Is parenting getting the worst out of you? Are the highs and lows of raising your little one proving to be too much for you to handle? Bringing in mindfulness into your daily parenting rituals can help- in ways much more than you can imagine.
Keep reading to discover the concept of mindful parenting, how it can help change the way you look at yourself and your kid, and how you can start implementing it into your daily life.
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What is mindful parenting?
Mindfulness in Parenting?
Mindfulness is everywhere, and quite naturally, if you find a way to sneak it into your parenting technique as well, it can really help take things up a notch. Think about all those times you feel on the edge and overwhelmed because you’re juggling too many responsibilities with your parenting routine. That’s right. Being mindful there can help you feel more centered and at ease, to say the least. When you practise mindfulness in parenting, you’ll find yourself much more relaxed and calm, and you’ll be more likely to carry out your tasks in a more structured and organized way, and will be able to enjoy every step of parenting there is.
How it Helps
From helping you lose weight to acting as a wonderful stress buster, practising mindfulness can benefit you in a lot of ways, but when it comes to parenting in particular, how exactly does it help? Well, here’s the deal. With mindful parenting,
- You’ll be more in control of your thoughts and emotions, and you’ll be able to make sure they don’t overpower you.
- You’ll be less impulsive and reactive when you are concerned about a particular parenting issue, or with your kid’s behavior.
- Your relationship with your little one will improve in many ways.
- You’ll become more compassionate and empathetic in general.
- You’ll be able to understand your kid’s feelings, emotions and behaviors in a much deeper way than ever before.
- You’ll become less critical about yourself and your kid, and more accepting in general.
- Your attitude towards parenting and life in general will change, and you’ll have a more relaxed and positive outlook towards it all.
Quick Tips to Get Started
Now that you know how mindfulness can help, it is time to understand how you can actually start practising it in your day to day life.
Start by practising the ‘pause’ in everything you do on a daily basis. The next time you find your kid idling his time away on Netflix while he’s supposed to be studying for his test the next day, just stop and resist the urge to yell at him- pause. Observe the situations and your emotions and take deep breaths until you find yourself getting more calmer and relaxed. Listen to what your kid has to say and then, look at possible ways to sort the situation out. The more you start doing this, the more satisfied and relaxed you will be with all your parenting tasks, and once you start understanding the transformative power of mindfulness, there’s absolutely no going back.
Photo Credit: Courtney Kenady
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