This is actually just another mindfulness blog post really!! I do occasionally get a bit irritated by the word sometimes, as if it's something new and fashionable. I was taught a form of mindfulness (I now realise) many years ago just from advice from my Mum when I was growing up. She wouldn't have even called it mindfulness anyway! She would just say things like "don't look too far ahead" when I was worrying about this and that. So I have introduced the concept of mindfulness to my children - but I just call it a "little trick". I am a fan of plain speaking these days!! In September my youngest son who is 7 years old started in the juniors at primary school and in the first term he was starting swimming lessons from school and was continuing his gymnastics club after school. Typically both activities (which he really enjoys) were taking place on the same day.
Now, as my youngest boy is a little bit of a worry wart sometimes (can't think where he get it from....) he was stressing about all the stuff he had to remember. Endless drawstring bags with all the relevant kit, remembering what he was doing, at which time etc. So I taught him the "little trick" - just focus all your attention on the first thing you are doing in the day, don't even think about the next thing. Of course we had to organise the bags and stuff in the morning but we had a simple chart on the wall with all the info on and once we had double checked that, he could focus on the first activity.
Every time I saw him starting to get stressed and start to worry about all the overwhelming things that were going on I reminded him to simply focus on the first thing. So it was swimming in the morning and all he had to do was to be in the moment and enjoy his swimming. When that was done he could move on in his mind and focus on the next thing. I know, I know - this seems so simple but sometimes we forget to explain the simplest of things to our kids. So by the time he finished his two terms of swimming he was really sorry to be stopping and he actually repeated back to me the instructions I'd given him and he said "That little trick actually works you know Mummy!" It was so great to give him this simple tool to help him really enjoy activities he loves without feeling overwhelmed.
I sometimes tell him now when I'm feeling a little overwhelmed with things. If my teaching schedule is really busy with my regular classes, cover work and private clients or even just general overwhelm with domestic chores! I tell him I do a bit of planning then focus on the first thing I have to do. He gives me a knowing look and says "Yes! Just use the little trick Mummy"
(Image: Taken from Google Images) I have used the image with a bit of 'tongue in cheek' Mindful kids don't have to sit in a meditation posture and try to look serene, they just need to know that they can focus and enjoy the thing they are doing in the present moment and let the future take care of itself!!
For details of my yoga classes in Sale see www.yogiclaire.com
