Page 73 - Petelin, Ana, et al. Eds. 2019. Zdravje otrok in mladostnikov / Health of Children and Adolescents. Zbornik povzetkov z recenzijo / Book of Abstracts. Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem/University of Primorska Press
P. 73
dfulness as a means of stress reduction for children psihosocialno zdravje v otroštvu in v mladosti | psychosocial health in childhood and youth
with special needs
Polona Mitar
Elementary School 27. julij, Kamnik, Tomšičeva ulica 9, 1241 Kamnik, Slovenia
Not only adults but also children and teenagers, especially children with special
needs suffer from stress. Aim of the summary is to show, that the development
of mindfulness is important for children with special needs. We cannot escape
stressors, but we can recognize them and try to reduce stress. On the basis of
professional literature and own mindfulness practice, I prepared for children
with special needs several simple mindfulness exercises (5–10 minutes): Drag-
on׳s breathing, Mindful watching, Mindfulness 5-4-3-2-1, Mindful eating, The
glass of gratitude and List of five strengths. I did exercise with a child individual-
ly, at the beginning of the lessons. 14 children were included, in the age from 10
to 14. Some benefits (higher levels of calmness, attention, concentration, and
gratitude) can be discerned soon. Children showed curiosity and interest in ad-
ditional exercises of mindfulness. Some positive effects of mindfulness were
discerned early (after 2 months of practice). So I mean, that it is necessary to
incorporate and develop exercises of mindfulness in educational work. Profes-
sionals of American programme for Mindfulness in schools (MindUp) empha-
size, that it is useful to set aside five minutes twice a day that children can de-
velop stronger resilience against stressors, reduce levels of stress and achieve
higher levels of satisfaction with life.
Keywords: mindfulness, stress, children with special needs, benefits
of mindfulness
71
with special needs
Polona Mitar
Elementary School 27. julij, Kamnik, Tomšičeva ulica 9, 1241 Kamnik, Slovenia
Not only adults but also children and teenagers, especially children with special
needs suffer from stress. Aim of the summary is to show, that the development
of mindfulness is important for children with special needs. We cannot escape
stressors, but we can recognize them and try to reduce stress. On the basis of
professional literature and own mindfulness practice, I prepared for children
with special needs several simple mindfulness exercises (5–10 minutes): Drag-
on׳s breathing, Mindful watching, Mindfulness 5-4-3-2-1, Mindful eating, The
glass of gratitude and List of five strengths. I did exercise with a child individual-
ly, at the beginning of the lessons. 14 children were included, in the age from 10
to 14. Some benefits (higher levels of calmness, attention, concentration, and
gratitude) can be discerned soon. Children showed curiosity and interest in ad-
ditional exercises of mindfulness. Some positive effects of mindfulness were
discerned early (after 2 months of practice). So I mean, that it is necessary to
incorporate and develop exercises of mindfulness in educational work. Profes-
sionals of American programme for Mindfulness in schools (MindUp) empha-
size, that it is useful to set aside five minutes twice a day that children can de-
velop stronger resilience against stressors, reduce levels of stress and achieve
higher levels of satisfaction with life.
Keywords: mindfulness, stress, children with special needs, benefits
of mindfulness
71
