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Meditation for Children and Parents

By Harry Shin

Photography by Jetta Allen

Military families relocated to serve in another country face exposure to unfamiliar circumstances and increased stress. They may experience challenges adapting to the new environment, such as language barriers, cultural differences, relocation challenges, or social isolation. Meditation can be a way to relieve stress for both children and parents.

It is important to first identify the environmental sources of stress for families, especially young children. First, let me summarize some of the causes of environmental stress.

In a home environment, arguments or tension between family members can create a stressful atmosphere. Changes in family structure can be confusing and unsettling. Economic instability can lead to strain if children perceive their parents’ worries. Physical, emotional, or neglectful behavior can cause significant stress and trauma.
High expectations and pressure to perform well can be stressful in a school setting, especially for young children. Negative interactions with peers can cause significant emotional distress, such as bullying or social exclusion. Moving from one school to another or even changing classrooms can be stressful. Lack of individual attention and noisy environments can be overwhelming.
Being away from parents or primary caregivers can cause stress, especially in unfamiliar environments. Unstable caregivers, like the high turnover rates of caregivers, can also disrupt the sense of security. Inadequate supervision and lack of personalized care can cause anxiety and nervousness for all.
Dealing with a person or family member’s illness can be stressful for children. Frequent or prolonged hospital visits can be intimidating and unsettling.
Pressure to conform to cultural norms or expectations can be stressful. Experiencing or witnessing discrimination based on race, gender, or other factors can cause distress.
Exposure to age-inappropriate media can lead to fear and anxiety. The overuse of electronic devices can interfere with sleep and physical activity, contributing to a dysregulated nervous system.
Relocating can disrupt a child’s sense of stability and significant changes in daily routines can be overwhelming.

There are several ways to improve the environment that are essential to maintaining mental and physical health and creating a supportive environment that can reduce and mitigate stress.

Parents and educators can provide consistent routines and a stable environment to maintain stability. Additionally, encourage, and allow children to express their feelings and concerns to foster open communication.
During stressful times, offer emotional support to provide comfort and reassurance, and create safe spaces to ensure physical and emotional safety in all settings.
Encourage balanced nutrition, regular exercise, and adequate sleep to promote healthy habits, and monitor and regulate the content that children are exposed to limit stressful media exposure
Encourage strong, supportive relationships with family, friends, and caregivers to foster positive relationships.

By recognizing and addressing these stressors, parents can help create nurturing environments that support the emotional and psychological well-being of young children. Especially, meditation can help to cope with these issues.

Meditation for Children

There are many benefits of meditation for children.

Children who practice meditation regularly will see a significant improvement in their concentration, especially school-aged children who struggle with focusing on tasks, including those with learning disabilities.
Meditation is known to help children by improving their ability to retain what they learn, making their minds sharper, and more focused, and enhancing their creativity. It is not commonly understood that the innate creativity of a child can only fully manifest when the child has a calm and peaceful mind and allows them to concentrate on the activity they are pursuing.
Meditation also benefits kids by enhancing their overall health, which is crucial during their formative years. Focusing inward to improve mental, emotional, and physical well-being and providing solutions at the hormonal level, can significantly benefit children.

If parents introduce children to the basics of meditation and gradually guide them to deeper levels, they will experience the full range of benefits that lead to a better, improved, and healthier lifestyle.

An Introduction to Meditation for Parents and Children

Meditation encompasses various techniques aimed at cultivating mindfulness, concentration, and insight. In traditional Buddhist practices, meditation methods such as Anapana Sati (awareness of natural breathing), Samatha (concentration), and Vipassana (insight) are prominent. Additionally, modern approaches include practices like singing bowl meditation, silent meditation, Metta meditation, or music meditation, each offering unique benefits.

Breath-counting meditation is highly recommended for children, parents, and beginners, especially because children and parents can practice together. Buddhist monks typically begin with traditional breath-counting meditation to enhance concentration before delving into a deeper level of practice, which is a Korean Buddhist traditional meditation called Ganhwasun.

I would like to introduce meditation practices for children along with their parents and highlight the importance of breath awareness while providing insights into various meditation techniques for further exploration and practice.

Breath Counting Meditation

This meditation is a strength-building exercise for the mind. For the posture, sit comfortably, straighten your back, spine, and neck, relax your whole body, especially both shoulders, gaze at the floor or close your eyes, and place your palms together or on your knees. Now, count your inhale: one, two, three, four, then reverse: four, three, two, one. When you can do this with ease, increase the count to 10 or 20. When that becomes easy, increase to 30 or more.

Teach children to focus on their breath. Simple exercises like imagining they are inflating a balloon in their belly as they inhale and deflating it as they exhale can be very effective.

Guided Imagery

Use storytelling to guide children through a visualization exercise. For example, asking them to imagine themselves in a peaceful place like a beach or a forest can help them relax and focus their mind.

Body Scan

Encourage children to lie down and pay attention to different parts of their body, starting from their toes and moving up to their heads. This helps them become more aware of their physical sensations and relax.

Mindful Listening

Have children close their eyes and focus on the sounds around them. This exercise helps improve concentration and makes them more aware of their environment.

Gratitude Practice

Ask children to think about or write down a few things they are grateful for. This can be done at the start or end of the day and helps cultivate a positive mindset.

Mindful Coloring

Provide children with coloring books or mandalas and encourage them to color mindfully, focusing on the colors and staying within the lines.

Walking Meditation

Take children on a slow walk and ask them to pay attention to the sensation of their feet touching the ground, the sounds they hear, and the sights they see. This helps them practice mindfulness while being active.

Mindful Eating

During snack time, encourage children to eat slowly and pay attention to the taste, texture, and smell of their food. This practice fosters mindfulness and an appreciation for their meals.

Five Senses Exercise

Guide children to use their five senses to explore their surroundings. Ask them to notice five things they can see, four things they can touch, three things they can hear, two things they can smell, and one thing they can taste.

Emotion Meditation

Help children identify and label their emotions. They can sit quietly, take deep breaths, and think about how they feel. This helps them develop emotional awareness and regulation. These methods can be incorporated into daily routines at home or in the classroom, providing children with tools to manage stress, enhance focus, and develop a sense of inner peace.

If parents and their children meditate together, they can improve their bond and lead a more stable and happy life. Why don’t you meditate with your beloved children today?

About the Author

Harry Shin is a Certified Meditation Instructor accredited by the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. He enjoys introducing Korean culture to U.S. service members and their families and promoting cultural exchanges by leading a Facebook community called “Enlightenment Community at Osan Airbase and Camp Humphreys.”

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