Happiness can be defined as the pursuit for contentment, pleasure, satisfaction, joy, delight, enjoyment and well-being. As an early childhood advocate, I have a strong desire to promote emotional and social resilience and well-being in young children. Encouraging our children to take ownership of their feelings is beneficial, and leads to the ability to self-regulate during challenging situations. Fostering protective skills and resilience will ensure children will make decisions and problem solve during traumatic events that may occur in their young lives.
We should therefore be teaching our children mindfulness and well-being strategies from an early age. Here are my top tips to promote happiness, mindfulness and well-being at your service or with your children.
1. Talk to children about their emotional and feelings
Encourage children to talk about their emotions and feelings in the early years. Ask open-ended questions, and promote problem solving skills to resolve conflicts with others. Talking to children about they are feeling will build self-esteem, self-worth and confidence. Children will also learn to cope and self-regulate during stressful situations that they may have to face. Utilise resources such as feeling cards, visual cues, felts and puppets to engage children.
2. Role model protective skills
Role model and role play protective skills with the children. Children will then recognise when something isn’t right, and will be empowered to say ‘no’ and tell a trusted adult of any situation that puts them at risk of harm. Advocating for the rights of the child is our responsibility, and educators and parents have a duty of care to advocate for the rights of the child.
3. Teach Yoga, Meditation and Mindfulness
Just like adults, young children need time to unwind and be calm. Teaching Yoga and Meditation will provide children with the skills they need to self-regulate during difficult situations. Educators can add Yoga and Meditation to their daily routine to encourage children to practice mindfulness and well-being in the early years.
“If every child in the world is taught meditation we will eliminate violence from the world with one generation” – Dalai Lama
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You should sit in meditation for 20 minutes a day. Unless your too busy then you should sit for an hour.