Research shows that 30% of girls and 20% of boys aged 12 to 17 have suffered from an anxiety disorder. Millions of children suffer from stress completely being unaware. It’s not always easy for parents to recognize if their kids have stress, but few behavioural changes — such as mood swings, aggression, changes in sleep patterns, or bedwetting — can be indications.

Our ancient wisdom may hold an effective key to proactively deal with this stress. Many parents are resorting to meditation and mantra chanting to help their children deal with stress. The children may start with simple mantra chanting and slowly progress towards meditation.

What is mantras ?

A mantra is a sound, word, or sentence used in repetition that aids in concentration or meditation. It is believed that mantra lulls the overactive mind, and helps the user focus on one particular chosen thought or idea at a time. Mantras can be practiced through chanting aloud, mental practice, or by listening

Benefits of Mantra:

Helps children focus: with over exposure to technology, the span of attention amongst children has reduced as less as 2 mins. Mantra chanting help them to focus on each word, its sound and sequence.

De stresses : there are increasing evidences that chanting mantra can help children relax and move their attention away from the stressful situation

Clears diction : the sound vibration and pronunciation works on the child’s diction aiding  clarity and pitch to the quality of speech.

Beginners Mantras for kids: chanting of following mantras are believed to have positive and calming effect on children and can be considered as a good beginning

• Shanti Mantra

• ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदम् पूर्णात् पूर्णमुदच्यते |
  पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ||
  ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ||

Oṃ pūrṇamadaḥ pūrṇamidam pūrṇāt pūrṇamudacyate
pūrṇasya pūrṇamādāya pūrṇamevāvaśiṣyate
oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ

Om! That is infinite (Man), and this (universe) is infinite.
The infinite proceeds from the infinite.
(Then) taking the infinitude of the infinite (universe),
It remains as the infinite (Brahman) alone.
Om! Peace! Peace! Peace!

• ॐ सह नाववतु |
  सह नौ भुनक्तु |
  सह वीर्यं करवावहै |
  तेजस्विनावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै॥
  ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः॥

Oṃ saha nāv avatu
saha nau bhunaktu
saha vīryaṃ karavāvahai
tejasvi nāv adhītam astu
mā vidviṣāvahai |
Om śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ ||

Om! May God protect us both together; may God nourish us both together;
May we work conjointly with great energy,
May our study be vigorous and effective;
May we not mutually dispute (or may we not hate any).
Om! Let there be peace in me!
Let there be peace in my environment!
Let there be peace in the forces that act on me! 

• Gayatri Mantra

ॐ भूर् भुवः स्वः ।

तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं

भर्गो॑ देवस्य धीमहि ।

धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात् ॥

oṃ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ

tat savitur vareṇyaṃ

bhargo devasya dhīmahi

dhiyo yo naḥ prachodayāt

We meditate on the glory of that Being who has produced this universe; may He enlighten our minds

• Mahamritunjya Mantra

ॐ त्र्य॑म्बकं यजामहे सु॒गन्धिं॑ पुष्टि॒वर्ध॑नम् ।
उ॒र्वा॒रु॒कमि॑व॒ बन्ध॑नान् मृ॒त्योर्मुक्षीय॒ मा ऽमृता॑त् ।

oṃ tryambakaṃ yajāmahe sugandhiṃ puṣṭi-vardhanam
urvārukam iva bandhanān mṛtyor mukṣīya mā ‘mṛtāt

We worship the three-eyed One, who is fragrant and who nourishes all.
Like the fruit falls off from the bondage of the stem, may we be liberated from death, from mortality.