Summer (three years old): “Mum, I say hello to that lady and then she loves me.”

Me: “That’s great Summer, you’re a very friendly girl.”

Summer: “Yes, because Mum, if you don’t love people, then you don’t love yourself.”

Me: “True sweetie, and you must love yourself, so you can love others.”

Summer: *Smiles knowingly*

This was a conversation I had with my three-year-old daughter that organically blossomed after we began a regular mindfulness practice together.

When Summer came into this world, her existence led me on a journey. A journey, which has taught me that our children are the key to an enlightened future. Through mindfulness, we can guide them toward staying connected to their natural state of well-being. If this can be achieved, our children will know no different than to follow their hearts and create a harmonious and peaceful world. An authentic world in where it is always okay to be yourself.

I feel it is my heartfelt mission to inspire as many parents as possible to help their children reach their greatest potential. All we need to do to achieve this, is to remind them of their greatness, remind them how powerful they are and keep them connected to the core that we are all born connected to.

“One generation full of deeply loving parents, would change the brain of the next generation, and with that, the world.” ~ Dr Charles Raison

I believe that if the adults of today had been taught mindfulness in childhood, many of the world issues would be obsolete. Not only that, but we wouldn’t have the need to yell at our children, punish them or reprimand them. However, we still have a chance to put the changes in place that will see our children experience a much brighter and less fearful reality.

Through watching my own children, I discovered that all children are in-tune with themselves, but what they need is to be supported and taught how to voice this. Our children need to know that they can trust their feelings—this way, they can learn how to deal with the challenges in future. Mindfulness gives us a toolbox of coping skills.

I have lived it, and I have learned it through my own children. When I am able to stay present enough during experiences in which I am being triggered, I am able to see the situation for what it really is and consciously bring awareness to issues as they arise, allowing us to move through them in a loving and connected manner.

If we can start to teach all children mindfulness, whether they have a willing adult in their life or not, we can start to raise the next generation to be co-creators of a new world—a new reality.

Our children have no idea why we’re yelling. And they have no idea that they are pushing our buttons and making it worse. But what if we can teach them how to make it better instead? What if they can learn to say to an unwilling adult, “Can we just sit down and breathe and figure out what is really going on here?” What if they can learn that if the adult still remains unwilling, it has nothing to do with them?

Teaching children mindfulness is the key to a more peaceful and loving world.

Here are five tips on starting a mindfulness practice with your child today.

1. Every night before bed, sit together and take five deep breaths concentrating on the rise and fall of your chest.
2. Practice some child yoga poses together each day, just 10 minutes of connection. This can make a huge difference to your child’s emotional health.
3. Turn up the music and dance. Talk to your child about how this makes their body feel.
4. Take the time every day to each say three things you are grateful for; you can include the whole family in this.
5. As you eat a meal, explain to each other how each different food tastes and feels.

 

~

Author: Danni Kelly

Image: Author’s Own

Editor: Sara Kärpänen