Bedtime can often be a stressful time not just for parents, but for kids as well. The pandemic has also led to children feeling more anxiety and stress which has often translated into a harder time falling asleep and difficulty having a restful night. Pandemic aside there are some children who simply have a hard time settling down when it comes to bedtime and can end up disrupting the entire house. If you've been looking for ways you can help make the transition to bedtime a little easier, you may want to look at establishing a pre-bedtime meditation routine for your kids.
The benefits of meditation being practiced by children are numerous and include stress reduction, help with depression, better school production, and better sleep. Rebecca Gitana, a transformational guide and home healer explained to SheKnows how teaching your child to meditate can help them have a more restful night's sleep. “Teaching and practicing meditation with your children is actually easier than you think,” Gitana explained. “Sure, kids can be fussy or get easily distracted but that is kind of the point — to get your children in the practice of bringing themselves back to themselves. It also empowers them to observe their energy and needs.”
Author and yoga expert Tara Stiles explained to SheKnows how parents can set the scene to begin meditating with their children before bedtime. “First if you can, bring the little one to a place without distractions," she suggested. "Turn off any screens or move away from a noisy space. Sit down together and press your thumb gently into the center of their palm and take some big deep breaths,” she adds. “While you’re making contact, make sure to come down to the level physically of the child,” says Stiles. “It’s a good practice for overall health for your body to crawl down and up from the ground – and it’s good for creating a connection with children. Come to them so you can relate well.”
Not every child will want to sit and meditate quietly, especially if this is something new you're introducing, so Gitana suggests allowing kids to really get out their excess energy before they participate in mediation. “Be silly with them and flail, wiggle, jump, all of it,” she says. “Then ask your child to select their favorite crystal, rock, seashell, plant, or stuffed animal. Having an ally while they meditate can be very helpful.” She also gave greats suggestions on how to explain what meditation is to children so they can truly understand the goals of what they're are being asked to do. She suggests parents tell kids that meditation is "a time when you can let go of your worries." She added that kids "deal with the pressures of the world, with little context and no agency over what happens to them, and we think we are the ones who are stressed out!”
Stiles also suggests that parents also practice meditating, either with or without their kids. “With kids and with anyone, mediation works well if you show how to do it as you do it yourself,” says Stiles. “Make it a project together, so both of you become the leader. If you are able to meditate alone with the little ones watching, they might also join in."
Meditation is different for everyone and how long you can expect one to be able to sit and meditate will also vary depending on age. Healthline suggests that parents who are looking at meditation as a way to help their children sleep better understand that a few minutes a day is the norm for preschool children, while grade school children may be able to meditate for 3-10 minutes twice a day, and teens may benefit from 5 -45 minutes a day of mediation.
Bedtime doesn't have to be stressful, and adopting a pre-bedtime ritual including meditation can help everyone in the house at a time when stress and anxiety seem to be more prominent than ever.
Source: SheKnows, Healthline