MEDITATION AND POSITIVE THINKING AND SPEAKING FOR RAISING

CONFIDENT CHILDREN

BY: VIOLETTE L. MEIER

WHAT IS MEDITATION? Continuous contemplation or musing on

a subject or series of subjects. Quieting of the body and mind in order

to reflect on self, reflect on the world around you, or to reflect on spiritual matters.

WHY MEDITATE WITH CHILDREN? Leads to a deeper level of physical

relaxation Enhances energy, strength and vigor Brings body, mind, spirit in harmony Builds self-confidence Helps with focus & concentration Increase creativity Increased emotional stability Increased ability to solve complex

problems Provides peace of mind, happiness Deeper understanding of yourself and

others

HOW TO MEDITATE? Sit down. Quiet yourself. Use your

imagination. Focus on something. Relax. Breath. Listen to soothing

music. Pray, think, or just

be still.

MEDITATION ACTIVITY:Sitting in your chair, imagine that you are sitting on a cloud. Your body is weightless and you can feel yourself floating on the breeze. The wind is a part of your being. The sun rays are shining from your fingertips.

  Sit there and take a deep breath in, feeling the breath move through your nose down to your neck then through your chest then through your stomach, your pelvis, your calves; move slowly to your ankles, your feet, and finally fading away into your toes.  Breath out. Relax.  Bring your hands down to rest on your lap.  Think to yourself, “I am ready to listen.”

WHY ARE POSITIVE WORDS AND THINKING IMPORTANT? Children’s ability to manage stress, feel confident and

motivate themselves in later life has a lot to do with their early childhood experiences. A person’s ‘self-concept’ is their sense of who they are and how they feel about their place in their family and community... 

Positive relationships between parents and children are an important part of building a child’s positive self-concept. A child who feels constantly blamed, judged and criticized may grow up to become an adult with a negative self-concept. 

http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Parenting_communicating_with_children?open

POSITIVE WORDS ARE A WAY TO BUILD A PERSON’S SELF ESTEEM!

THE POWER OF WORDSMost of us understand that our words possess the power to build people up or tear them down. Yet too often, we ignore that truth in the most important arena of all: our home. It is vital that husbands and wives speak positively to each other, and especially important that parents speak positive words into the lives of their children, even in life’s tough spots.

http://www.joelosteen.com/HopeForToday/ThoughtsOn/Family/WordsToBuildAHome/Pages/WordsToBuildAHome.aspx

GOOD WORDS = GOOD ESTEEM Positive, encouraging words help children to feel confident and happy.

Suggestions include: Catch them being good! Praise them for tidying up their rooms or taking turns. Praise reinforces good behavior.

Thank them for helping you around the house or at the supermarket. Let them know you have faith in their abilities. A child who is constantly

told to be careful or that they will hurt themselves will eventually lose confidence in their abilities.

Allow them plenty of opportunities to do things they enjoy and do well. Feeling competent builds self-esteem.

Praise their efforts, not just their results. A child needs to know that it is okay to fail.

Try to avoid constantly correcting your child’s mistakes. Trial and error are part of every child’s life. Your child may feel discouraged and hopeless if their every effort is graded and criticized.

Separate the child from their behavior. Disapprove of the activity, not the child. For a child’s positive sense of self, it is better to say ‘drawing on the walls was a naughty thing to do’ rather than ‘you’re a naughty child’. Your child needs to know that your love is unconditional.

Don’t assume that they know how much you love them – tell them often.http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Parenting_communicating_with_children?open

MEDITATION AND POSITIVE WORDS = HAPPINESSI deserve to be,I want to be,I can be,I will be,I am.