Does your child feel pressure from life -- school, friends, siblings, too much going on?
Do they have nights where they don’t fall asleep easily or wake up in the middle of the night?
Is concentration and focus a problem in school or while doing homework?
Do they want to spend all their free time on electronics?
Is your child reacting to events with anger, shame, or extra-sensitivity?
Are they becoming excessively critical of themselves?
Are they not honoring themselves for who they are with all their sensitivities, quirks, gifts, and talents?
Are the ideas of friends becoming more important to them than those of their own?
Would you like for your child to appreciate their uniqueness?
Would you like for your child to not lose touch with their true self and inner wisdom as they negotiate the world of peer pressure?
What if it were possible for your child to be able to focus and concentrate without being on medication?
Would you like for your child to be able to discern comments that don't feel true to them?
What if it were possible for your child to develop the resources to regulate their emotions and attitudes?
What if your child could establish mindfulness practices at a young age?
What if there were a way to help your child to have more compassion and empathy for themselves, for their siblings, and for others?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you’ve come to the right person. More than ever children need to find a break from screen time and from the noisy world around them. They need to have mindful moments during their day just as much as adults.
My children’s meditation program, Blue Heron Kids, is developed to give children and teens mindfulness activities to find some calm during their day and during times of turmoil.
The mindfulness activities include guided and breath meditations, breathing techniques, yoga, hand mudras, visual meditations, sound meditations, drawing meditations, and much more. The mindfulness practices and information are all supported by child-friendly Multiple Intelligence activities to help them integrate the practices they experience in class.
In fun, creative, and playful ways. the mindfulness activities help kids to go inward into stillness and bring that back out into their world,
The curriculum is divided into four units, each with 10 lessons. The first unit is titled Why Mindfulness? The activities in this unit help children to develop self-awareness by focusing on their senses, thoughts, breath, their internal speed, and stress levels.
The second unit, Developing Inner Resources, includes activities that help children develop resources to build resiliency in the face of adversity and their trust in who they are, increasing self-worthiness.
During the third unit, children Explore Other Mindful Practices. Through their own developing self-awareness, children begin to discern which practices work best for them. They work in partners or teams to practice techniques that they can do on their own.
The fourth unit is about the first two of the Eight Limbs of Yoga as taught in ancient wisdom texts – the yams and niyamas. This is all about right living on a personal level and in society. Children and teens develop skills to make choices aligned with their truth and what is helpful for society.
Each unit is developed around a variety of interactive activities to help children process and integrate what they have learned. These activities address a variety of learning styles. A reading list is included, and a story or book will support each lesson. Suggested at home activities to share with their families are also included.
Mindfulness classes for children have the same benefits as mindfulness practices do for adults. They actually rewire the brain and are especially helpful for those with Attention Deficit Disorder or on the Autism Spectrum.
Researched benefits of a regular meditation practice include:
- Reduced stress, anxiety, physical, and mental tension
- Improved sleep
- Improved focus and concentration
- Strengthened memory and ability to learn (grades improve!)
- Enhanced creativity, decision-making, and problem solving
- Improved self-regulation
- More conscious choice-making
- More developed emotional intelligence
- Strengthens compassion and empathy for self and others
- Improves self-esteem
- More developed self-awareness
If you would like to discuss how Blue Heron Kids might help your child find a little peace and stay connected with their true self: schedule a 20 minute complimentary clarity call with me by clicking the banner to the right.
During this call we will discuss your vision for your child, some of the obstacles that already stand in their way at such a young age, how they can discover what brings them a sense of peace and calm, and how I can help them stay connected with their inner wisdom.
If you are ready to gift your child with practices that will make a difference in your child’s
life for the rest of their life, connect with me at dian@dianshirley.com or sign up for information when new classes form.