Mindful Adults, Mindful Kids
Do you ever wonder why when you’re having a bad day, it seems like everyone around you is too? When your morning starts off on the wrong foot, you’re running late and can’t find your keys, your kids seem to be losing it too? They can’t find their library book, they don’t like what’s for breakfast and they just can’t figure out what to wear? If you work with young children, you’ve probably noticed this as well. The days that just aren’t going smoothly for you seem to be the same days when the kids are cranky, irritated with each other, and struggle with their routine, which makes everything for you, well…way worse. The same, however, can also be true for the days when everything seems to be going right. Your energy is high, everyone is (mostly) getting along, and life is good. Is it your imagination or do the moods of the little people around you seem to mirror your own…and vice versa?
Author, musician and mindfulness expert, Kira Willey writes about this in her recent blog post, “Your calm is contagious (and so is your chaos).” She notes that, no, you’re not imagining it; our mood and energy are often reflected in the people around us, particularly young children. She also emphasizes that, while it can be difficult for us all to handle the day-to-day challenges in life, we as adults have the capacity to set a tone of calm that transfers to our children. Willey’s work with parents, teachers, and young children highlights the multitude of ways mindfulness can be used to maintain calm and cultivate greater connections with the young people we care for. While Willey’s work is often geared toward young children with her music and yoga programs, a critical ingredient is this- the caregiver connection. She not only provides skills for children to utilize, she offers insights, support and lessons for both parents and teachers to enhance their mindfulness practices as well.
Research supports the involvement of caregivers in interventions aimed at developing mindfulness and self-regulatory skills in children. This is why in addition to the 10-week lessons provided to preschoolers, the Mindfully Growing program also incorporates both teacher and caregiver workshops that coincide with the child components. By doing this, the adults who care for these children can also learn about mindful eating, model the practices, and share a greater connection around healthy eating.
To learn more about our multi-component program that integrates child, parent and teacher lessons, head over to our curriculum page.
To learn more about Kira Willey’s work and how mindfulness can benefit young children and the adults who love them, visit Joyful Kids with Kira Willey.
