Introducing Mindfulness to Your Family

Mindfulness is a big buzzword in the mental health world today. So what is it? Mindfulness is achieving a mental state that is present-focused and aware, without judgment, of one’s own thoughts, feelings, and body sensations. It has been shown to have wonderful benefits for emotion regulation, self-esteem, focus and attention, and stress reduction.

Mindfulness doesn’t have to mean practicing yoga or meditation for extended periods of time; it can be incorporated into your natural daily routine and can be engaging. Mindfulness is not just a reserved set of skills for adults wishing to make improvements in their life. Kids can greatly benefit from learning and engaging in mindfulness activities. Just like most anything else we want our children to learn, we must not only teach them the skills of mindfulness but also practice it ourselves. We must keep it engaging, interesting, playful, and rewarding.

Mindfulness can help lower kids’ anxiety, increase self-esteem and positive behaviors, and is a great way to make a meaningful connection with your child. Check out this article for ways you can teach and practice mindfulness with your kids. You may just find this is a great way to introduce mindfulness to your family and discover which mindfulness activity resonates most with you.