There are various parenting styles you can adopt to raise your child in a way that is the best for them. Parents don’t want their children and their futures to be unhappy. Everything that shapes them into good human who is successful and lives a comfortable life starts at the base that parents set. After all, a child is always around their parent, mimicking what they do- a primary source of learning life skills.
The way we raise our kids affects them even after they have grown into adults. Parenting is important. Be a better parent with mindful parenting.
Mindful parenting is the thoughtful response to your child’s actions and behaviors instead of simple reactions. It helps them develop better personality traits that work to grow them in the right direction than otherwise.
Here is how you can practice mindful parenting.
Have an unassuming attitude.
Your attitude towards your children should be non-judgmental, compassionate, and accepting. You birthed them into being and have loved them even before they were born. Accepting them with their strange and unique traits is the least you can do as their parent. Do not assume something from their actions- some kids do not know how to express themselves properly. Their intentions might be good but actions might not be properly thought out, leading to mistakes and misunderstandings. Understand them and guide them to express themselves properly.
Self-regulation.
Do not let yourself give out reactions powered by impulsive emotions. Instead, calmly giving a response is the way to go. Let your kids know that thinking before you give a reaction is a good way to process the reactions advantages and disadvantages. This thinking before actions will help them better understand empathy and increase their emotional quotient.
Compassion
Try to understand your child’s behavior with empathy. Try to see where they are coming from and why they are acting this way. Listening to their problems is giving them a space to state what they like and don’t. It helps them understand themselves and others better. Compassion and care are the main principles of dealing with children who are only learning the ways of the world.
Listening
Listen to your children with full attention to hear what they have to say. Being distracted while talking to them shows disinterest in their talks, resulting in unresolved issues, the inability to express their feelings and troubles, and more. Listening to hear what your child has to say has effects that you cannot imagine. Guiding them through understanding is the way to go.
Lessens aggression
When children know that they will be heard better when they show composure, there will be lesser tendencies to be aggressive. Your kids will want your attention- either in a good way or bad. Once they know that you will not give them a reaction when they do something wrong to get your attention, they will understand that only the right actions will get you to show them love and compassion. This is what they will learn to do. Let your child understand this. Ignore such actions until they come to you and ask you to see something they have done which is good.
Meditation.
Stuck in a crisis moment? Take a breather by meditating. Let things clear themselves in your mind as you do so. There will be clarity after. Having extremely active children can take a toll on your mental and physical health. It is a good idea to sit down and take some time off everything to meditate. This will help you be better with responses, thinking things clearly, and even show your kids what to do when you are stressed. Let them understand the importance of me-time, and as they grow, they will even grasp the concept of meditation better.
There will be times when you think your child is out of control but dealing with them with compassion, care, and patience is the key. Do not forget your role as a parent whenever anger presents in you. It is not a bad thing to scold your children when they do something out of line but learn how to deal with it when they do. Mindful parenting is all about that. Be mindful of words, actions, and behavior for the healthy development of your child.
Also read,