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.
Progressive Relaxation
Progressive muscle relaxation is an exercise that relaxes your mind and body by tensing and relaxation muscle groups one after the other throughout your entire body. You will tense each muscle group vigorously, but without straining, and then suddenly release the tension and feel the muscle relax. This is a great relaxation exercise for kids who are chronically tense and don’t really know how to relax.
handout-meditation-progressive-relaxation
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
