The Best Ways to Pursue Mindful Parenting
Mums, dads and carers have so many responsibilities, and it can be very stressful and worrying to live the life of a parent, always hoping you're doing the right thing and making the right choices.
It's important to remember, however, that the very fact you feel these kinds of worries and concerns shows just how much you care about your kids, and that’s already a great first step towards being a mindful parent.
The Importance of Mindful Parenting
There are a lot of different approaches to being a parent, each with its advantages and disadvantages. The general idea of mindful parenting is to simply live in the present moment, liberating ourselves from the fast-pace of modern life and the extremeness of our emotions.
It's all about being aware of what's going on right now, rather than thinking about what happened before or what's coming up next. Life goes by very quickly, and if we spend too much time living the past or thinking about the future, we miss out on the present.
There are countless reports and statistics to show how anxiety and stress can build up in children. Mindful parenting can help us to reduce the ways in which we trigger stress, worries, or fears in our own children by giving them 100% of our present attention and not letting ourselves succumb to knee-jerk reactions.
Top Tips for Mindful Parenting
Now that we’ve seen just how important it is to be a mindful parent, let’s look at some of the best ways you can actually pursue this style of parenting and enjoy happier and healthier lives for both your children and yourself:
· Take Your Time - Arguably the most significant fundamental principle of mindfulness in general is all about taking your time. Don’t rush anything and start learning how to be more patient in general.
· Introduce Mindfulness into Daily Activities - Mindfulness can manifest in many forms. You could be sharing a snack with your child, for example, and both decide to take the time to really savour the flavours, or maybe you’re heading out for a walk and can use that opportunity to focus on the sounds, smells, and sights all around you.
· Focus on Your Breathing - Breathing is something you’re always doing, so it’s always there for you to focus on. In those moments when you just need to cool down and ‘take a breather’, actually focusing on your breathing and body can have an instantly calming effect.
· Indulge - If you’re a parent who can lose their temper a little too easily or feels stressed out in general, a little indulgence can go a long way. Take a bath and feel the way the water warms your body, eat your favourite food and focus on the way it tastes and feels. Buy yourself a new scent from Copycat perfume and focus on all those individual notes washing over you as you spray.