Teach mindfulness by example.

Teach mindfulness by example.

Mindfulness is a practice that you can model for your kids, so they can learn to be more present and aware of their surroundings. If you're not already practicing mindfulness yourself, start now! You can begin by taking 5 minutes each day (or even just one minute) to focus on your breath or body sensations while sitting quietly with your eyes closed. Your child will learn from what she sees in you: if she sees that her mom or dad is stressed out by work or other things going on in life, then chances are good that she'll grow up feeling stressed too. If instead she sees how much better life looks when we're calm and relaxed--and makes connections between this state of mind and what's happening around us--then chances are good that she'll want those same feelings herself someday soon (and maybe even sooner than later).

Teach mindfulness in a way that feels natural to you.

As you read this, you might be thinking "I can't do this! What if my kids laugh at me?" or "How can I teach mindfulness to kids when I'm so busy with work and school?"

There are two main things that prevent people from teaching mindfulness:

• They don't know how.
• They don't have time for it in their lives right now.

Mindfulness is about being present, but it's also about being kind to yourself and others.

Mindfulness is about being present, but it's also about being kind to yourself and others.

If you're struggling with your own emotions, or if someone else has hurt your feelings, try this exercise:

• First, describe how they made you feel in as much detail as possible. Describe what they did and said (or didn't do), how it made you feel inside, and any other details that come up for you when thinking back on the situation. For example: "I felt disappointed when my friend didn't get my joke at dinner last night."
• Then ask yourself whether there was anything else going on besides just their behavior--if so, write down those things too; even if it doesn't seem relevant at first glance! For example: "Maybe I had some fears about being accepted by my new coworkers? I don't know...but maybe?"

Allowing kids to be bored can help them focus their energy and attention on what's happening around them instead of what's going on inside their heads.

• Boredom is a natural state.
• Boring activities can be very beneficial for children, especially when they're learning something new.
• If your child is bored, that may be a signal that he or she needs some time alone to reflect on what's happening in his or her life right now and what he or she would like to do next.

Let kids observe how they're feeling, without judgment or criticism.

As you're teaching your child to be mindful, it's important that they know it's okay to feel sad, angry or frustrated. You can also teach them how to be kind to themselves and others by helping them understand their feelings without judgment or criticism.

• Teach children that they don't need to change their feelings--they just need a way of coping with them so they can cope better in the future.
• Teach children how accepting their feelings helps them accept themselves as well as other people around them (including those who might have different beliefs than yours).

Teaching kids how to pay attention can help them be happier and more successful as adults.

Mindfulness is a skill that can be learned. Kids can learn to focus their attention on the present, instead of worrying about the past or future. Teaching kids to be mindful will help them develop into happier and more successful adults.

Conclusion

Teaching kids how to pay attention can help them be happier and more successful as adults. Mindfulness is a skill that can be learned at any age, but it's especially important for children to learn early on in life because it will give them an edge when dealing with stressors throughout their lives (like homework). So go ahead--start teaching your kids about mindfulness today!