Everybody has their own way of dealing with stress and whilst having school work, extracurricular activities and a social life – our kids need a way of dealing with these pressures.
Could meditation be the answer?
This unconventional method is being used by some schools as there is some research which indicates that it can be good.
Cayce Lannon, founder of Maine Yoga Kids, is teaching preschoolers at Rosemont Nursery School in Portland, twice a week, to find their center. She says that at first parents are puzzled as to how the kids are actually going to sit through 45 minutes of yoga and meditation.
There’s no doubt that the kids will not sit still all the time or do exactly what she says but she does try to keep them entertained with singing, dancing and coloring.
Are there any true benefits of meditation?
Many people are sceptical when it comes to the benefits of mediation as there is believed to be no science behind it. There is also stereotypes related to people who meditate.
Dr. Karen Houseknect, who’s a professor of pharmacology at the University of New England (who also meditates) says that Scientists have not been studying meditation long enough to prove all of its benefits, but science does show meditation could potentially prevent your brain from getting altered by chronic stress and it could also activate parts of your brain that enhances concentration and emotion.
“I think we just need to talk about it more,” Houseknect says.
The technique seems to be working for some highschoolers at the REAL School on Mackworth Island too.
Their instructor Erica Marcus rings a bell and they all know it’s time to focus on their breath. Emma Doyon, a senior dealing with many pressures, says the following about her experience with meditation: “When I think about college, I get super stressed, and it helps me out to calm down and feel like I’m okay,”
It may not be everyone’s choice but teachers at every level are starting to see the benefits of meditation for children and they are hopeful that all children can at least have access to these classes.
