We all want our children to be healthy and happy. We go to great lengths; we work long hours and make all kinds of sacrifices just to ensure that our children will be better off than we were as children. In the times in which we are living, some of the entertainment technologies that have filled up some of the empty spaces in our lives are now starting to backfire on us- or more specifically our children. TV seems such a benign activity, yet in an article called How TV Affects Your Child, found in www.Kidshealth.org, and reviewed by Steve Dowshen, MD, Mary L. Gavin, MD, it is pointed out that "Research has shown that children who consistently spend more than 4 hours per day watching TV are more likely to be overweight. Kids who view violent events, such as kidnapping or murder, are also more likely to believe that the world is scary and that something bad will happen to them." With research findings such as this coming to the surface, many parents must ask themselves what benefits does TV have and is it really worth it?

Dennis Cauchon writes in USA TODAY that our children live practically as though they are under house arrest as "Childhood pastimes are increasingly moving indoors," and... "Bike riding alone is down 31% since 1995." To add insult to injury, there are now studies that definitely link children who watch TV with (ADD/ADHD) Attention Deficit Disorders! Getting the news that your child has an Attention Deficit Disorder, whether with Hyperactivity or without that symptom accompanying it, can be disconcerting and overwhelming. In one of Espirits most recent articles, TV and Children with ADHD, we discussed this research and suggested helping your child develop an interest in reading as just one way of solving the quandary of finding an interest that might be both exciting as well as edifying. In the days following the release of that article however, we received queries from parents not about how to come up with alternative pastimes for their children, but about how to actually help alleviate or lessen the symptoms of ADD/ADHD.

In the spirit of always expanding our reader's knowledge base, Espirits discovered a wonderful bit of research. Linda J. Harrison, Ramesh Manocha, and Katya Rubia wrote an article in the Clinical Child Psychology Psychiatry, October 2004; vol. 9, called Sahaja Yoga Meditation as a Family Treatment Programme for Children with Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder. Their article dealt with meditation and involved the entire family unit. The children involved were diagnosed with ADHD and along with their parents "participated in a 6-week programme of twice-weekly clinic sessions and regular meditation at home. Pre- and post-treatment assessments included parent ratings of children's ADHD symptoms, self-esteem and child–parent relationship quality." First, Espirits was thrilled to find that there were entire families willing to join in with their children's therapy. Often children with ADHD or any disorder that makes them different from others only serves to create an even greater divide between them and their peers causing problematic behaviors and depression. Though most of us want our children to feel like unique individuals, when that which makes you unique causes you to fall behind in school, or not be able to read a paragraph without retaining its meaning, being different doesn't feel so good and can affect how you see yourself even into your adult years.

Meditation on its own merits is a wonderful tool that affects us in a positive manner on so many levels. It has been known to reduce high blood pressure, assuage the symptoms of asthma, help those suffering with diabetes lessen their symptoms and alleviate or lessen a host of other health related ailments. According to Herbert Benson's latest book, Relaxation Revolution, he says that his research shows that breathing in a relaxed manner can even change the expression of genes by altering the activity of the cells using your mind! "Here you can use the mind to change the body, and the genes we're changing were the very genes acting in an opposite fashion when people are under stress." In other words, when you are stressed, your body is releasing all sorts of chemicals and hormones that are toxic to your well being. When you breathe in a relaxed manner, your body releases chemicals and hormones that offset the damage done by those that were compromising your system. So it wasn't just the children in the families that were benefiting! However, getting back to the research, Linda J. Harrison, Ramesh Manocha, and Katya Rubia reported that the results ..." showed improvements in children's ADHD behaviour, self-esteem and relationship quality. Children described benefits at home (better sleep patterns, less anxiety) and at school (more able to concentrate, less conflict). Parents reported feeling happier, less stressed and more able to manage their child's behavior."

What all of this means is that there is always help, and there are always reasons to be hopeful. Parents have to decide how to handle their families lives and the challenges that they face. Obviously there are many parents that will choose to continue to allow their children to watch TV because trying to change the 'old routine' is just too difficult. These parents may and probably will opt to use prescription drugs to manage their children's symptoms. There is no negative judgment in this choice, but Espirits just wants you to know, that if you are looking for alternatives, they are out there!

Copyright Donya Ture'