Meditation for Kids – How Children Can Benefit from Meditation

Some children are calm and well behaved while others are restless and cannot sit still in class. Others find it difficult to focus on anything and jump from one thing to another. In a classroom situation this can disrupt learning for other kids. Can anyone blame kids? The kids of today spend time playing video games, interacting on social media and surfing the internet! They have learned do all these things at high speed cannot focus on one thing anymore. To be asked to sit quietly in a class for at least thirty minutes sounds like torture to a kid who is used to this lifestyle, and they tend to disrupt classes. The normal response of the system is to punish kids, by way of detention after school or by other means. While punishment can force some kids to reevaluate their behaviour, it does not seem to work for other kids. That is why meditation for kids is being explored as an alternative response to unwelcome behaviour.

Meditation generally rests the body and the mind and it has many benefits, and meditation for kids is no exception. A pilot study in San Francisco which partnered with the Center for Wellness and Achievement in Education, convinced many people, including skeptics, that mindfulness training was beneficial for children. The study reported that over a period of four-years while kids meditated after school, suspensions decreased by over 70%, scholastic performance increased, and generally the kids were happy. The switch to meditation for kids is giving similar results in many North American schools. With meditation there are maximum benefits at minimal cost.

Meditation for Kinds Improves Attention

Current lifestyles make kids jump from one activity to another and many kids have lost the art of paying attention to one thing. That affects their attention span in class, their ability to study and later it will affect the way they work. Meditation teaches the kids to focus on one thing at a time without being distracted. Though there are many studies on all forms of meditation, meditation for kids is only receiving attention now from the scientific community. So far the studies have found that all kids who participate in meditation, including those with ADD/ADHD, have better concentration in class.

Improved Academic Performance and Attendance

Every school wants to see improved grades and school attendance. So far, evidence has shown that meditation for kids improves school performance and attendance with fewer suspensions. It also points to less aggression and more happiness among the kids who participate.

Meditation for Kids Improves Self Esteem

Due to many factors, including being bullied, teased or abused, some kids have low self-esteem and feel that they do not measure up to certain standards. Meditation has been found to boost children’s feelings of empathy, security and inner stability, and this helps to build better self-esteem, joy and compassion for others.

Self Confidence Grows through Meditation

Meditation teaches chilren that they do not have to react to all their emotions and thoughts, and that they can choose which ones are worthy of their attention and response. As a result, they become better at solving their problems, more self-assured and they have a better appreciation for life.