How to Raise Mindful Children in Today’s Tech-Obsessed World

At this point, we can all agree that despite all the wonders the digital era brought with itself, shifting our lives into virtual environments and reducing our relationships to mere ones and zeroes also took something away from us.

People need genuine human connections. No matter how advanced modern digital tools might be, they can’t capture or augment mindfulness or genuine human contact.

This problem is most evident in the field of education. Many parents, preoccupied with their daily chores, often look for an easier way out. They simply let their children distract themselves with the technology, almost completely overlooking their emotional, health, or even spiritual needs.

Let us take a look at how we can right these wrongs and raise our children to be far healthier and more mindful, despite overwhelming tech around us.

Lead by example

By that, we mean observing that too much tech is bad and isolating your kids from smartphones and similar tools is not enough. Especially if you spend hours every day scrolling social media, playing games, and consuming similar distractions.

So, if you want your kids to be more emotionally mature, mindful, and not dependent on tech, you need to present them with a good role model from the earliest age. Spend some time reading literature for children with them, go outside together, lie on the grass, and gaze at the stars. Be patient, and teach them how to appreciate these moments of shared time, calm, and introspection.

Engage in stimulating physical activities

You know how the old Romans used to say – Mens sana in corpore sano (In a healthy body, there is a healthy mind). They were right on the mark. Engaging in physical activity releases endorphins –the hormones that trigger a positive feeling in the body. It’s much better for your kids to look for that stimulation outdoors while playing than being stuck behind TV screens.

Furthermore, group activities like football or basketball also promote a sense of companionship and teach children to work together. So, encourage your kids to seek stimulation through some outdoor activity that has a positive impact on their health as well.

Use toys that spark imagination

You probably heard some people say that today’s kids are a bit short on imagination. There might be a grain of truth there, but it’s not entirely their fault. When they play their video games for example, they’re stepping into worlds that have already been dreamed up for them. There’s hardly anything left to imagine.

Fortunately, there are good alternatives out there if you know what to look for. If you have your toddlers at home, look for the best Montessori toys for 2 year olds or some similar alternatives. These items are specifically designed to set children’s minds on fire and improve their cognitive abilities. Encourage kids to engage in storytelling and use toys in a new and creative manner.

Resolve problems in an honest face-to-face way

This is the only way to properly resolve conflicts in your family. And, at some point, your children might become frustrated because they don’t have access to the same things as their peers. This is the moment to explain to them the value of what you are doing, point out the more beneficial ways of spending free time, and explain the negative effect of unlimited digital consumption.

All these things will be much harder to pull off if you don’t already have an honest relationship and know how to approach your kids the right way. Deprivation without explanation is highly counterproductive.

Turn screen time into shared time

Screen time is not an emotional pacifier. So, while it is next to impossible to prevent your kids from spending some level of screen time, this time must never become an escape or alone time. If you are watching cartoons, make it a family event – something that will create fond memories and enforce mutual bonds.

If they are playing video games, make sure you have a limited slot for that and your kids are able to take turns, help each other, engage in collaborative problem-solving, and show a sense of sportsmanship. Practiced like this, screen time can become something that will help your family thrive.

Introduce your children to meditation and spirituality

There is really no harm in explaining to your kids the modern meaning of spirituality or simple meditation techniques. Don’t present these things as some sort of obligation but rather as the tools they can use if they feel sad, lonely, and stressed.

If they found some value in them – great! If not, they will forge their own paths and develop unique inner selves. But, your kids need to know the value of mindfulness and meditation techniques as a great alternative to sensory overload offered by digital resources.

We hope these couple of methods will help you raise your children to be more mindful and healthier despite the sensory overload commonly associated with the digital world we inhabit. And, this is the fact of life – things will never be as they used to be, so your kids will inevitably be exposed to endless digital distractions.

But, your goal as a parent is to teach them how to use them in a responsible manner and present them with more beneficial and healthier alternatives. The values you inspire in them from the earliest age are the values that will last for a lifetime.