Great habits from the start!
By Lee-Anne Peters
Do you have trouble getting your children to relax and drift off to sleep? Is this time of the day a total drama with constant calling out, the want of drinks or the bathroom?
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| A peaceful journey to dreamland! |
My children love using their imagination and relaxing before drifting to dreamland, so I worked out a way to nurture this. I guide them on a short journey to meet an animal or their favourite toy - which then comes to life!
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| Imagining Lego World... |
Imagine your son – who adores Lego, being told a little quiet story about visiting a Lego world! Or your daughter who loves ponies, going to meet one and maybe take a magical ride! Children love this and before too long it becomes a regular request.
I feel that we, as parents, are teachers for our children. We are their role models and I feel it is important to be a living example for our children. Teaching and helping them get in touch with their feelings and to access their imagination is important so they don’t feel so alone! Did you feel alone as a child? What things do you feel made you feel that way and is there anything you can do now to help your children?
Here is a meditation I share with my children and some child clients I work with to help them relax and stretch their imagination, please use or modify to suit your needs and the age of your children.
Meditation for children at bedtime| Meet the Rabbit!
(In a calm and gentle voice say) Relax your body and think about your breathing... breathing IN through your nose and OUT through your mouth... nice and slowly.
Let’s think about relaxing your body now... think about your feet and legs - squeeze those muscles together, and then relax them... squeeze your tummy gently and now relax and soften it... tighten the muscles of your arms and hands... and now relax them and let the muscles go.... now the muscles around your face... your lips squeeze them tight, and now relax them... your cheeks squeeze them and relax... your eyes and eyebrows, squeeze these muscles and relax them now...
Your whole body is feeling nice and relaxed...
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| Meet the rabbit... |
Out of the corner of your eye you see something moving... you look around, and down on the nice green grass is a fluffy rabbit. You smile and crouch down to look at it... the bunny comes up to your hand and sniffs it, and then the bunny smiles at you. You are both safe and happy to see each other...
Imagine that you are walking down a path... you go around a corner, and down to a special magic tree that is sitting in the middle of a green grassy field. Make this tree into any form or shape that you want with your imagination... it is a very special tree... it is YOUR very special tree!
You spend some time at your tree, noticing any leaves on it, any bark or little insects.... (wait a few seconds)
You ask the rabbit to help you with anything in your life that you are worried about, anything at all that you want help with, please ask the rabbit. It is here to listen to you and help you at this time... your rabbit listens to everything you have to say..... (wait a few seconds)
The rabbit asks you to follow it for an adventure... you agree, and leave your special tree and follow the rabbit into the forest... let the rabbit take you where you need to go in your dreams... have a wonderful sleep... you will wake up in the morning feeling nice and relaxed with nothing at all to worry about...
This above meditation is available in MP3 HERE
Setting up great relaxation habits for our children is likely to overflow into their adulthood, with less stress, and more peace of mind and ease in their life.
Lee-Anne Peters is an author, artist, mentor, speaker and radio host. Lee-Anne works with people of all ages from around the world on a daily basis. Learn more about Lee-Anne’s work at www.templeofbalance.com
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