Topics We Explore in Parent - Child Classes

The body is an anchor to help us stay present in the moment. Body awareness is important for many reasons, including attentional focus, impulse control, emotional awareness and regulation, empathy, and compassion. 

Breath awareness helps us to see where our attention is and notice when it has wandered away. It can help us calm down, help us be present, and help us notice our experiences. As we begin to take more conscious breaths throughout the day, we begin to train our minds to be more present.  It is beneficial to learn this skill while we are feeling calm so that it can be applied during times of stress.

Our emotions organize our thoughts and relationships. Practicing mindfulness will help children recognize how their emotions feel in their body. When they are mindful of  pleasant emotions, they can appreciate them more. When faced with difficult emotions, mindfulness does not make the feelings go away faster, but it does help children learn to accept the unpleasant emotions. Becoming mindful of their emotions helps them make intentional choices about how to respond.

You may have heard the expression “We are our thoughts.” Research shows this is true. When we think of something repeatedly, it causes neurons in our brains to form connections over time. If we spend a lot of time with negative thoughts, our brains become wired more negatively. If we spend time intentionally creating positive thoughts, our brains become wired more positively. Practicing loving-kindness includes gratitude, generosity, kind thoughts, and compassionate acts. 

We experience life through our senses, yet we typically hurry through our days without noticing what we see, hear, smell, taste, and touch. Bringing attention to our senses is a wonderful way to bring mindfulness into our daily lives.  The more we practice this skill, the richer our sensory experiences will be.