Wednesday, 26 December 2012

How to make Meditation a part of Child’s Life


Voltaire once said “Meditation is the dissolution of thoughts in Eternal awareness or pure consciousness without objectification, knowing without thinking, merging finitude in infinity.” Meditation provides innumerable benefits to the mankind. Meditation enables human beings to experience divine powers. It also enables to imbibe qualities which help human beings to face life with courage and strength. It helps to overcome difficult situations in life by enhancing patience. 

Child Meditation

So if we are trained to do meditation from a very young, then most of the difficulties and problems in life can be solved with peace of mind. It is very important to encourage and teach our children various forms of meditation which will help them in both their studies and personal and social life. Meditation is a relatively big word for most children. This word is sometimes a foreign concept to adults and therefore can be intimidating to the facilitator/Parent. However, it is a big word for something very simple! Meditation can be simply closing your eyes and listening to the wind. Meditation can be feeling your heart beat. Meditation can be sitting quietly while you journey to wondrous places.

Before beginning a journey meditation, ask the child to close her eyes and think about what her bedroom looks like. When she opens her eyes ask her, if your eyes were closed when you saw the picture of your bedroom, then how did you see the picture? Performing this short exercise and participating in a discussion about it should alleviate any fears associated with not being able to meditate because it really is that easy.



Next, explain to the child how people usually position their body during meditation. Then let them know any position is perfect as long as she/he is comfortable. Remind the child that she/he can meditate anywhere. In fact they can meditate for a few minutes in her school classroom without anyone knowing what she is doing. They can even meditate with her eyes open if she prefers. All forms of meditation fall into two basic categories. There is the mindfulness meditation form and then mind-focused meditations. Mindfulness meditation is the practice of clearing the mind, becoming the witness, and transcending the mind. Mind-focused meditation is the practice of using the mind as a tool for self-improvement and connecting within. You are practicing this form of meditation when you engage in creative visualization, guided imagery and breathing exercises. Many best schools are using and encouraging this lot to keep children away from stress and worries.
 

Children who go through various stress in life



Intense and lasting stress may deliver a blow to a kid's noggin; say researchers who found that a brain area linked to memory was smaller in children who had experienced chronic stress compared with their less-strained counterparts.Children feel stress long before they grow up. Many children have to cope with family conflict, divorce, constant changes in Indian schools, neighborhoods and child care arrangements, peer pressure, and sometimes, even violence in their homes or communities. Stress can affect children's physical health as well. Asthma, hay fever, migraine headache and gastrointestinal illnesses like colitis, irritable bowel syndrome and peptic ulcer can be exacerbated by stressful situations. 

Reduce Stress
 
The impact of a stressor depends on a child's personality, maturity, and style of coping. It is not always obvious, however, when children are feeling overtaxed. Parents can help their children learn to keep the harmful effects of stress at a minimum.

Parents should monitor their own stress levels. In studies on families who have experienced traumatic circumstances such as earthquakes or war, the best predictor of children's coping is how well their parents cope. Parents need to be particularly aware of when their own stress levels contribute to marital conflict. Frequent fighting between parents is unsettling for children. Keep communication lines open. Kids feel better about themselves when they have a good relationship with their parents. Children who do not have close friendships are at risk for developing stress- related difficulties; parents should encourage friendships by scheduling play dates, sleepovers, and other fun activities. Parents need to shape daily schedules with their child's temperament in mind. Although children thrive in familiar, predictable environments with established routines and clear safe boundaries, their tolerance for stimulation varies. No matter how busy their schedule, children of all ages need time to play and relax. Children use play to learn about their world, explore ideas and soothe themselves.



Since we already know that parents’ marital and financial stress can hurt children’s development, a skeptic might ask whether the new study advances the ball. Eons ago, our ancestors boldly reacted to danger using the fight-or-flight response. Afterward, they celebrated their victory with cardiovascular dancing and chest-thumping. Moonlight dancing isn't required to relieve your child's stressed-out brain, but exercise, in its myriad forms, has remained the best tension relief for humanity's offspring. As responsible parents and elders it is our responsibility to let children know that they need to enjoy life whether there will be happiness or sorrow. Courage and strength for this can be gained from many schools and teachers along with parents.

Thursday, 20 December 2012

Need of proper Nutrition in Young Children



A good well balanced diet is what all growing children need unfortunately, with all the busy parents who do not have time to make a proper meal there are places like McDonalds and Dominos. While these places offer a cure for the hungry stomach they do not offer the growing body the vitamins, nutrients, and minerals that are needed. We must remember that just because kids have had plenty to eat, they might not have gotten what their bodies needed from the meal. An inadequate food intake can cause growing bodies to suffer tremendously.



Nutrition is very important for everyone, but it is especially important for children because it is directly linked to all aspects of their growth and development factors which will have direct ties to their level of health as adults. For example, a child with the right balance of omega fatty acids in their daily diet has a much better chance at creating a more solid foundation for their brain activity and capabilities later on. Likewise, a child who practices a low fat and cholesterol diet on a daily basis significantly improves their chances of preventing a heart attack; even if heart disease tends to be hereditary within your family.


Figuring out what to feed your children is the first step towards raising healthy eaters. Fast food restaurants with toys in the meals, convenience foods at the supermarket and busy lifestyles make healthy eating a challenge for many families. Offering your child healthy foods from all of the food groups creates balanced nutrition. Children's Hospital of Wisconsin recommends four milk product servings, two to three protein servings, four or more grain servings and four or more servings of fruits and vegetables daily for kids aged three to six. Choose whole grains and lean proteins when possible for the best overall health value.
Getting the child involved in the meal planning and preparation gives her hands-on experience with proper nutrition. She learns what goes into a healthy meal during the planning phase. Your child also learns how to prepare healthy foods when you allow her to help with the cooking. Picky eaters may be more likely to try a new food if they helped create it. Schools and teachers can make a big difference by creating awareness about this with kids and parents.

A house full of healthy, nutritious foods makes it easier for your child to develop proper nutrition habits. Provide your child with lots of healthy snack and meal options. Kids Health recommends giving your child some choice from a selection of healthy options. This empowers him while limiting his options to nutritious foods. Avoid power struggles over eating healthy foods, which may cause your child to resist even more.