Mindfulness is For Everyone to Share
Last week I held a workshop for parents and children at a playgroup. Many were very small so it was as much for the parents as it was for kids! I used Making Mindful Magic as a basis and parents and children did these experiences from the book together. It was a wonderful reminder to me of why this all started for me – the goal was and remains to bring adults and children together so they can live a more mindful life, one where it is normal to take life slower and more purposefully rather than the constant rushed life that can easily become normal!
As we all shared the mindful experiences, adults and children alike and as I spoke with parents afterwards, I realised more and more that we all need these mindful moments and reminders. I’ve been told by many adults that they use the book for themselves as much as for their children. I love to hear this and it, of course, illustrates the point that as adults we need to be aware that being mindful needs our attention and by taking the time to practice, the more it becomes embedded in our lives and flows down to our children.
Especially at the beginning and with kids, we need a plan to put mindful moments into practice! It maybe sounds very formal and in a way, the antithesis of being spontaneously mindful but actually diarising a mindful experience is a really good way to begin to remind us to be mindful! So, what if we all knew that at the start and end of every day we would sit, adults and children, for 2 minutes and be still and quiet and to breathe slowly and calmly? What difference do you think that could make to a household or a classroom? I think those couple of minutes could make a huge difference with little effort. You can start this as early as you like with your child. If you sit still and breathe calmly yourself and ignore any call for attention, I believe they too will adopt this practice as their own because that’s their normal. They come to think, it’s just what happens in my life, I know it and I do it.
You can not only be the example but you can be the coach as well – try wrapping yourself around them from behind and being the security blanket that keeps them in place. You can use props – timing bells to start and finish, a cushion which is always the ‘sit quietly cushion’, a special crystal to hold that tells them it’s time to ‘sit quietly’, slow, calm music to set the mood. The reward is everyone leads a less stressful life as being in this calm moment becomes almost addictive as we search for me of and that’s how it can become our ‘normal’!
I like to think our book, Making Mindful Magic is for everyone and I hope you can use it as a conversation starter, a motivator and tool to create your own mindful experiences with the children in your lives. You’ll find a guide for adults at the back of the book if you’d like a little more background or theory. Visit our website to buy the book and have a ‘hold it in your hand’ reminder to leave on the coffee table and you’ll also find there more ideas and resources. I also invite you to Join us every Friday on Instagram - we're @makingmindfulmagic - for our Weekly Mindful Activity. You’re always welcome and we love sharing! Being educated about mindfulness and practicing it as an adult invites us to share the gift with our children!
