What worked out today? Children and teens can explore this 8-minute guided meditation to help them realize their positivity.
summary
Children often focus on scary or uncomfortable thoughts that can affect their mental health. This short children’s meditation uses conscious breathing and happy thoughts to help them realize their goodness and feel more positive.
Our brains are stuck to realise the negativity. It is part of the way our ancient ancestors were able to survive in constantly threatening environments.
However, this negative bias can make it difficult for us and our children to navigate other daily stressors, including big tests, discussions, disappointments, and more, even in a relatively unthreatening environment.
In this practice, specifically designed for young meditators, Dr. Mark Bertin shows children how to calm their nervous system by focusing on and gently paying attention to positive things that may have missed.
Meditation for Kids: Returning to Positive
Lie down in a comfortable place. Your arms and legs fall to the ground. Gently close your eyes. With each breath, you start to notice how your body changes. With each breath, your stomach rises and your stomach moves downwards. If it’s easy, place your hands on your stomach. Or, if necessary, place the stuffed animal there. Every time I breathe, my stomach moves. Your hands, or your toy, will rise and then fall. Check if you can count 10 breaths like that. Breath, one, breathing, one. (Number more inhalations, then nine more exhalations.) Don’t worry if you lose the count. It’s normal and happens to everyone. Go back to the last number you remember. Now shift your attention into your day. Inhale and concentrate on your breath as your belly rises. I take a breath and focus on what worked for today. Every time I breathe: I breathe in, notice my belly movements, exhale, notice what worked for me today. Now imagine something about yourself that makes you proud. Breathe and focus on your belly movements. Take a breath and imagine something that makes you proud of yourself. It happens sometimes when you don’t think of anything. If that’s your feelings, imagine what you want for yourself instead. Finally, remember who will make you happy. Try practicing one more before you finish. Take a breath and take note that your stomach is moving. And now someone who films someone who makes you happy. Once you’re at the end of this practice, take a few deep breaths and start shaking your arms and legs. Pause and decide what you want to do next. It’s normal to make us feel scared or bad. We should never ignore the important things, but it is useful to focus on the rest of our lives. Take a few minutes each day to realise what worked and see what happens next.
