Windows to the Heart: Parents and Parenting
By Neve Spicer.
Children who are classified as 2E, or twice exceptional, have a unique relationship with education; though they are intellectually gifted students with the potential to be high achievers, they also face limitations due to developmental and/or learning differences. This dichotomy can be challenging for both students and teachers to manage, and feelings of stress, frustration, and anxiety can be common.
As a proven tool for reducing stress and anxiety, meditation shows significant potential for addressing the unique stressors faced by 2E children. Meditating is scientifically linked with improvements in school anxiety, self esteem, and coping ability, and has been directly correlated with symptom improvements in children with ADHD.
It's a great time to celebrate all that meditation has on offer for children and adults alike, as 21 May marks World Meditation Day. Sponsored by the UK-based meditation educators at Beeja, the awareness day is all about sharing the benefits of meditation with others and taking special time to be mindful and meditative.
Some highlights:
Self esteem boosts: A study on the introduction of meditation education to Catholic schools in Melbourne led proctors to discover that student participants improved their sense of self through their involvement in the program. [1]
Less stress at school: As meditation is near-universally correlated with relief from stress and anxiety, a meta-analysis of the potential benefits of meditation education has identified the practice as a valuable tool in reducing feelings of stress and anxiety in the classroom. [2]
Emotional self-regulation: The mindfulness associated with meditation is a helpful tool in the calm, rational processing of emotions; as such, a meta-analysis addressing the potential benefits of meditation as a behavioral and health intervention in the classroom identified the practice as an ideal tool for improving self-regulation of heightened emotional states. [3]
To learn more about World Meditation Day and meditation education, visit Beeja Meditation online.
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Neve Spicer is the founder and editor of We The Parents, a warm and relatable parenting guide based on strong scientific evidence. Previously a primary teacher and mental health professional, she advocates for mental well-being both for children and parents.