When your kid is stressed, when the pressure builds, when there is lots of chaos and disruption in their lives, meditation and relaxation can really help. Unfortunately, teenagers typically HATE strategies that have them sit quietly and not think; especially when they need it most. But, some take to simple meditation. Others like various guided relaxation and meditation practices. It gives them something to focus on. In this article, Sarah Beach talks about some of the benefits of meditation that included improved performance when students meditate before an exam, improved concentration and, of course, reduced anxiety, stress and depression.
If you are worried about your kid stressing or if you know that your kid is really hard on themselves, encourage them to try meditation or relaxation.
Loving Kindness Meditation
This exercise draws on a guided meditation created by researcher Helen Weng and her colleagues at the Center for Healthy Minds (CHM) at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. This meditation is designed to help you focus on developing an attitude of compassion, care for and kindness toward others, especially people you hate. Repeat this exercise daily for 2 weeks.
handout-meditate-loving-kindness
If this doesn’t work, there are some other techniques you can find on the other blogs in this series by searching for Stress Management
