25: Stress and the Negative Impact it Can Have on a Child's Brain with Emily Fletcher

On this week's episode of Soaring Child, we take a look at the role stress can play on a child's developing brain and behavior. Our guest is Emily Fletcher, the founder of Ziva, the first meditation course for kids aged 4 to 14, and author of the bestseller, Stressless. When the body reacts to stress, it's flooded with the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol, which are acidic in nature and can lead to inflammation in the body. One of the best ways to reduce stress in your child's brain is through meditation, which can reduce inflammation. Since the prefrontal cortex is not totally developed in a child's brain, parents need to act as that prefrontal cortex for their kids. This means that parents themselves need to bring down their own stress levels because kids are so permeable and can pick up the stress of their parents. If a child is watching his or her parents meditate every day, they see the behavioral changes in their parents and want to protect that time for their parents. Breathwork is also extremely important in lowering stress levels, and when we teach kids to do "belly balloon breathing," we're strengthening the connection between the gut and the brain and lowering stress at the same time. Fifteen minutes of meditation can give you the equivalent of an hour and a half worth of sleep. Meditation can be a lifelong tool to destress your mind and body. If you can give your child this skill early on, they will have it their whole life.   Key Takeaways: [3:54] How stress causes inflammation in our bodies [07:37] The gut brain connection that meditation can improve [12:37] How the Ziva program was created [17:36] How physical and emotional detox occurs during meditation [19:18] Why kids are happy when their parents meditate [23:28] How sleep, anxiety and depression improve through meditation [25:32] Why starting meditation as a child is so important [31:43] How to convince your kids to try the Ziva program   How To Connect With Emily Fletcher: https://www.zivameditation.com Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCxjaQh4v8HqoQ7BvlmsDFw Instagram: @zivameditation Facebook: Ziva Community - All Welcome   Memorable Quotes:  "What most parents don't realize is that stress is a big driver for inflammation in our kid's body and brain and their behavior is affected and they really need to learn different practices to be able to help." "I work with kids with ADHD. I know that stress is a huge component of it, and I know that meditation works." "We're swimming in a stressy world. So we're going to help kids unlock those superpowers that are already inside of them." "One of the magical things about Ziva is that we're not just healing the stress from today. We're actually healing all of the accumulated stress from our past. And when we do that, there is a catharsis that can happen." "Kids are in an alpha theta state of consciousness until they're eight years old. And there's a big shift that happens around seven to eight years old. And so if you can teach your child to meditate before then, they get to keep that connection." "The sooner you can start the better. It's like learning a language in a way. When you learn as a child, it's a lot easier than when you're an adult."   Dana Kay Resources:  Website - https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/adhdthriveinstitute  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/adhdthriveinstitute/  YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/ADHDThriveInstitute  LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/74302454/  Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/adhdthriveinstitute/ Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@adhd_thriveinstitute     International Best Selling Book, Thriving with ADHD - https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/book/    Free Reduce ADHD Symptoms Naturally Masterclass – https://bit.ly/3GAbFQl     ADHD Parenting Course – https://info.adhdthriveinstitute.com/parentingadhd   ADHD Thrive Method 4 Kids Program - https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/packages/