Here’s what’s going on right now: COVID may or may not be going away. Everything is still in flux and decisions that were always easy, are still hard giving the uncertainty! My kids (and me) are anxious about what the end of the school year will look like as well as the summer. I’m sure you can relate! This stressful time has led me to ask:
How can I bring some calm to my family?
In researching this, I found 6 great articles I want to share with you.
1. Mindfulness Activities You Can Do as a Family By Meryl Davids Landau
The listening walk and mindful eating, where you focus on tasting every food you’re eating, are two easy tips I plan to try with my family.
2. Mindfulness for the Entire Family by Susan M. Pollak MTS, Ed.D.
Pollak focuses on the mindfulness walk in this piece and gives step-by-step guide on how to take a mindful walk with your family.
3. Mindful Activities for Families by Heart-Mind Online
This articles talks about breath awareness, thought awareness, emotion awareness and awareness of the environment, and provides a few examples under each. I loved some of the simple ideas in this article, including the walk the line and bubbles activities for younger kids, as well as creating a quiet zone.
4. Want a Zenned Out Homelife? Try These 5 Mindfulness Techniques With Your Family by Kyle Gray
“[Mindfulness] is a powerful tool for yourself, but just think about the gift it becomes when you’re able to share it with your family. Mindfulness can absolutely be a family affair, and when you get everyone involved you get a Zenned out family.” Gray’s five techniques are: 1. recognize good behavior, 2. create a Zen room, 3. introduce a gratitude ceremony, 4. be vulnerable and 5. invite your family to join your meditation practice.
5. Mindfulness for families: 7 tips to get you started by Leigh Mitchell
I loved this simple seven-step model. Take three steps to improve your mindfulness and then four more to bring that practice to your family. Start with a focus on meditating, being active and being present, and then pass it on to your kids by:
- Finding out what they already know
- Showing them how their minds impact their bodies
- Showing them how their bodies impact their minds
- Trying some visualization to help calm their nerves
6. Coping with COVID: 15 car-friendly mindfulness activities for kids by Lena Borelli
Check out this resource of mindfulness activities that can be done anywhere.
I loved this simple seven-step model. Take three steps to improve your mindfulness and then four more to bring that practice to your family. Start with a focus on meditating, being active and being present, and then
I’m already planning to use some of these ideas with my family. They’re easy to implement and will help keep everyone calm and in the moment.