Mindful Parenting: What It Is and Why It Matters
Introduction
Mindful parenting is a parenting style that emphasizes awareness and acceptance. Mindful parents are aware of their own thoughts and feelings, as well as the thoughts and feelings of their children. They are also accepting of their children’s experiences, even when they are difficult.
What It Is
Mindful parenting is not about being perfect. It is about being present and aware of your child’s needs. It is about responding to your child with compassion and understanding.
Why It Matters
Mindful parenting has been shown to have a number of benefits for children, including:
- Increased emotional intelligence
- Improved self-regulation
- Reduced aggression
- Better relationships with parents and peers
- Increased academic achievement
5 Strategies for Mindful Parenting
There are many things that mindful parents can do to help their children thrive. Here are five strategies to get you started:
- Be present. When you are with your child, try to be fully present. This means paying attention to what your child is saying and doing, and not letting your mind wander.
- Listen with empathy. When your child is talking to you, try to listen with empathy. This means putting yourself in your child’s shoes and trying to understand what they are feeling.
- Be non-judgmental. It is important to be non-judgmental of your child’s feelings. This means accepting your child’s feelings, even if you don’t agree with them.
- Set limits with compassion. It is important to set limits for your child, but it is also important to do so with compassion. This means explaining the reasons for the limits you are setting and being flexible when possible.
- Be a role model. Children learn by watching the adults in their lives. If you want your child to be mindful, you need to be mindful yourself. This means practicing mindfulness on a regular basis.
Benefits of Mindful Parenting for Children
Mindful parenting has been shown to have a number of benefits for children, including:
- Increased emotional intelligence
- Improved self-regulation
- Reduced aggression
- Better relationships with parents and peers
- Increased academic achievement
Conclusion
Mindful parenting is a powerful parenting style that can help children thrive. By being present, listening with empathy, being non-judgmental, setting limits with compassion, and being a role model, mindful parents can help their children develop the emotional intelligence they need to succeed in life.
This article is adapted from Raising Your Emotional Intelligence A Handson Program for Harnessing the Power of Your Instincts and Emotions by Jeanne Segal PhD Why is emotional Intelligence important for children Establishing respect for emotion is the most important childrearing task you have as a parentStrategies Tips Mindful parenting is an approach that emphasizes being present and aware in your everyday interactions with your children as a way to parent with acceptance and compassion2 Show your child bountiful love in action Be dependable and consistently warm Be kind and patient Show up 3 Listen really listen Respond to your childs questions pay attention to Emotional Intelligence is our ability to identify emotions in ourselves and others understand these emotions and then use them
to guide our thinking and behaviour There are many different theories that have been developed in an attempt to understand emotional Intelligence Research on the topic spans more than 25 yearsEmotional Intelligence EQ is defined as a persons ability to express and manage feelings appropriately while respecting the feelings of others Its a set of skills that children can begin learning at any age Benefits of Emotional IntelligenceThere are several major components of mindful parenting Selfawareness This refers to the ability to reflect on and identify feelings you have in response to your childs behavior Self Get creative and enjoy watching your child grow in immeasurable ways 1 Fonagy P nd The Social Biofeedback Theory of AffectMirroring The Development of Emotional SelfAwareness and Self
Instead the author offers what feels like a somewhat reductionist perspective on what he labels the four types of parental responsiveness 1 The Dismissive Parent the type who minimize emotional states and offer diversions2 The Disapproving Parent the type who ignoreactively mock their child39s undesirable emotions3
Mindful parenting is not always easy, but it is worth it. When you practice mindful parenting, you are not only helping your child, you are also helping yourself. You are learning to be more present, more aware, and more accepting of yourself and others. This is a lifelong journey, and it is one that is well worth taking.