By Guest Contributor Nicole McCray 

We all want to spare our children from stress, unnecessary medications, and invasive medical procedures. Ancient wellness techniques, like yoga, provide an excellent way to safeguard our children’s mental and physical health naturally.

Children, just like adults, can benefit greatly from addressing the underlying cause of their health issues while relieving their symptoms at the same time. Unfortunately, kids sometimes don’t have the confidence or self-awareness to tell us how they’re feeling or what may be causing it.

Incorporating yoga and other ancient wellness practices into your child’s life can help address the root cause of your child’s symptoms, from emotional stress to physical complaints…. Even if you’re not one hundred percent sure what’s causing them.

But even more than that, yoga and other ancient wellness techniques can promote self-awareness and boost confidence, so your child is better equipped to prevent and address potential issues in the future.

Yoga

Yoga isn’t just for grownups! It’s a great way to teach children crucial life skills that will help them manage stress and be successful in many aspects of their life. The breathing and relaxation techniques can help children learn to manage anxiety and regulate their emotions in a healthy way. 

Yoga can also do wonders for improving a child’s self-esteem. Performing a challenging pose can help them feel empowered while improving their memory and focus at the same time. This can not only improve their performance in school but also in work-related activities later in life.

Yoga also gives children a physical outlet to express themselves. It helps to teach them discipline and reduce impulsive behavior. Of course, it also improves their balance, strength, and flexibility, too. That means they’re less likely to injure themselves and more likely to do well in other physical activities.

One of the best ways to get your child interested in yoga is to make it fun by signing them up for a kids’ yoga class. You can also practice yoga in front of your kids. Learning by example is always a great option, and it may encourage them to join in or ask questions.

Besides that, integrating yoga with holistic practices and functional medicines can also help in boosting the immunity of your child. Those who are afraid of long term risks of medicines available under medical services often encourage their children to include yoga practices from a young age and seek various functional medicine services for a more holistic practice.

Meditation and Mindfulness 

Teaching children how to take care of their mental health is just as important as teaching them to take care of their physical health, but sadly, it’s often overlooked.

Much like yoga,meditation and mindfulness can help your child learn how to manage anxiety and other negative emotions. These practices become more important as the work culture these days can overload a person with negative emotions and anxiety. If a child starts meditating from an early stage, by the time they are adults, they will be ready to deal with anxiety and stress. 

The coping skills that children learn from practicing these techniques are meant to last a lifetime. It may improve familial relationships too, especially if you meditate with your child.

Meditating regularly can also help your child sleep better. It can improve their focus, increase their attention span, boost their memory, and increase their creativity. They’ll learn how to manage stress and regulate their moods.

A great way to get your child interested in practicing meditation is to make it part of their bedtime routine. Toddlers can be taught breathing techniques to help them relax and fall asleep more easily. 

Over time, as your child shows interest, you can meditate with them for a few minutes each night, gradually lengthening the sessions as their ability to calm their mind improves. To make the process more interesting for them, you can use soothing meditational music in the background. Moving into the teen years, give them space to practice on their own if that’s what they prefer.

Massage

Therapeutic massage for kids is an excellent way to relieve stress, promote relaxation, and ease muscle tension. It can be useful for relieving all sorts of common childhood ailments, including headaches, depression, anxiety, and insomnia.

Research also shows that massage therapy can benefit children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder by promoting calmness and improving focus and concentration. It’s also useful for treating pain and inflammation due to injury, as well as the muscle tension that comes from sitting hunched up over a desk all day.

Most kids are pretty open to the idea of massage, but if your child is hesitant, have them observe you during a session. Better yet, learn some techniques and do it yourself if that makes your child feel more comfortable. It’s a great way to strengthen your bond with your child.

Wrapping Things Up

Ancient wellness practices such as yoga, meditation/mindfulness, and massage can offer a variety of benefits to your child, from improving mental health and boosting self-esteem to treating physical ailments like headaches and digestive issues. Getting your child on board with giving these techniques a try is easier than you might think, and it’s well worth the effort.

Editor's Note: Looking for resources to help guide your children in yoga and mindfulness? Check our our shop here! Additionally, if you'd like to learn more about Nicole and read more of her work, check out her website here!