The art of patience: nurturing mindfulness in children

Collaborative Post | With everything involved in daily life, practicing patience can be challenging for adults and children alike. As a parent or caregiver, nurturing mindfulness and patience in children is an invaluable gift. With some guidance and consistent role modelling, you can teach children the art of patience, setting them up for success in life.

Photo by Artem Kniaz on Unsplash

The benefits of patience

Cultivating patience in children has many benefits. Children who learn patience are better able to:

• Delay gratification and work towards long-term goals
• Manage stress and regulate their emotions
• Get along well with others and resolve conflicts peacefully
• Accept mistakes and setbacks as learning experiences
• Focus their attention and concentrate on tasks

Patience allows children to slow down, become more thoughtful, and make wise choices. This serves them well academically, socially, and emotionally.

Set a patient example

Children learn best by observing patient role models. When you exemplify patience in your own life, you demonstrate how powerful this virtue can be. Model patience in the following ways:

• Remain calm when you are stuck in traffic or faced with delays
• Listen attentively when your child speaks to you
• Allow your child time to get ready in the morning without rushing
• Let your child struggle through a challenging task before jumping in to help

Acknowledge when you become impatient and apologise for it. This shows your child that patience is an ongoing practice. You can also point to role models in your community demonstrating patience, like teachers, coaches, and carers providing fostering in Durham.

Teach coping skills

Equip children with strategies to practice patience in frustrating moments. Help them use coping skills like:

• Taking deep breaths to reset their nervous system
• Counting slowly to ten before reacting
• Going for a walk or run to expend energy
• Talking through their feelings instead of lashing out

Use a calm tone of voice and get on your child's eye level when they are upset. Guide them to use these coping methods to de-escalate.

Set up waiting games

Turn waiting into a game. For example, when you are in line at the shop, see who can stand still the longest. Find patterns on the floor or count ceiling tiles together. Bring a colouring book or read a story aloud. Reframing waiting as play makes it more enjoyable.
Use TimersTimers help children visualise time passing as they wait for something. Set a timer for 5 or 10 minutes and have your child do an activity until it goes off, signalling that their wait is over. Start with short time frames and gradually increase the waiting duration.

Offer choices

Giving children a sense of control reduces impatience. Provide options like, “Would you like to brush your teeth before or after putting on pyjamas?” Respect their autonomy in simple choices

Acknowledge progress

Note small moments when you observe your child demonstrating patience. Praise them for waiting their turn calmly or persisting through a tough homework assignment. Recognition motivates them to repeat these behaviours.

Modelling patience yourself and guiding your child to use coping strategies lays the groundwork. But real life offers endless opportunities to practice! Daily activities like food shopping, sitting in a car, and playing with siblings allow children to keep strengthening their patience. With your support, they will learn to handle life’s frustrations and delays.


Disclaimer: this is a collaborative post.