The world needs a little calmness right now. With the COVID-19 pandemic and the US election, nerves are a bit on edge and even if children do not understand the stories, they can feel the unease. Children can pick up on feelings of stress and anxiety very easily, and it is important for parents to watch their own levels when they are around their children. That is why mindfulness is so important, and it appears that actress Goldie Hawn realizes this too.
Goldie Hawn is not only an actress in Hollywood, she is also well-known in the world of education and psychology. According to Good News Network, the Goldie Hawn Foundation has a MindUP Program that has been working in schools for more than 16 years.
The program helps to teach mindfulness to students, and they have seen great success when it comes to feelings of anxiety, stress, anger and depression. However, these feelings are increasing during this year and so has the programs Goldie is offering. MindUP is now offering a completely free service for children and their parents.
The program is offering five-minute exercises to help teach mindfulness and it is focusing on taking “brain breaks” which are said to improve focus, resiliency, optimism and empathy. These free programs are incredibly beneficial and appreciated, as parents are struggling financially through the pandemic right now.
According to the official website, there is an audio guided session that will help parents and children bring more calm to their day. This could be a great way to start or end the day, depending on when families have a few minutes to spare. Since the exercises are so short, it is really easy to fit them into your day, every day. It can be made part of the family routine.
The program is also inclusive, and it is available in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese with more languages promised to come in the future. This program is designed to help children learn to regulate their emotions and increase their wellbeing. It does this through positive psychology, mindful awareness and social-emotional learning.
These are the types of programs that we need for our children, because in attempt to keep them safe from the virus, their mental health is suffering, and parents need to make sure that they are caring for their entire body, mind and soul. Goldie Hawn has made it easy to do that.
Sources: GoodNewsNetwork, InsightTimer