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Local Doctor Says Meditation For Kids Is Smart Medicine

An ancient spiritual practice — meditation has amazing physical and mental benefits. It's an activity we typically think of it as something adults do.

However, medical professionals on the First Coast say teaching meditation to your children can be a profound way of passing these benefits on to the next generation. 

First Coast Connect spoke with Dr. Michael De La Hunt, Chief of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry for Wolfson Children’s Hospital and Nemours Children’s Clinic.

He's part of "A Conference on Meditation with Children: The Mind-Body Spirit Connection," an upcoming local event.

"Children today are more stressed than ever," says De La Hunt. "They have enormous pressure in school, and also socially. And they're constantly in front of screen media.  This is a way to encourage them to unplug, slow down, and center themselves."

The event is set for Monday, September 30 at 8am at the Schultz Center for Teaching and Leadership.

Melissa Ross joined WJCT in 2009 with 20 years of experience in broadcasting, including stints in Cincinnati, Chicago, Orlando and Jacksonville. During her career as a television and radio news anchor and reporter, Melissa has won four regional Emmys for news and feature reporting.