246: Can Kids Learn Mindfulness?

Children around the world are suffering from learning, development, and behavioral problems at record rates. Mindfulness can be taught as a secular way to train the mind and body to assist our youth.

Mind-body wellness is typically something we explore as adults, but it's never too early to start, and the sooner and the better. Our guest this week is an expert on teaching mindfulness to young people, and for any parent, educator, or soon-to-be caregiver, this is a must-listen.

Listen & Learn:

• How mindfulness can be described as a quality of intention, balance and compassion as we navigate through life
• Or as a stance of attention where we not where our intention and state-of-mind is in real time
• Why social and emotional learning in schools can be a great help in working through some of the bigger problems with developing children
• How secular mindful practices can be quickly and openly adopted in school systems
• Why it's important to take a few deliberate breaths before you leave the house, say goodbye, start or end your day
• How to have kids identify the eye color of friends, teachers, and you so that it acts as a forcing function for concentration

ABOUT OUR GUEST

She was a co-investigator in a multi-year, multi-site research study at UCLA's Mindful Awareness Research Center/Semel Institute on the impact of mindfulness in education. She has spoken at the Mind & Life Institute; the University of California at Los Angeles; the University of Massachusetts; the University of Kansas; Columbia University; Cedars-Sinai Medical Center; San Diego Children's Hospital; the Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, California; the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies in Barre, Massachusetts; the National University of Singapore; Mahidol University, in Bangkok; Casa Tibet, in Mexico, and many other prestigious institutes in the United States and abroad.

Her work has been covered by The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, USA Today, National Public Radio, various yoga journals, and CBS Morning News.

Links & Resources

• Susan's Main Site
• Mindful Games Book

Nutritional Tip:

• Caffeinated Tea

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