Mindfulness In Children...We Are Now Hearing These Key Words....Yet Why Are They So Important?

Mindfulness...What is it? Mindfulness is a state of mind. We all have those days where we get out of bed and as the famous saying goes .... 'Out The Wrong Side!' We often see a cup half empty rather than half full! After all, it is human nature.

Now we are finding out ways to manage our negativity and outweigh this with a more positive approach with the feelings of gratitude, self help books such as 'The Secret' 'The Power' and watching popular YouTube Videos from the likes of Tony Robbins.

One thing that we overlooked, that many of us (including myself now just entered my 40s) have only now been able to master this and control the state of mind with useful positive exercises.... but what if we could have done this back as children? What an amazing mindset we would now have has adults given those tools so early on!

I myself would have found these tools of great benefit during what was a traumatic childhood. From a broken family home, my Brother being murdered by a paranoid schizophrenic and having identified him when I was just 15, the aftermath lead me into a very dark negative mind-set at the time. I had no confidence, every dream I thought was out of reach, every person I felt judged me, I often felt alone with my feelings and also thinking I was the only one. I was also bullied in school which confirmed all my negative thoughts even more about myself.

Through the years, I developed a 'mindful suit of armour' it was my shield to the negative outside influences. I had fought and fought through my knocks and always returned back up even when feeling like I was about to stumble. My setbacks have also been my strengths...my positives, as without them, it has taught me the valuable lessons about being strong and changing my mindset. I knew I had to believe in myself, despite my traumas, despite my background, despite my knocks that I was moving forward. I was making change, I was adding value to myself and to others, I was achieving even when I thought I wasn't.

This is why I had set up @mindfulteenmarbella on instagram ...It's important to have a positive mental outlook as a child as these are the foundations for the future and for adulthood. The sooner 'Mindfulness' is adapted into children's daily lives, it changes who they are as adults in a positive way to be able to take on the world, to help others, to lift others when others are feeling down. The rippling effect is strong and eventually global! Mind Up Uk and The Goldie Hawn Foundation have already set the standards for Mindfulness in the Classroom, which is proving successful with children's mental health and impacting positively on their learning and education.

Our Children are our future TOMORROW! Let's give our children the tools they need to shape the future and ultimately make it a better world. Let's inspire our children to be more mindful and to express their feelings postively and when they need support to reach out and ask. Mental Health is fast becoming a global epidemic of negative highlights being 'Teen Suicides' at an early age...but why? Peer pressure, social media influences, TV influences, bullies, homelife....it all has a part to play in a child's mental health. If we teach our children to express their feelings rather than harbour dark thoughts, there will be a more positive impact on Mental Health.

It's a triangle between the Teacher, Child and Parent to practice Mindfulness successfully. It's important that the Teacher has an 'Open Classroom' a place of safety where a child can feel they can express themselves through Mindfulness exercises, a place they can confidentially speak out to their Teacher if they need support. The Parent is a big key player in this exercise too. With daily life getting the better of us a lot of the time, it is easy to neglect your child's mental health needs i.e Saying you are 'Too Busy' when they want to talk about their day or 'I'm on the phone' when they want to show you a project they are proud of...... or 'Im Cooking Dinner' when they want to sit down and talk to you about any worries they have. It's not solely on the Child to practice Mindfulness...it is a 3 way system to success!

Look out for my next article 'Mindfulness : A Child In Grief with mindfulness exercises to practice with your child.

Have a Mindful Happy Successful Week ahead!

Best,

Alison x

(Not from a Therapist....But From A Survivor!)