Mindfulness seems to be a bit of a trend word that we see and hear a lot in relation to the current COVID19 pandemic and how we can help our emotional wellbeing. What is it exactly? How do I do it? Does it work?

Mindfulness is the process in which we are fully present in a moment in time and engaged in what we are doing.

We still our minds and we notice how we are feeling without any judgement - just acknowledgment. 

There are many ways that mindfulness can be practiced by both kids and adults.

• At the beach you might stop, sit and feel the sand in between your toes - notice if it is damp or dry; fine or coarse; sticking to your skin or easy to fall off; darker grains or lighter ones. Can you feel the pieces of shell that make up the sand?
• At home you can do some mindful colouring. The focus needed for children and adults alike to stay between the lines, colour in the same direction and choose the perfect shade is huge - and a wonderful way to be mindful - present in the moment and pay attention only to colouring.
• Eating mindfully might be a good way to help the kids slow down when they are ingesting a whole punnet of strawberries in one sitting. Notice the colours of the strawberry - as it has varying shades of red; feel the strawberry - it can be furry, smooth or bumpy; the smell and finally the taste. Really take your time to notice these things and when you have finished eating it - get the kids to tell you what they felt, smelled and tasted.
• A simple thing can even be to get the kids to play their favourite song (headphones could be needed here) and tell them to really pay attention to the words or even a particular instrument. I recently tried this with one of my favourite Powderfinger songs (Already Gone) and noticed how much the drums actually feature.
• Mindfulness meditation can also be practiced using the Smiling Mind app which can be catered to particular age groups.

The benefits of mindfulness are being studied all the time and so far they include:

• Lower stress levels
• Better concentration in all activities
• Improvement in academic performance
• Improved decision making
• Greater feeling of connecting with others

Raising Children Website Mindfulness

Smiling Mind

Wishing you all a calm and relaxing break.