Supporting our emotional well-being, and that of our children, is going to be very important at this time, where so many of the regular routines and important social interactions have been disrupted.

Mindfulness can be defined as “the awareness that arises from paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally”. The benefits of practising mindfulness regularly have been well documented in terms of positive impact on physical and mental health.

If mindfulness is practised regularly it is a bit like physical exercise. Our bodies get used to it, become better at it and it gradually begins to have a greater positive effect on our physical and mental health.

We have been instructed by the government that it is beneficial to continue to exercise (only with those people with whom we live) and to make sensible use of the outdoors. If you are walking outside with your children, actively encouraging them to engage with their senses will help them to focus in the present moment. Encourage them to identify 5 things that they can hear, 5 things that they can see, possibly a couple of things that they can smell and 5 different textures that they can touch.