Parenting is generally ruled by fear of the future and is a projection from one’s past experiences during growing up years.
When we become parent, we fall back on strategies which were used by our parents and start our parenting journey. We justify those strategies by saying that we have turned out fine, so our children will turn out the same.
We forget that the world we grew up in was completely different from the word our kids are growing up now. They say it takes a village to raise a child and in today’s day and age, the whole of, the world, with accessibility to the internet is the so-called, village. Now the raising will be different in terms of influences from outside the family as before it was just a few people thought processes and now its exposure to the whole world’s perspectives.
Photo by Bermix Studio on Unsplash
We as parents, need to develop mindfulness practice as mandatory, in order to raise our children, hold on to our children in today’s day and age.
Mindfulness practice can be in the form of being on breathe or any practices with music, chants or it can be plain journaling of thoughts.
In my mindfulness journey, I have experienced journaling as mindfulness with paper and pen, mindfulness in writing.
Choose whatever suits you and make it a must, to rise in your consciousness, create sound connected space for your child to be empowered.
It needs the practice to be Mindful of
- The present moment as it unfolds and work from there
- Child as a unique individual, not as your image
- Connecting with the child as he or she is, where they are emotionally
- Fears of the future and its projection in present
- Past patterns from our parents being repeated in our parenting
- Emotional triggers of self and its reasons
- Projection of beliefs and willingness to deconstruct it.
Here is the four-step mindfulness parenting journey:-
The first step -CREATE AWARENESS
Take a 30 days challenge to be mindful of the thoughts around events, maintain a journal, note down the thoughts and emotions which arise due to any event or behavior of your child or others.
The Second Step -ANALYZE WITH OBJECTIVITY
Analyze, deconstruct, ask questions as to why and what’s behind those thoughts, Is it coming from some beliefs or past patterns as the event is just an event!
The Third Step – WHAT’S YOUR GOAL
To have a child, following your instructions, or to empower your child who can act, behave, and grow authentically , without fear, limiting beliefs, even when you are not around.
The Fourth Step-CREATE EMOTIONAL SAFE SPACE
Work on creating an emotionally safe space with mindfulness and raise yourself and your children.
To be fully aware of your thoughts, beliefs, and feelings, leads to child blossoming to his/her most authentic self.
It does not only help in parenting but in all other relationships -personal, professional, and most important -relationship with self.