In today’s fast-paced and constantly connected world, adolescents face numerous challenges and distractions that can hinder their overall well-being and mental health. Teens and their raging hormones make them very sensitive and stressed. Their bodies are changing, their world perspective is getting altered and there is too much confusion in their lives in general. Adolescents are often feeling overwhelmed and need clarity on how exactly are they feeling and what can be done next. They need to be mindful to manage these feelings. One powerful tool that can help them navigate these challenges is mindfulness. Cultivating mindfulness in adolescents has been shown to have a range of benefits, including reduced stress, improved focus and attention, enhanced emotional regulation, and increased overall resilience. (Also read: Mindful parenting: 6 effective ways to teach your child to be mindful and emotionally resilient )
Tips for cultivating mindfulness in adolescents
Sheetal Shaparia, Mental Health and Life Coach, shares with HT Lifestyle, some practical tips and strategies for fostering mindfulness in adolescents.
1. Benefits: As mentioned before, teens are stressed and confused. So, giving them long lectures wouldn’t help. But highlighting the benefits of mindfulness practices like meditation or yoga can help them choose the path. In fact, mindfulness also improves focus, creativity and problem-solving ability. So tell about the benefits to your adolescent child to persuade them to practise mindfulness.
2. Do what you preach: Don’t just tell teenagers what to do, also show them. If you practice mindfulness, your child is likely to pick up the trait. So become a model for them, show them that it’s not difficult and actually quite beneficial, and with time, you can practise mindfulness together.
3. Use your phone: Now this may sound a little off, but there are so many apps built to help practice mindfulness. Use them and habituate your teen into meditating, breathwork, exercising etc.
4. Leave room for leisure: Kids having numerous activity lessons after school is romanticised today. However, a fully packed schedule without time for utilising their imagination is not advised. So let adolescents daydream, write a journal, paint, or listen to music or anything of their choice.
5. Start small: Meditation might be difficult for restless teens, so start small. Begin with a 1-2 minute session and eventually take it up to 10-15 minutes. You do not need to block your calendar for meditation, you just need some quiet place to start meditating.
6. Willingness: There is no point in forcing someone to do something unwillingly. This will only bring more resistance. You as a parent can only guide them, and let teens figure out mindfulness their own way.
Being mindful doesn’t require any additional effort, all adolescents need to do is be present in the moment and devour themselves 100% of what they are doing in the particular moment.
