Supporting mentally fit kids with mindfulness

Imagine if every young person was taught the skills they need to be resilient, emotionally aware and mentally healthy in their childhood. What kind of world would it be if children had the skills to identify and discuss their feelings and then took these skills into adulthood? 

As parents and carers, we often spend time ensuring our kids are eating healthy foods, staying active and engaging in a range of activities to support their health and development. However, we don’t always take the same proactive approach to mental health. Many of us see mental and physical health as two separate components of our overall well being, however they are much more interconnected than one may initially perceive.

Since the pandemic the mental health of our kids has been top of mind for many parents. After almost two years of uncertainty and change, kids and parents alike have been challenged in ways we never expected. In fact 41% of parents reported that the pandemic has had a negative impact on the mental health of their kids, according to Smiling Mind’s 2021 State of Mind report. 

One way to support your children to build their mental fitness and resilience is to practise mindfulness and meditation. These practices have been proven to have a wide range of benefits to mental health for people of all ages. Some benefits of regularly practising mindfulness include increased resilience and ability to manage emotions.

Mindfulness helps us to develop the ability to observe our emotions with more openness and curiosity, and less judgement. 

Try and find time once a day to practise mindfulness with your child so they can learn about this proactive approach to supporting their mental health in years to come. You could try to take a moment to complete a guided meditation before bed or a few minutes to focus on the breath and how it feels.

Learn more about mindfulness, the evidence behind the benefits, and how to support your child’s learning and practise in your home environment.