. When we habituate the brain to focus again and again on a single object, we strengthen the student’s ability to choose, direct and hold attention. Imagine the effectiveness and productivity gained in the classroom and during self-study.
Supporting emotional development
Our school-going children are also experiencing changes in their bodies. Hormones can wreak havoc unknowingly. Pressures from school and social media can heighten their already over-stimulated minds. Mindfulness skills enable them to observe their thoughts and emotions flitting and floating about. When a teenager is trained to watch her disappointment, we empower her to self-regulate her emotions, to welcome it as part of the spectrum of being human.
How I started teaching
I first experienced genuine moments of calm and clarity at a 10-day retreat. As a 42-year-old then, I wished I had learnt this skill as a boy. It would have helped anchor me during difficult times. I wondered why this simple skill wasn’t taught in schools or at home. Motivated to share what I’ve learnt with my own kids, I attended mindfulness teacher training. Like knowing how to thread water, my immediate family has experienced the benefits of mentally pausing and resting. Now I actively share with others.
Next steps: Ask me about mindfulness for children. Read up what mindfulness curriculum can look like. Experience first-hand by attending a public class, arrange for a private session, or plan for a corporate workshop.
