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Mindful Parenting: Understand the benefits then practices!

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Sep 3, 2019
Education , Parenthood

what is mindful parenting

What is mindful parenting?

Mindful parenting means focusing conscious attention on what’s going on, rather than being dominated by your emotions. Conscious parenting means focusing conscious attention on what’s going on, rather than being dominated by your emotions, and let’s everyday blessings the inner work of mindful parenting

And, What are benefits of mindful parenting?

When you mentally raise your children, you encourage compassion and understanding, Trebisovsky adds. This creates a lovely and comfortable space for babies who have just “been born”. And when children feel safe and understood, and know they have the freedom to be themselves, they are less likely to cultivate bad emotions or act angry. “Mindfulness creates trust, empathy and transparency,” said Trebisovsky. “This can help reduce stress in the home.”

  1. Improve communication between parents and children

  2. reduce hyperactivity symptoms

  3. Improve satisfaction in parenting

  4. Reduce aggression

  5. Reduce feelings of depression

  6. Reduce stress and anxiety

  7. Promote more parental involvement overall

  8. makes parenting feel as though it takes less effort

Mindfulness is the natural capacity that aims to take this mental stress of multi-tasking by allowing you to be aware of living in the moment. But with kids running around, your routine is pretty much the same – get ready for work, drop your kids off at school, head to the office, get back home, make dinner, sit with your kids and make sure they have completed all their homework before they sleep, and then finally doze off yourself.

With the fast pace at which our lives are moving, there is so much that is constantly on our minds – balancing home and work, and everything else in between.

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Add parenting to the mix and sometimes situations get out of hand. And since we’re humans, we end to stress about everything and anything, no matter how big or small. If only parenting came with a set of instructions that all of us could follow, then we would have one less thing to stress about.

Where did mindful parenting come from? Mindful parenting has been around since the late 90s, and the goal behind this is to take a moment before reacting to your children’s behaviour or actions. Here are a few tips and benefits that will help you get a better insight into mindful parenting.

1. Mindfulness – Meditation Practices

The first step is to discover how to be mindful ourselves as parents, because believe it or not, kids learn from observing others. And when you get angry or are stressed, your children will notice and more often than not, they will pick up on those things.

 Example, if you’re in a store and your kid starts throwing a tantrum, things can go either ways – you can scold them or give in to their demands. The thing you need to keep in mind is that children can get out of control and that it is completely okay. You just need to take a deep breath and talk to them about their behaviour.

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How to practice mindful parent?

2. Meditate with your kids

We know how important meditation is for us, but have we thought about how it may be beneficial for kids. Right from an early age, yoga and meditation can benefit children by improving their concentration and giving them a sense of calm. 

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You can invite your kids to practice yoga, giving you plenty of time to catch up with them as well as connect with them. As they get older, it will lay the foundation for a lifelong practice which will benefit them greatly.

3. Unplug from technology

Technology has proven to be a very powerful tool, leading to an increase the amount of time that adults and children spend attached to their smartphone or tablet. And when it’s not that, they are glued to the TV, playing video games.

This is why it is crucial for parents to put down their foot with clear rules about how much time they can spend on electronic devices. Parent should try to set out a schedule that allows for a balance between homework, meals, outdoor play, and quality screen time.

Instead of letting their children mindlessly stare at the screen of their devices, parents can instill basic English and Math skills in them through SKIDOS educational games by subscribing to https://subscribe.skidos.com/ SKIDOS online learning cool math games encourage thinking, solving, and above all playing which is why they make learning fun and engaging.

Wrap-up of mindful parenting

Mastering mindfulness has many benefits, including better sleep patterns, encourages good behaviour, and allows for better communication between family members.

Now that you are aware about the benefits of mindful parenting, you may be wondering whether it should be practised all the time. The answer is that no matter how much you try; it isn’t feasible to be mindful at all times but when we do react in ways that we might regret. However, you can always apologise to them and explain to them, after all we are humans and we are allowed to make mistakes.

Mindful Parenting Books

Mindful Parenting Books – Best Selected

The Whole-Brain Child by Daniel J. Siegel & Tina Payne Bryson

The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind, Survive Everyday Parenting Struggles, and Help Your Family Thrive 

Your toddler throws a tantrum in the middle of a store. Your preschooler refuses to get dressed. Your fifth-grader sulks on the bench instead of playing on the field. Do children conspire to make their parents’ lives endlessly challenging? No—it’s just their developing brain calling the shots!

In this pioneering, practical book, Daniel J. Siegel, neuropsychiatrist and author of the bestselling Mindsight, and parenting expert Tina Payne Bryson demystify the meltdowns and aggravation, explaining the new science of how a child’s brain is wired and how it matures. The “upstairs brain,” which makes decisions and balances emotions, is under construction until the mid-twenties. And especially in young children, the right brain and its emotions tend to rule over the logic of the left brain. No wonder kids can seem—and feel—so out of control. By applying these discoveries to everyday parenting, you can turn any outburst, argument, or fear into a chance to integrate your child’s brain and foster vital growth. Raise calmer, happier children using twelve key strategies, including

Name It to Tame It: Corral raging right-brain behavior through left-brain storytelling, appealing to the left brain’s affinity for words and reasoning to calm emotional storms and bodily tension.

Engage, Don’t Enrage: Keep your child thinking and listening, instead of purely reacting.

Move It or Lose It: Use physical activities to shift your child’s emotional state.

Let the Clouds of Emotion Roll By: Guide your children when they are stuck on a negative emotion, and help them understand that feelings come and go.

SIFT: Help children pay attention to the Sensations, Images, Feelings, and Thoughts within them so that they can make better decisions and be more flexible.

Connect Through Conflict: Use discord to encourage empathy and greater social success.

Complete with clear explanations, age-appropriate strategies for dealing with day-to-day struggles, and illustrations that will help you explain these concepts to your child, The Whole-Brain Child shows you how to cultivate healthy emotional and intellectual development so that your children can lead balanced, meaningful, and connected lives. 

Self Compassion Mindful Parenting

Self-Compassionby Kristin Neff

Kristin Neff PhD, is a professor in human development whose 10 years’ of research forms the basis of her timely and highly readable book. Self Compassion offers a powerful solution for combating the current malaise of depression, anxiety and self criticism that comes with living in a pressured and competitive culture.  

Through tried and tested exercises and audio downloads, readers learn the 3 core components that will help replace negative and destructive measures of self worth and success with a kinder and non judgemental approach in order to bring about profound life change and deeper happiness.

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  Self Compassion recognises that we all have weaknesses and limitations, but in accepting this we can discover new ways to achieve improved self confidence, contentment and reach our highest potential.   Simply, easily and compassionately. Kristin Neff’s expert and practical advice offers a completely new set of personal development tools that will benefit everyone. ‘A portable friend to all readers … who need to learn that the Golden Rule works only if it’s reversible: We must learn to treat ourselves as well as we wish to treat others.’ Gloria Steinem ‘A beautiful book that helps us all see the way to cure the world – one person at a time – starting with yourself. Read it and start the journey.’ Rosie O’Donnell

 

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