5 Ways to Nurture your Child's Intuition
Today people are more accepting of the role intuition has to play in guiding us through life effectively. Gone are the days when rationale took centre stage; intuition has had a much-needed resurgence, and as with many aspects of life, the sooner you embrace it, the more smoothly life unfolds.
As a parent who understands the necessity of using your innate senses to navigate life, you may be looking for ways to nurture your child’s intuition. Our practical tips on developing children’s intuition should give you just the head start you need...
Why is intuition important?
Well, for one thing, intuition lends another dimension to the more rigid faculties of logic and rationale, although those have their place in discernment and decision-making. Intuition is a valuable life skill that encourages us to be in touch with our emotions and their teachings.
Nurturing children’s intuition teaches them to think for themselves rather than depending on learned responses, and to rely on their personal inner guidance. They will then trust both heart and head to make decisions and solve problems... and by listening to their feelings, they develop a keen sense of what is right and wrong.
Practical ways to nurture your child’s intuition
1. Explain how you interpret your own intuitive responses
Talk to your child about how you use your feelings and imagination to make healthy decisions. For example, how your body reacts when something feels right or wrong. When it feels right, we feel good and happy – usually a sense of warmth in the chest area. When it feels wrong we contract, with a sense of dread or discomfort in the stomach or chest. Ask them to think of situations when they felt these sensations.
2. Honour their feelings and show them how to do the same
When your child is sad, angry or experiencing any difficult emotion, let them know that you understand and accept that they feel this, rather than trying to make them feel better. Ask them how they feel and why, then let them know it’s OK to feel these things. Ask them what they think their emotions are telling them and validate their conclusions.
3. Practice whole body listening with them
Help them learn to listen with the whole body rather than just the ears. Go out in nature and encourage them to notice the way the breeze feels on their skin, and to focus on how different colours and textures make them feel. Encourage them to stay silent while they do so, and focus on the sensations they get. This way they can familiarise with the practice of mindfulness.
4. Do creative activities, yoga and breath work together
Encourage them to do creative activities like artwork, so that they can express their imagination
and feelings on paper. This helps with visualisation, which is an important part of intuition. Creative visualisation uses imagination to create what you want in your life, and this is a valuable tool for children too.
Likewise, doing simple yoga moves with them can encourage inner stillness, focus and body awareness. Breath work has a similar effect on intuition, by calming the mind and body and placing focus on sensations that arise. This helps them to get more in touch with intuitive feelings and inner knowing.
5. Play hypothetical scenario games
Games can be a fun way to get your child to attune to his or her feelings. Playing a game like ‘would you rather’ is a fun way to get them to understand their desires. For example, “Would you rather dance or sing?”
Ask them why they chose what they did, and what feelings those concepts bring up. This enforces the belief that feelings and inner impulses can teach them important things about themselves, as well as which decisions are right for them.
Ultimately, nurturing your child’s intuition will give them valuable life skills to help them avoid pointless mistakes and attract the right people and situations into their lives. You’ll also relate better to your child and have a much deeper and authentic relationship with them. It’s a win-win for both of you!