Discovering Yourself: A Journey of Self-Awareness for Kids

Discovering Yourself: A Journey of Self-Awareness for Kids

​We walked together out of the business of the shopping centre on a saturday afternoon. We had just been in ‘JumpZone’, a kids play space with lots of trampolines and soft play.

This place gets crazy at the weekend, but the kids love it. They were jumping and playing for the whole hour, coming back to me with their little red faces, ready for a drink, when they were done. 

As we are walking out, after the playing and after our food, my youngest stops, sits down and puts his hands in the soil of a plant pot at the bench.  
Now we all want to get home at this point and in the past I could have been tempted to rush him along or tell him to stop, but I stopped with him to let him have this moment. He was completely present with the feel of the soil in his fingers, paying no attention to anything around him, not caring about what others would think. He was just at peace with the earth. 

I know how when we go to places like this, no matter how much fun he has, the overstimulation is a lot for him to handle. It comes out after in all kinds of ways especially if we don’t take time to transition from one task or activity to the next. In this moment, he wasn’t just sticking his hands in the dirt for the sake of it, but because he was practicing self-regulation. He was grounding himself with this sensory experience. 

He can do this with ease because we practice self-awareness. 

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Self-awareness

Self-awareness is an important skill for children to cultivate as it allows them to understand their own thoughts, feelings, and motivations. It also helps them to recognize their strengths, weaknesses, and understand their own unique needs. When children are not self-aware, they can struggle to make decisions, cope with stress, and manage their emotions. This can lead to increased anxiety, stress, and feelings of helplessness.
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Yoga

Yoga can be an effective tool to help children become more self-aware. Yoga encourages children to focus on their breath, body, and emotions. It can help them to become mindful of their mental and physical states, allowing them to better understand and recognize their own patterns of thinking and feeling. Yoga can also teach children how to regulate their emotions, manage stress, and build resilience. In addition, yoga provides children with an opportunity to connect with the present moment and cultivate a sense of calm. All of these aspects of yoga can help children to become more self-aware and empowered to make decisions that are in their best interest.

Mindfulness

​Practicing mindfulness as a family can help promote self-awareness among family members and create an environment of understanding and support. Mindfulness helps individuals recognize their thoughts, feelings, and reactions to events in a non-judgmental way. By coming together as a family to practice mindfulness, you help create a safe space for children to express their feelings and learn from each other.

For example, take the story of the Baxter family. They all had busy lives with school, sports clubs, work etc, but after a suggestion from a friend, they decided to try mindfulness as a family. They started by spending some time each day sitting together in a comfortable, quiet space. Each person was encouraged to take a few moments to focus on their breath and observe their thoughts and feelings.
After just a few weeks, the Baxter family began to notice positive changes. They were more aware of their emotions and how they were affecting their actions. They could also better recognize how their behaviour was impacting each other. The family members also became more patient and understanding of each other's needs and feelings.
Overall, the Baxter family's life changed for the better. They were able to better communicate their emotions and needs to each other, leading to more connection and love. Mindfulness helped them become more self-aware and live more intentional lives.
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This is possible for your family too.

Play

A great family activity for cultivating self-awareness is to play a game of “I Spy.” Each family member can take turns describing something they see in the room, such as the colour of the furniture or the shape of a picture frame. As the game progresses, family members can get more creative and describe their feelings, likes, and dislikes about their surroundings. This game helps children and adults alike practice observing the environment around them and understanding how their words and feelings can affect their experience.
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We have started practicing another version of this in the morning when waking up. We start out day with a big 'good morning' stretch. We take a slow breath. Then we then look around the room and name three things we like. 
This is such a lovely way to wake up mindfully. Give it a try together this week!
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Other posts of interest: 

What you need to know about self-regulation and your child

​Have an attitude of gratitude

Three games you can play at home on a rainy day