Mindfulness Check-In November 20, 2023
Image by N. Thanun on Unsplash
World Children's Day was first established in 1954 as Universal Children's Day and is celebrated on 20 November each year to promote international togetherness, awareness among children worldwide, and improving children's welfare.
How can Mindfulness help with children's welfare? Do you believe mindfulness should be taught at an early age already and why?
@amiablePeace77
How can Mindfulness help with children's welfare? Mindfulness helps people get in control of their reactions to people so hopefully they can treat children better on a more consistent basis.
Do you believe mindfulness should be taught at an early age already and why? Mindfulness can give children the tools to manage this changing world and respond to it in a more consistent way that leaves them with a sense of self esteem.
@soulsings
Good point about helping people to raise children in a better way. Often parents are very stressed and unfortunately the children suffer from the consequences! I also like your point about giving the kids a tool to navigate in this world which right now is quite challenging for most people.
Hi @amiablePeace77
Love this question. I was a school counselor for many years. I worked with every grade, 3 yo-15 yo. Everyone got taught Mindful breathing, and we had daily Minute Mindfulness activities. The number of office referrals went down, students were using Mindful activities before try-outs to calm themselves. It was amazing to be part of, and the students definitely benefited from it.
@amiablePeace77
Dear Amiable Peace,
Yes! A resounding yes! I do believe Mindfulness should be taught at an early age!
In fact, in our school, when I was teaching, we had a fabulous Counselor who encouraged the whole staff to take a Mindfulness Class. We had Yoga as young as Preschool (the youngest age taught in the school). The counselor posted cards depicting different relaxing poses at each corner or turn of the school, so when the lines of children were stopped for any reason, the Teacher would have the option of asking her students to engage in Mindfulness at those moments. I truly believe some of this early teaching perhaps helped solve road rage incidents proactively. My students used to Love our Yoga sessions. Each one would roll out their mat, and we had some very creative lessons with animal poses and ways of breathing that would relax the whole group. We usually ended with a dance session after rolling up the mats because of----- you got it ---- energy!
Good memories!
Thanks for bringing those memories forward with your prompt.
Love and Courage, Rose
@CalmRosebud
I am glad I could bring back good memories for you. It seems that the Counselor at that time but also the school were quite aware of the fact that relaxed children behave better and also learn better. I wish all schools were like that!
