The unhappiest children in the world are in the Uk and the USA according to UNICEF.
Being plugged into technology has had a big impact on all our lives, including the way we read – we now skim and scan information, our minds jumping around like a monkey swinging from one branch to the next.
Screen time is addictive and affects our ability to interact with each other. We just send a text or an email instead of calling or seeing each other. We all desire connectedness but social media disconnects us more than we realise.
Children are plugged in from an early age watching unlimited hours of TV, so much of which involves violence, and prepares them for the next transition – video games. Studies show playing violent video games does not necessarily make children violent, but it does show that these children lack empathy. Video games also suppress imagination.
We need to encourage creativity, imagination and the joy of social interaction. Children need to get bored so they can get creative.
Our children are best described as ‘tired but wired’.
Being back quality time
A friend of mine took her son to a psychologist as he seemed negative and withdrawn. The advice she got was to spend quality time with him, doing whatever the child wanted to do for a certain amount of time every day.
This sounds like a simple thing but in reality it is a significant challenge to find that time consistently. But our children need our love and attention, and if we ignore them because we are too busy they will feel they cannot tell us the little things that are wrong. Then, over time, they will not tell us the bigger issues they are facing.
Don’t miss another heart melting moment with your children
But, you say, I am constantly on the go being a chauffeur, grocery shopping, working, doing housework, being a mother, a wife, a sister, a daughter, a friend… the list goes on. We are bombarded with distractions.
It would be unrealistic in this life for us to be physically present with our children all the time. But when you are with them, be really present.
By being distracted all the time you are telling them they are not important and you are missing precious moments you may never get a chance to experience again. Being present helps us to tune in and feel connected. It also eliminates some of the guilt we feel as mothers.
Time to reflect…
We seem to have forgotten how to log off, take our child’s hand and go for a walk to refresh our minds.
Children don’t play in the same way anymore and it’s affecting their brains and resilience.
Creative play is an essential part of child development.
Through regular mindfulness, children learn resilience, to calm their minds, feel more connected and to play again, in the present moment.”
Find your mindful moment today ….
– Read your child a fairy tale
– Unplug play and be present with your kids
– Eat healthy food together as a family
– Get outside and climb a tree
– Go for a mindful bush walk
