At this point if you don't KNOW that meditation is helping children AND ADULTS cope with their busy lives, you must be sitting in a dark hole somewhere without access to the bombardment of technology that has contributed so heavily to the reason we all need it in the first place... and maybe we all just might benefit from joining you, for at least a little bit. While you're in that hole, you might try digging up some worms...being fully present while you simply observe them can teach you a little about the benefits of what we're all chasing right now!

But really, the world IS BUSY, far beyond the pace at which our children comfortably develop. Because of this faster pace, technology and greater expectations we're seeing a heightened prevalence of anxiety in children. This anxiety is real and it's affecting a vast majority, making suicide the number 3 cause of death in youth ages 10-24. If that number isn't enough to make you acknowledge that communities & families need to join hands and open our minds to new solutions, you might want to hop back into that dark hole.

Our kids have a fast world they have to adapt to. Tools to navigate this pace are necessary for them to thrive. Mind breaks, centering strategies, meditation and simple quiet time allocated to "just BE" are highly powerful tools to help your children stay centered.

We suggest having regular conversations with your children as early as kindergarten, about the importance of nurturing their brain and giving it time to rest and rejuvenate, just as the rest of our bodies need to do. Also explain to them that there are ways to help their mind rest, beyond yoga and the standard concept of meditation.

With the direction of the Chopra Center of LA, Here are three ways to help your children take a much-needed mind break through Moving Meditation:

1. Coloring: The movement in coloring is slow, focused and requires a simple amount of concentration which reduces random thoughts outside of the task at hand. Coloring is a creative, calming solution for any age. Join your child while they color... check out of your daily grind, turn off your phone and actively participate in modeling the behavior of a calm, quiet mind break through coloring.
2. Puzzles: This calm, quiet movement allows a child to focus on the task at hand opening the opportunity for a mind break. Adding the directive to try to stay calm and quiet, thinking peaceful thoughts will, no doubt, help your child decompress.
3. Bead Art: Making a beaded necklace or bracelet is meditative and can also make a child feel accomplished. You might try giving the beads meaning, such as kindness, empathy or compassion, first discussing what these things are. Then have your child give the pieces as gifts. The practice of creating and then giving teaches your child to share their kind heart with the world. Helping behaviors are associated with higher levels of positive emotion and overall health.