user203: My son will be four soon.  I would like to introduce him to Buddhist philosophy, and some meditation practices.
However, stillness is, at this point, completely foreign to his personality :)
My wife is Christian, and has taken him to church a few times, but not regularly, or recently.  She and I are okay with sharing our differing beliefs with our son.  
I'm not active (or aware of, really) any local Buddhist groups, and, unfortunately don't even meditate regularly anymore.
Still, I think meditation, and an understanding of the philosophies, would be very helpful to my son, and I'd like to get him involved as soon as is practical.
How do I best introduce him, both to meditation and Buddhist philosophy?  At what age is he likely be ready for either?

user483: I started practicing meditation and Buddhism since 7.  I am now just past 30.  I am not sure what the best ways for introducing Buddhism to a child is.  But my own experience has taught me that the parents' support is the most important.  My interest in Buddhism did go through lots of ups and downs.  I've always come back to it, but it think my parents' support has been very important, in addition to Buddhism's own attractiveness.
Hope this helps.

user307: Being a buddhist i would like to mention you one thing. Meditation is not only worth 
for buddhists   .It is for anyone who seek inner peace. so i would say your son is more 
than capable of practicing meditation. Teach him anapanasati meditation and practice it 
for ten to fifteen minuets daily. So this will pave the way to teach him buddhism.

user111: You can introduce by reading the Jathaka stories to him. I think there's a kid's version of it. You can also start teaching about the 5 precepts. At least the 1st, 2nd and the 4th. I would also recommend you to go through the videos under the 'children' section at http://video.sirimangalo.org/
"Angels east; Angels west. North and South. Just/please do your best, to guard and watch her while she rests.... Amen". Replace that or similar prayers with taking refuge in the Triple Gem. 
Replace saying grace at the food table with offering Buddha puja or chanting the virtues of the Buddha.

user289: The typical cut off for meditation class at a meditation center is about 4 (just checked google).
Traditional Buddhists said a child could become a monk if he was old enough to scare crows away, which worked out to be about 7. I don't advocate that, ordination so young has lots of problems. And you weren't considering anything like that. But it is a vivid example how young kids have been asked to rise to the occasion.
That's it for fact. Now on to my opinions.
My son is 18 months. We do altar maintenance-- recite a repentance phrase, a vow, do a mudra, a mantra and feed the Bodhisattva statues.  I'm a secular Buddhist, so as a practice, this doesn't do much for me. I do mental gymnastics to reassign meaning to the action to keep from feeling silly.** But my toddler thinks it's great.
I plan to try to take advantage of teachable moments, like when he's angry, to get him to be introspective and pay attention to the breathing and tension in his muscles when he's upset and misbehaving, rather than what I would have done previously-- rewards and punishments and explanations about why this or that isn't a good thing to do.
I plan to teach meditation through chanting first. I first learned to meditate by counting breaths, which is sort of a mantra (1,2,4...10,..repeat).  Mantra based meditation is simple and teaches concentration. This provides the foundation for other types of mediation, like metta, koan, or analytic meditation. (Or depending on your sect, mantra practice is the sole practice)
Regarding meditation-- I decided to put my meditation cushion in the most visible place possible, right in the entry way. I wanted my religion to be obvious. My kid can't see the thoughts in my head, so the physical symbols of religion will have to help him gauge that there is a religion and it's important.
Regarding what texts, I plan to use those books that summarize world religions for kids, and pay special attention to the Buddhist chapter. The Jataka tales, for me, often seem more fairy tale than Buddhist. 
** From a secular standpoint, the daily review of what we did wrong (repentance) and making heroic goals (vows), is a potentially good practice. The statues are personifications of ideas I believe in, but by no means do I feel like I'm sacrificing as a quid pro quo with celestial super beings, or expressing my devotion or gratitude to super beings who are taking care of my liberation for me.  I worry that my toddler will go through a phase of thinking just that.

user157: I have a daughter who is nearly 4 now. I first took her to the local Buddhist Centre when she was about a year old on a family day that we organised. The Buddhist practice involved running around the shrine room and shrieking. Someone said at the time though that bring her at such a young age was auspicious and I'm enought of a romantic to lap this up. I took here again a few months ago and her Buddhist practice is much the same - running and shrieking. But we all enjoyed it and she's had a positive experience. 
As far as meditation goes. Mmmmmmmm, She decided to have her first meditation a week ago. I think I timed 5 seconds. Better than I thought it would be. I have to say my local centre doesn't really teach meditation to people younger than 16 but I think that more of a guardianship issue rather than the impossiblity of younger children meditating. I've been in meditation sessions in festivals with 12 year old and they seem to get on fine. 
I don't really have much more advice - just my own experience. I have to say though I agree with Richard Dawkins (though i have to say not in such strident terms) in that children should be old enough to chose the religion they belong to - not just inducted into it. However I believe that Buddhist ethics, Buddhist stories and a little bit of an understanding that's its OK just to be a little be quiet now and then, would be good for any child.
Generally being kind to yourself and kind to others is what I want my daughter to know and if that's in a Buddhist framework then fantastic. We are going to go on a Buddhist family retreat in North Yorkshire (UK) so we'll see how it all goes there. Wish us luck!

203: <p>My son will be four soon.  I would like to introduce him to Buddhist philosophy, and some meditation practices.</p>

<p>However, stillness is, at this point, completely foreign to his personality :)</p>

<p>My wife is Christian, and has taken him to church a few times, but not regularly, or recently.  She and I are okay with sharing our differing beliefs with our son.  </p>

<p>I'm not active (or aware of, really) any local Buddhist groups, and, unfortunately don't even meditate regularly anymore.</p>

<p>Still, I think meditation, and an understanding of the philosophies, would be very helpful to my son, and I'd like to get him involved as soon as is practical.</p>

<p>How do I best introduce him, both to meditation and Buddhist philosophy?  At what age is he likely be ready for either?</p>
 483: <p>I started practicing meditation and Buddhism since 7.  I am now just past 30.  I am not sure what the best ways for introducing Buddhism to a child is.  But my own experience has taught me that the parents' support is the most important.  My interest in Buddhism did go through lots of ups and downs.  I've always come back to it, but it think my parents' support has been very important, in addition to Buddhism's own attractiveness.</p>

<p>Hope this helps.</p>
 307: <p>Being a buddhist i would like to mention you one thing. <strong>Meditation is not only worth 
for buddhists</strong>   .It is for anyone who seek inner peace. so i would say your son is more 
than capable of practicing meditation. Teach him anapanasati meditation and practice it 
for ten to fifteen minuets daily. So this will pave the way to teach him buddhism.</p>
 111: <p>You can introduce by reading the Jathaka stories to him. I think there's a kid's version of it. You can also start teaching about the 5 precepts. At least the 1st, 2nd and the 4th. I would also recommend you to go through the videos under the 'children' section at <a href="http://video.sirimangalo.org/" rel="nofollow">http://video.sirimangalo.org/</a></p>

<p>"Angels east; Angels west. North and South. Just/please do your best, to guard and watch her while she rests.... Amen". Replace that or similar prayers with taking refuge in the Triple Gem. </p>

<p>Replace saying grace at the food table with offering Buddha puja or chanting the <a href="http://www.beyondthenet.net/buddha/qualities.html" rel="nofollow">virtues of the Buddha</a>.</p>
 289: <p>The typical cut off for meditation class at a meditation center is about 4 (just checked google).</p>

<p>Traditional Buddhists said a child could become a monk if he was old enough to scare crows away, which worked out to be about 7. I don't advocate that, ordination so young has lots of problems. And you weren't considering anything like that. But it is a vivid example how young kids have been asked to rise to the occasion.</p>

<p>That's it for fact. Now on to my opinions.</p>

<p>My son is 18 months. We do altar maintenance-- recite a repentance phrase, a vow, do a mudra, a mantra and feed the Bodhisattva statues.  I'm a secular Buddhist, so as a practice, this doesn't do much for me. I do mental gymnastics to reassign meaning to the action to keep from feeling silly.** But my toddler thinks it's great.</p>

<p>I plan to try to take advantage of teachable moments, like when he's angry, to get him to be introspective and pay attention to the breathing and tension in his muscles when he's upset and misbehaving, rather than what I would have done previously-- rewards and punishments and explanations about why this or that isn't a good thing to do.</p>

<p>I plan to teach meditation through chanting first. I first learned to meditate by counting breaths, which is sort of a mantra (1,2,4...10,..repeat).  Mantra based meditation is simple and teaches concentration. This provides the foundation for other types of mediation, like metta, koan, or analytic meditation. (Or depending on your sect, mantra practice is the sole practice)</p>

<p>Regarding meditation-- I decided to put my meditation cushion in the most visible place possible, right in the entry way. I wanted my religion to be obvious. My kid can't see the thoughts in my head, so the physical symbols of religion will have to help him gauge that there is a religion and it's important.</p>

<p>Regarding what texts, I plan to use those books that summarize world religions for kids, and pay special attention to the Buddhist chapter. The Jataka tales, for me, often seem more fairy tale than Buddhist. </p>

<p>** From a secular standpoint, the daily review of what we did wrong (repentance) and making heroic goals (vows), is a potentially good practice. The statues are personifications of ideas I believe in, but by no means do I feel like I'm sacrificing as a quid pro quo with celestial super beings, or expressing my devotion or gratitude to super beings who are taking care of my liberation for me.  I worry that my toddler will go through a phase of thinking just that.</p>
 157: <p>I have a daughter who is nearly 4 now. I first took her to the <a href="http://leedsbuddhistcentre.org/" rel="noreferrer">local Buddhist Centre</a> when she was about a year old on a family day that we organised. The Buddhist practice involved running around the shrine room and shrieking. Someone said at the time though that bring her at such a young age was auspicious and I'm enought of a romantic to lap this up. I took here again a few months ago and her Buddhist practice is much the same - running and shrieking. But we all enjoyed it and she's had a positive experience. </p>

<p>As far as meditation goes. Mmmmmmmm, She decided to have her first meditation a week ago. I think I timed 5 seconds. Better than I thought it would be. I have to say my local centre doesn't really teach meditation to people younger than 16 but I think that more of a guardianship issue rather than the impossiblity of younger children meditating. I've been in meditation sessions in festivals with 12 year old and they seem to get on fine. </p>

<p>I don't really have much more advice - just my own experience. I have to say though I agree with <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2312813/Richard-Dawkins-Forcing-religion-children-child-abuse-claims-atheist-professor.html" rel="noreferrer">Richard Dawkins</a> (though i have to say not in such strident terms) in that children should be old enough to chose the religion they belong to - not just inducted into it. However I believe that Buddhist ethics, Buddhist stories and a little bit of an understanding that's its OK just to be a little be quiet now and then, would be good for any child.</p>

<p>Generally being kind to yourself and kind to others is what I want my daughter to know and if that's in a Buddhist framework then fantastic. We are going to go on a <a href="http://www.buddhafieldnorth.org.uk/" rel="noreferrer">Buddhist family retreat</a> in North Yorkshire (UK) so we'll see how it all goes there. Wish us luck!</p>
