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Post by mudlark on Mar 5, 2016 21:30:37 GMT
Someone who is not an adopter but who does have some experience with working with children carrying trauma mentioned to me that mindlfulness can help even young children cope with stress and anxiety.
I was wondering if any of us have tried using it with our children, and if so how? Any resources that anyone is aware of?
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Post by kstar on Mar 5, 2016 22:09:18 GMT
I know it's not really the same but Starlet and I both have mindfulness colouring books which we love.
I work with several teenagers with mental health issues who have been introduced to mindfulness with local charities and it really seems to work for them although we are talking 11+ so not that little!
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Post by chotimonkey on Mar 6, 2016 8:54:45 GMT
in winter we do a last half hour of crazy running dancing and jumping, followed by lying down on the floor in our own spaces with our eyes closed listening to gentle music... And swuirrel has started to talk about going somewhere quiet to listen to a song separately in other situations when she feels her emotions getting very big... There's a bedtime story book that claims to get everyone to sleep that is very much like amindful guided meditation... The girls listen to guided journeys with me and on CDs
And we colpur and draw a lot together and talk about drawing colourung what we feel... Dr Seuss book about feelings and colours ties in nicely xxx
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Post by jmk on Mar 6, 2016 9:27:40 GMT
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Post by esty on Mar 6, 2016 13:56:50 GMT
We do a lot of talking about how I wouldnt want to be with anyone else/doing anything else/ thinking about anything else. Eg had to go to big city hospital to get Big F's specialist meds on a sat morning. I could've moaned about going, but instead we arranged to meet carer in carpark and then him and LM went in to get prescription and breakfast rolls from cafe. We then sat in hospital carpark enjoying our breakfast and saying right this minute I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. I am enjoying the company, the breakfast, the view, I'm with my favorite people and life is good. I'm not in the latest gear, I'm not doing anything exciting I am just being! And I'm very happy with that. We do a lot of that sort of thing around the most simplest of things. I'm frequently heard saying we can get excited about opening a bag of Crisps! So mindfulness of a sort.
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Post by chotimonkey on Mar 6, 2016 20:28:22 GMT
Book is called "the rabbit who wants to fall asleep" tried it tonight and both girls were asleep before half way... Seemed to be more hypnotic than mindful, but some useful techniques... Wonder if it will work on dh!!
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Post by mudlark on Mar 6, 2016 21:24:38 GMT
Thanks for that link jmk just had a quick glance and it does look very interesting.
We do lots of colouring and drawing together which definately helps to regulate them ( and me at times). I have just ordered 'the rabbit who wants to fall asleep' so I shall be intrigued to see if it has the desired effect.
So much of the challenge is about the children being able to regulate themselves. I have some breathing exercises that Peewit tries to do and they sometimes help. Esty I like the idea of talking out loud about the moment to them, they both struggle with being in the moment fully, if you know what I mean, sometimes the moment can be too painful even if it is a happy moment. But I shall pursue this line of thought a bit further as it seems if it doesn't help them it will definatly help me! Opening a packet of crisps is something I always get excited about!
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Post by monkey on Mar 7, 2016 21:19:25 GMT
Hi Mudlark We're doing Mindfulness together as a family and LO is also doing it at school as part of a small group - all paid for by Pupil Premium. The accepted programme for children is called .b (dot be) as in stop and just be. Adoption Plus are doing some official research in its benefit to adopted children / parents - I'm not sure when they expect to publish it. There's a book called Sitting Still Like a Frog which we're using. I've also just borrowed Child's Mind by Christopher Willard and Calm Kids by Lorraine Murray. They both have ideas for mindfulness activities and meditations in them. DH says that he only ever uses mindfulness in our mindfulness sessions because LO is such a handful (!) but it is helping all of us I think. Most of the activities we have learned have been useful but LO finds finger breathing (see link below)and teddytation the best (sit a teddy on your tummy when laying flat and focus your mind on teddy going up and down). childhood101.com/2015/04/take-5-breathing-exercise/Mindfulness has been built into LO's management plan at school. Can you tell I'm a bit of a fan? PS: colouring seems to work for some but doesn't for LO.
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Post by bop on Mar 7, 2016 21:33:40 GMT
I've suggested mindfulness/meditation for ours a few times and generally they resist, but tonight, out of the blue, DD2 wanted to meditate at bedtime and is already fast asleep - by far the earliest she has been asleep in weeks I do practice mindfulness myself and have found it to be a great way to deal with the stress of parenthood as we know it
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Post by mudlark on Mar 7, 2016 21:59:03 GMT
Thanks Monkey, 'Sitting still like a frog' looks really hopeful, I have ordered it! How fantastic that your school has built it into your LO's plan. I have also been looking into courses on mindfulness for myself as I imagine it could be very helpful in parenting when things get over whelming as they often do here.
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Post by monkey on Mar 7, 2016 22:06:23 GMT
There's another book for adults - sitting on my shelf but not read yet "Finding Peace in a Frantic World"
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