The document discusses the importance of mindfulness and calmness for healthy functioning. It states that mindfulness practices aimed at achieving calmness should be incorporated into daily life. It also discusses how mindfulness can aid children's development by helping them regulate behaviors and emotions. Mindfulness activities that involve co-regulation, such as reading together or enjoying meals as a family, are recommended both at home and in school settings to help children build attachment skills and self-regulation abilities.

1. Mindfulness
attention,
attunement,
Attachment,
achievement
(applied
Attachment
Theory)
Devon
Wolfe

2. The
mind
is
the
body.
• Calmness
is
key
to
enhancing
all
functions
of
the
body:
sensory,
chemical,
visceral,
hormonal,
social,
physical,
&
cognitive.
• We
can
say
that
the
“end”
goal
of
calmness
is
healthy
functioning
for
maximized
potential.
• So
beginning
with
this
“end”
in
mind
–
practices
in
our
daily
lives
should
include
activities
like
Mindfulness
aimed
at
calmness.
• Often
our
daily
practices
aim
only
to;
keep
a
tight
schedule,
complete
a
list
of
chores,
&
put
in
a
full
day’s
work
–
with
little
to
no
concern
for
our
own
health.
• Yet
we
are
all
well
aware
of
stress-­‐related
medical
conditions
and
current
high
rates
of
relationship
breakdown
even
when
there
are
sufficient
financial
and
material
resources.

3. For a developing
child:
The
mind
is
more
than
the
body.
The
mind
is
the
body
engaged
in
activities.
Activities
of
attention,
attunement,
Attachment
&
achievement.

4. Self-­‐regulation
begins
as
co-­‐regulation
Dysregulated
Behavior
• Child
uses
extremes
of
hyper
or
hypo
styles
of
interacting
and
behaving
• Child
is
almost
always
irritable,
easily
upset,
easily
provoked,
mad,
ruminating
or
worried
• Child
turtles,
hides,
whines,
clings,
wants
to
sleep
or
curl
up
in
a
fetal
position
Regulation
through
Attachment
• Child
is
missing
feelings
of
co-­‐
regulation
necessary
to
manage
feelings
of
alarm
• Child
is
missing
feelings
of
safety
in
attunement
to
frame
and
solve
multiple
frustrations
• Child
is
missing
feelings
of
being
grounded
and
centered
as
the
result
of
Attachment
(Ainsworth,
1978;
Bowlby,
1969)

5. Mindfulness
with
children
is
co-­‐regulation
At
home
• Reading
together,
cuddling
• Enjoying
dinner
together
without
rushing
• Singing,
playing
musical
instruments
together
• Examining
clouds,
stars,
birds
or
works
of
art
• Not
movies,
sleeping,
or
games
–
these
are
too
stimulating
to
be
truly
calming
or
mindful
At
school
• Reading
to
children
• Belly
Breathing
https://
www.youtube.com/
watch?v=kzRg3vPJ5Fc
• Mindfulness
https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=FUJs0fXTWTE
• Meditation
with
children
(Snel,
2013)

6. References
• Ainsworth,
M.D.,
Blehar,
M.C.,
Waters,
E.
&
Wall,
S.N.
(1978).
Patterns
of
attachment:
A
psychological
study
of
the
strange
situation.
UK:
Psychological
Press.
• Bowlby,
J.
(1969).
Attachment
and
loss
vol.
1.
London:
Plimico.
• Kabat-­‐Zinn,
J.
(1990).
Full
catastrophe
living:
Using
the
wisdom
of
your
body
and
mind
to
face
stress,
pain,
and
illness.
New
York:
Bantam
Books
eBook
Edition.
• Snel,
E.
(2013).
Sitting
still
like
a
frog:
Mindfulness
exercises
for
kids
(and
their
parents)[Digital
book]
.
Boston:
Shambhala
Publications
Inc.