Teaching Kids to Understand Their Energy

The Greatest Gift We Can Give: Teaching Kids to Understand Energy

I wish so dearly I knew then what I know now. Not because I think I did it wrong—but because I see how much easier it could have been for all of us.

If I could go back and place one gift into my children’s hands—one gift that would keep giving long after bedtime stories and scraped knees—it would be this: the ability to understand energy.  Not in a “you have to believe this” way. In a simple, steady way that helps a child trust what they feel inside their own body.

When a child understands energy, they don’t have to second-guess their inner world. They learn that the tight feeling in the tummy, the sudden buzzy restlessness, or the heavy feeling in a room isn’t “being dramatic.” It’s information. It’s an inner signal. And once a child can name that signal, they can work with it—gently, naturally, and without fear.

Why energy-awareness is such a powerful gift

When we teach children to recognize energy, we’re teaching them to recognize themselves, and we are offering them a language for experiences that are real, but often invisible:

• “My tummy feels weird.”

• “That room feels yucky.”

• “I don’t like that.”

• “I feel buzzy.”

Those sentences are gold. They’re evidence of a child’s natural wisdom. And when we meet those moments with respect instead of dismissal, a child learns something life-changing:

My inner signal matters.

That one belief becomes a foundation for so much:

• Self-trust (I can listen to myself.)

• Emotional regulation (I can settle my body.)

• Boundaries (I can notice what feels safe and what doesn’t.)

• Discernment (I can feel what’s aligned for me.)

• Confidence (I can navigate the world without losing myself in it.)

This is how we raise children who don’t abandon their knowing because children already speak the language of energy. 

Kids live in sensation. They are built for it.

They may not say “energy,” but they’ll tell you in a hundred small ways:

• They get quiet around certain people.

• They become wild and scattered in certain environments.

• They melt down after school, even when “nothing happened.”

• They cling, resist, withdraw, or suddenly act out.

A child’s behavior is often a report. Not a problem. When we teach energy-awareness, we’re simply translating what they already know into words they can use. We’re giving them a flashlight in their own inner world. And here’s the part that matters: when a child can name what they’re feeling, they’re far less likely to be afraid of it.n

A gentle way to explain “energy” to a child- you can keep it very simple: “Energy is the feeling you get inside your body. Sometimes it feels light and open. Sometimes it feels tight or heavy. Your body gives you signals so you can understand what you need.” Or, and I love this: “Energy is like a weather report inside you. Your body is telling you what it notices—so we can take good care of you.” You don’t need to make it mystical. You’re not convincing them of anything. You’re giving them a practical framework for what they already experience.

What to say when your child shares a “signal”

When your child says, “My tummy feels weird,” try: 

• Name it as information: “Thank you for telling me. That’s your inner signal.”
• Validate the experience: “That feeling is real. Your body is smart.”
• Offer choice and a tool:“Let’s listen together. Do you need space, water, a hug, or a breath?”

This is where the magic happens—because you’re teaching them: that signals aren’t scary, shameful, and signals can be worked with. And then you can add a sentence that becomes a lifelong anchor, like:  “Your light is safe.”

Three “energy skills” kids can learn early

1) Noticing

This is the skill of sensing what’s happening in their body before it becomes a meltdown.

Try asking:

• “Where do you feel it?”

• “Is it tight, buzzy, heavy, or wiggly?”

• “Is it big or small?”

• “Does it feel fast or slow?”

Kids usually answer easily when we keep it playful.

2) Naming

Give them a simple vocabulary. You can even make it a family “energy dictionary”:

• Light / heavy

• Open / tight

• Calm / buzzy

• Warm / cold

• Smooth / scratchy

• Safe / not-safe

Naming is empowering. It turns confusion into clarity.

3) Shifting

This is the part parents love—because it gives kids something to do. Teach them: “When energy feels too big, we can help it move.”

Here are a few kid-friendly ways:

• Balloon Breath: inhale like you’re filling a balloon in your belly, exhale slowly like you’re letting it out.

• Shake It Out: shake arms/legs like a silly noodle for 20 seconds.

• Grounding Feet: stomp gently and say, “Feet on the earth. I’m here.”

• Hand on Heart: one hand on heart, one on belly. “I’m safe. I’m okay.”

• Imagine a Light Switch: “Let’s turn your energy down from 10 to 5.”

These aren’t just cute. They’re nervous system skills—taught in a way a child can actually use.

The parent’s role: calm translator, not energy police. One of the most healing things you can do is stay curious.

When a child says, “That room feels yucky,” it’s tempting to reply:

• “Don’t be rude.”

• “You’re fine.”

• “Stop being dramatic.”

But energy-awareness invites a different response: “Tell me more. What feels yucky about it?” That question teaches respect for inner knowing. And you can still hold boundaries and kindness while honoring truth. You can say: “We can be polite and we can listen to your signal. Let’s take a breath together and stay close.” Kids don’t need you to panic. They need you to translate.

A simple “greatest gift” family ritual

If you want one easy habit to build energy-awareness into daily life, try this at dinner or bedtime:

The Two-Minute Energy Check-In

• “What did your energy feel like today—light, heavy, buzzy, calm?”

• “Was there a moment your body gave you a signal?”

• “What helped your energy feel better?”

And for you:

• “What did my energy feel like today?”

• “Where did I override a signal?”

• “What did I do that helped?”

Children learn from what we model. If you treat your own signals with respect, they will too. And for the parent who feels regret- if this is stirring that tender thought—I wish I had known then what I know now—I’m right there with you. Here’s what I want to say gently and clearly: You didn’t miss the window.The love you gave mattered. The presence you offered mattered. The way you tried, even when you didn’t have language for energy, mattered. And if you’re learning this now, it means your family line is learning it now, too. That counts. That’s powerful. This work doesn’t require perfection. It requires willingness.

Teaching kids to understand energy isn’t an “extra.” It’s a core life skill—one that helps them stay connected to their inner truth in a world that often trains people to ignore it. When children can recognize their inner signal, they gain a quiet kind of strength. They become harder to manipulate, easier to soothe, and more able to navigate relationships with clarity.

Most of all, they feel something every child deserves to feel: Your light really is safe.

 Energy Healing With Kids
Energy healing is not something only practitioners in long robes do in a faraway place. It’s something a mother can do at 6:15 AM over a sleepy child. It’s something a father can do silently from the hallway when a teen is anxious. It’s something a grandmother can do holding a photo. Energy is simply life moving through us — and as parents, we are always sending it.This page is intended to be a gentle introduction. Not a certification. Not a big promise. Just a beginning.Below are six light-filled ways to begin.1. Begin with Your Own FieldChildren borrow our nervous systems. If our energy is scattered, theirs often is too. Before you try to “do energy healing” on your child, take 60 seconds to smooth your own field.Try this:

1. Place one hand over your heart, one over your belly.
2. Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, and then exhale for 6 seconds.
3. Imagine your whole body filling with a soft lighthouse-white light (you can name it “Source Light” for your child later).
4. Silently say: “I bring my energy back to me.”

That’s energy hygiene. Do this before hard conversations, before school drop-off, before bed. When you stabilize, your child feels it.2. Name Energy for Your ChildSo many spiritually aware kids feel everything but don’t have language for it. Give them words.You might say:

• “Do you feel buzzy or calm right now?”
• “Is your energy wide or tucked  in?”
• “Does this room feel sparkly or heavy?”
• “Your field feels a little tired — let’s brush it.”

When we name it, we normalize it. When we normalize it, they don’t think they’re “too sensitive.” This is spiritual protection disguised as conversation.3. Light-Brush Technique (Kid-Friendly Aura Sweep)This is an easy “healing” that doesn’t look mystical.How to:

1. Ask permission: “Can I brush  your energy real quick?”
2. Hold your hands 2–4 inches away  from their body.
3. Gently “sweep” from head to toe, like you’re smoothing water.
4. At the feet, “flick” the energy down toward the floor and imagine the earth absorbing anything heavy.
5. Finish by placing a hand over  the heart and saying, “Your light is safe.”

Do it after school, after a big store, after visiting family, or when they say, “I don’t know why I feel icky.”4. Anchor the Room (Protecting the Space)A lot of parents jump straight to “protect my child,” but the space is louder than we think. Anchor the room first.Simple room clearing:

• Open a window if you can.
• Stand in the doorway and say: “Only love, light, and what serves this family may be here.”
• Trace a vertical line in the air (your lighthouse beam).
• Imagine the room filling with gentle gold-white light — not harsh, not blinding.
• If your child is old enough, let them “seal” the room with their hands like they’re zipping it.

Kids who are starseeds / empaths will feel the difference immediately.5. Hands-On Comfort = Energy HealingYou don’t have to say “I’m doing Reiki now.” Your body already knows to send energy through your hands.Use:

• Hand on the back of the heart (between shoulder blades) when they’re crying.
• Hand on the belly for worry or tummy aches.
• Hand on the crown (light touch) for nightmares or “I saw something.”

While your hand is there, speak to the energy:“Release what isn’t yours. Keep what is yours. Fill with Light.”Short. Clear. Loving. Children respond beautifully to direct energetic instruction.6. Teach Them to Call Their TeamAt bedtime or before school:

1. “Let’s call in your team.”
2. “Guides, guardians, angels, loved ones of the highest light — please surround _______.”
3. “Make a circle. Make it bright. Make it peaceful.”

This empowers the child to participate in their own energy care. It also keeps parents from feeling like they have to hold the field 24/7.
Remember, energy healing in families is not about fixing children. It’s about remembering that they are already luminous and clearing what blocks the light. Begin with your own field, name what they feel, and build tiny rituals into ordinary moments — bedtimes, car rides, after-school resets. Your home can become a lighthouse, one gentle, energetic gesture at a time.May the light guide you always,Andra / Miss Light House