Meditation can help relax children and parents. Postive thinking and speaking is very important to raising health, happy, confident children.

1. BY: VIOLETTE L. MEIER

2. 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.

3. 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

4. Sit down.
Quiet yourself.
Use your
imagination.
Focus on something.
Relax.
Breath.
Listen to soothing
music.
Pray, think, or just
be still.

5. 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.”

6. 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!

7. Most 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/WordsToB
uildAHome.aspx

8. 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

9. I deserve to be,
I want to be,
I can be,
I will be,
I am.