Neuroscientists have identified a "negativity bias," our brains' tendency to focus on the negative. It keeps us rehashing over and over again and turning normal, every day experiences into negative ones - seeing the glass 'half empty.' This can lead to anxiety and depression.

Meditation gives our brains a chance to release stress, focus on the positive, and practice healthy thought patterns which all counteract this negativity bias. Meditation gives us a chance to be in the here and now, appreciating the small things that make life good. Meditation is a kind of a 'reset' button for our busy lives, bringing us back to ourselves and re-centering emotionally and mentally.

Children and teens have the same stress, anxiety, and even depression that adults do but they lack the experience and skills that come with age. MindPlusMe was developed specifically for children and teens. Many times they don't even know what they are feeling, or why they are upset or misbehaving. This confusion is frightening and leads to more anxiety.

Preparation for using MindPlusMe is simple. Before playing the meditation, have your child get comfortable in a quiet place. Make sure he won't be disturbed for the duration of the meditation. Bedtime is a great time for meditating, but any quiet time will work. Lying down is preferred, but not required. Eliminate as much background noise (such as TV, music, loud voices etc.) as possible. Encourage your child to be as still as possible and pay attention to what they hear. If she falls asleep before the meditation is over, don't stop it. Allow the meditation to continue until the end. MindPlusMe can be utilized as often as you'd like. The more your child meditates, the better he will become!

MindPlusMe uniquely builds confidence, teaches coping skills, and fosters self-worth. Confidence grows through doing something new and mastering it! Our meditations teach children and teens to claim power over their emotions and the direction their lives are going. Consistent use of MindPlusMe meditations provides regular practice for healthy thought patterns, making positive healthy thoughts a habit. Our meditations also teach skills specific to the problems kids face.

We are two moms with young children and teenagers. Recently our families were introduced to meditation. As we learned the discipline and pleasure of this activity we saw the benefits. Our children's anxiety decreased along with the bad habits that were a result.

Lesli's 10-year-old son stopped biting his nails. As we realized the positive effect that meditation was having in our lives, we broadened the use of meditation. We began encouraging our kids to meditate at bedtime in order to transition more smoothly from an active day into a calm evening so they could fall asleep easily.

Suzanne's frightened and nervous 9-year-old daughter now falls asleep independently and peacefully each night. The value of bedtime became apparent to us: children are a captive audience and with the right guidance can learn important concepts and engender peaceful thoughts. We saw empowered peace replace the frightened thoughts and anxiety. It then became natural for us to share this powerful principle with other parents and children.

We believe in the strength and self-esteem that young people gain as they conquer their fears, believe in their worth, and manage their stress independently. They achieve a sense that they can face challenge with confidence because their core skill set is a dependable foundation on which to build a successful life.