Children suffer from stress the same as adults. If we can teach our children how to deal with stress in a positive, releasing way as early as possible, they wont have to suffer from stress the way many of us adults do. Stress can cause ulcers, panic attacks, hives, depression and so many other physical as well as psychological ailments in adults as well as children. There are so many ways that we can help our children to deal with stress, but for me personally, something that worked well in our home has been guided meditations.
If you have a daughter who attends public school, sooner or later you she will go through that stage where the girls in class become fickle and caddy with each other. Its a tough time for girls, because they put a lot of pressure upon themselves and their identities through friendships. The emotions children have are very intense, because they are so new to them. Loosing a friend (even though mom knows they’ll be friends again tomorrow) can be devastating for a young girl.
My daughter and I used fairies in our meditations, because she just loves fairies. She had fairy posters, and clothing and figurines all over her room when she was younger. Your child may have something else that they love and enjoy, and using that in your meditation can be valuable. I created a worry fairy that would sit on her shoulder and take all her worries away (the fairy would NEVER give them back), a friend fairy that would sprinkle special dust on her before school to draw loving friends to her, a protection fairy, etc. These visualizations helped my daughter to have strength and to find peace in stressful situations no matter where she was at the time. Your child may prefer angels, or the god of your choosing, or cars, animals or something different. Putting little protectors and guides into your child’s mind that they will recognize can be a powerful tool for combating stress.
Sit next to your child, and let them know that you love and care very much for them. Give them a big hug and help them to relax by breathing deeply with them. Show them how they can take a deep breath and let their shoulders fall down when they exhale…releasing tension in the neck. Have them close their eyes, and then tell them to pretend that they are in a very special place…a place that they love and feel very safe in. I would describe a beautiful forest with a river and waterfall, a fairy glen or something along those lines for my daughter. Going to that special place was always relaxing for her. Make sure that your child knows that in this special place, nothing can hurt them, they are free to be themselves and that there is nothing but love, joy and fun in this place. Let them know that they can go to their special place in their mind any time they want to relax. It’s even a great way to fall asleep!
While in their special place, no one can come in unless they are invited by your child. Those that they invite into their space come only with love and joy. Allow your child to rest here for a few minutes, encouraging them to feel more and more relaxed by imagining the sounds that would be present, the feelings they would feel, even the smells. Involve as many senses as possible, and continually remind them to relax, be at peace, feel joy.
When they have calmed, and are visibly more relaxed and well, bring them out of their special place slowly when they are ready, reminding them that they can return whenever they want to. Give them another big hug, and take two or three more deep breaths with them. When they open their eyes, have them list at least three things they are thankful for, and why. Gratitude is extremely powerful for releasing stress, and finding our way out of depression or worry.
Meditate with your child as often as you can, and meditate yourself! Meditation is powerful and can raise the vibration of your spirit and your child, bring you closer to divine and give you peace. You can use meditation to increase your religious faith, to focus on the Law of Attraction or to contact your higher self. People from every religious background and culture meditate.
For some, music, nature sounds or other recordings can be very helpful during meditation. I found a great meditation site that offers free recordings, and even timed meditation recordings that you can download for free. Jet City Orange
@NatureSpirits on Twitter has a great meditation site with some beautiful guided meditations, some that come with prinable affirmation cards. Green Meditations
And last, here is a link to some wonderful meditations you can do with your children: Guided Children’s Meditations
