As parents and children, we have very busy lives. We rush to eat breakfast, make it to school on time, and then from appointment to appointment, homework and so on. As such one is constantly looking to the next task to complete and as a result paying attention in the moment is an increasing challenge. In school today, I find an increase in the amount of children who struggle with attention challenges affecting their education. One method to begin to address attention is found in Mindfulness which is simply the act of paying attention on purpose. The act of Mindfulness stems from eastern philosophy but can be practiced in a multitude of ways to improve sustained attention, focus, ease stress, for emotional regulation and executive function skills. Mindfulness can be thought of as a muscle and as one exercises the mindful muscle the benefits can be seen throughout the day. The following demonstrates a few ways Mindfulness can be practiced as a family. When practicing Mindfulness keep in mind to keep it simple and find what works for you and your family.

1) Belly Breath: lay on the floor and have you and your child each pick a favored objects such as stuffed animal. Place the object on your belly and watch the object rise and fall as you inhale and exhale.
2) Use Your Spidey Senses: Pick any moment in the day such as before eating a meal in the car or waiting in the doctors office before an appointment. Instruct your child to use their Spidey Senses to identify what they hear, see, taste, feel and smell.
3) Yoga: Yoga is a great family activity. There are many resources to help with instruction including yoga card decks where each family member can pick a card and instruct the group or read through a yoga book and take breaks while reading to practice poses. There are many great books and card decks. Make a quick search on Amazon to find out more.
4) Watch a Snow Globe: Shake up the snow globe and simply watch as it falls until all the snow settles.
5) Ring a Bell: Instruct you and your child to close your eyes, ring the bell and then only when you stop hearing the bell open your eyes.

If you are interested in reading about scientific research on Mindfulness and children, please see the Mindful Schools website, www.mindfulschools.org.