MINDFULNESS WITH PRESCHOOLERS
Episode 16
Introduction - When on of my sons was in kindergarten, he had a hard time going to school. Each day his hands would sweat and his heart would race. I tried a number of different methods that often work well for kids including setting up play dates with classmates, talking about activities in the class he enjoyed, and sending in pictures and a special object, but he continued to have a hard time. I started hearing a lot about the power of mindfulness and decided to give it a try with my son. Before we walked into school, we started doing different breathing exercises and visualizations. Sometimes I would have him focus on a particular object, or the sounds of the city. The results were impressive for him. He became more relaxed, and he began to enjoy school a lot more. I also found that I was benefiting from it too. We are competing today with so much noise and stimulation each day, mindfulness can help bring calm our minds, bring us back to the present and focus our attention.
Guest Profile - Susan Kaiser Greenland is an internationally recognized leader in teaching mindfulness and meditation to children, teens, and families. She is the author of The Mindful Child and Mindful Games.
DEFINING MINDFULNESS
Mindful Games by Susan Kaiser Greenland
The Mindful Child - By Susan Kaiser Greenland
No Drama Discipline by Daniel Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson
Guest Profile - Susan Kaiser Greenland is an internationally recognized leader in teaching mindfulness and meditation to children, teens, and families. She is the author of The Mindful Child and Mindful Games.
DEFINING MINDFULNESS
- Mindfulness (big M) is a way of being in the world and you can interact with your life experiences with kindness and compassion.
- Small m mindfulness – stance of attention, practice in many forms of meditation.
- Knowing where your mind and state of mind is in real time, a meta-cognitive ability
- Preschool do not have that kind of meta-cognition yet and are more in the moment with an open mind and wonder
- Preschoolers are often better at this than adults
- A cycle of co-teaching and co-learning
- Prefrontal cortex is developing rapidly during preschool years
- Special time and connections with parents and caregivers
- Can improve focus and reduce anxiety
- Calming helps the nervous system and quiet the mind
- Settle our glitter or the snow
- Part of the downside of mindfulness can be oversimplified, or people think it is about ignoring difficult feelings
- Thoughts and emotions can be beautiful
- Children really enjoy the focused time with parents and caregivers
- Can help move away from what they are upset about and into the present moment
- Can help reframe experiences and help with emotional regulation
- Quality attention from parent
- Can start as young as toddlers
- Choose an amount of time that you will be able to do
- Tie it into practice you area already doing ex. when drinking coffee
- The more we practice the better
- Needs to be fun for parent and child
- Once parents understand the theories behind the practice, they can create their own games
- Look for transitions in their days that they can drop in one of the mindful games
- Keep practices short
- Will eventual become a habit
- Drop them into daily routines
- It will eventually become part of what family does every day
- Do not need to dedicate quiet or special place for it
- Stop for moment before leaving the house and take a few deliberate breaths can help shifting energy in the morning
- Around the table before eating incorporate gratitude practice where everyone says something they are grateful for
Mindful Games by Susan Kaiser Greenland
The Mindful Child - By Susan Kaiser Greenland
No Drama Discipline by Daniel Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson
