“What if meditation was a part of a child’s daily routine, along with showering and brushing their teeth? How would it change their life?” -Tejal V. Patel
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and we are having episodes all month focused on how to strengthen our own mental health as mothers, as well the mental health of our children.
In last week’s episode, we learned from Lisa Sabey, founder of Parents-to-Parents, that mental wellness is based on SKILLS. Skills that can and must be taught from a very young age. Research shows that one of the foundational skills for mental wellness is mindfulness–the ability to notice and process our emotions.
In today’s episode, I’m honored to be interviewing Tejal V. Patel, a mindfulness and meditation advocate for families, who is going to teach us HOW to incorporate daily meditation skills into life with our children, making it as integral a part of our daily routine as brushing our teeth.
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–Tejal V. Patel’s 3 Takeaways for Teaching Kids Meditation-
- Know the difference between active meditation and passive meditation, and focus on active meditation with beginners.This means making movement part of your meditation practice, as you build basic meditation skills like breathing.
- Don’t try to teach your child meditation in the midst of a meltdown. With daily mindfulness practice, you will find that massive meltdowns are fewer and farther between because they will build more ability to self-regulate.
- Be the guide from the side, not the sage from the stage. Even if you yourself have never practiced meditation, you can still teach your kids to do this. You can learn with them!
>>>Will you try any of these tips from Tejal V. Patel? What would you add to her takeaways? Tell us in the comments below!
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-Get in touch with Tejal V. Patel!-
- Book: Meditation for Kids: 40 Activities to Manage Emotions, Ease Anxiety, and Stay Focused
- Website: Tejalvpatel.com
- Instagram: @tejalvpatel
- Podcast: Time-In Podcast
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-Links Mentioned in Today’s Show-
- Just Feel by Mallika Chopra
- Just Breathe by Malike Chopra
-Related Episodes you might be interested in if you like this episode from Tejal V. Patel-
181: HOW TO ENCOURAGE EMOTIONAL WELLNESS IN KIDS // LISA SABEY
129: RETHINKING MEDITATION AS A BUSY MOM // DR. LEAH WEISS
082: HOW TO USE MINDFULNESS TO COPE WITH PAIN OR ILLNESS AS A MOM // CANDACE AND BECKY OF MINDFUL ART COMPANY
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-Additional Resources from 3 in 30 Podcast-
- Order your copy of the Flecks of Gold Journal, a three-year journal to help you gather the golden moments within your motherhood!
- Join our community of heart-fueled mothers on Instagram!
- For a monthly recap of ALL of the takeaways from the month, sign up here.
