Bedtime Lovingkindness For Children - Extended Version

This bedtime lovingkindness (metta) practice cultivates a sense of warmth, connection, and calm that supports peaceful sleep and helps ease children's anxiety and nighttime fears. It is an expanded version of my shorter Bedtime Lovingkindness Meditation for Children. Like the shorter meditation, it guides children through sending warm wishes of peace, safety, and happiness outward in widening circles, beginning with themselves, then a beloved friend, then a child they don't know well. The difference is that before sending kind wishes to all children everywhere, they send them to a child they find difficult.

This meditation introduces the idea that even those we find difficult share our common experience of fear and the wish to feel safe—a powerful seed of empathy and understanding. It is best introduced after children are comfortable with the shorter meditation. If they don’t feel ready to send kind wishes to someone they find hard to get along with, stay with the shorter version.

Transcript

Welcome to this meditation for peaceful sleep. Let's start by getting really comfortable in your bed. Snuggling under your covers. And closing your eyes, If that feels okay to you. Then take a slow, Deep breath in, Filling up like a balloon. And breathing out slowly. Let your body feel heavy and relaxed. Almost like it's a sandbag filled with heavy sand. Sinking down into your comfortable mattress. And thinking about how good it feels to be cozy and safe in your bed tonight. You are safe. You are loved. Now, In your heart, Say these kind wishes for yourself. You might rest a hand over your heart. May I sleep peacefully tonight. May I feel safe. May I wake up happy in the morning. Now take a gentle breath in and out. And now think of someone you love. Maybe a friend. A brother or sister? Someone in your family. Picture their face. Just like you, They sleep in a bed. And they have dreams. So now sending them these kind wishes from your heart. Seeing their face smiling back at you as you wished them well. May you sleep peacefully tonight. May you feel safe. May you wake up happy in the morning. And taking another gentle breath. Letting go of the image of this person. And now thinking of a child you know. Maybe someone from school or your neighborhood. Someone you don't know very well yet. I'm picturing them in their bed right now, Just like you. And sending them these kind wishes too. May you sleep peacefully tonight. May you feel safe. May you wake up happy in the morning. Taking one more gentle, Nice, Slow breath. Letting go of the picture of this person. And now, Thinking of someone you find it hard to get along with. This might feel a little harder. That's okay. Even children who are sometimes unkind feel afraid sometimes. Even they have bad dreams and fears. Even they lie in their bed at night, Wanting to feel safe. And seeing if you can send them these same kind wishes, Just for tonight. May you sleep peacefully tonight. May you feel safe. May you wake up happy in the morning. You don't have to be best friends. You just have to remember that, Just like you, They are a child who sometimes has nightmares and has fears. All the feelings you have. Taking a gentle breath. And letting that feeling settle in your heart. And now letting your kind wishes grow bigger and bigger. Like a warm glowing light spreading out from your heart. Reaching all the children in your town. In your country. All around the world. Every child, In every bed, In every home, Even the ones who are sometimes unkind. Even the ones who are afraid tonight. And wishing for all children, May we all sleep peacefully tonight. May we all feel safe. May we all wake up happy in the morning. Doesn't it feel good to send these kind wishes to others? Letting that warm feeling stay in your heart as you drift off to sleep. Sweet dreams. Goodnight.