Mindful Parenting Tips

1. Find time for yourself to be in stillness at least once a day, even if only for a few minutes…
2. See everyday activities as opportunities to practice mindfulness – i.e. such as showering, getting children dressed, eating, bathing kids.
3. Be intentional with your use of technology.
4. Schedule time to just be with your children with no agenda in mind.
5. Practice seeing the world through your child’s eyes and step into their experience.
6. See everyday moments with your child/ren as opportunities to connect, instead of waiting for the perfect moment. (e.g. walking to school, the going-to-bed routine, teeth brushing – instead of waiting for weekends, summer vacations, etc.).
7. Get to know yourself well… really, really well. Learn to become an observer of thoughts, emotions and body sensations and the messages they may be offering you.
8. On occasion, invite a reflection on your values for parenting – what kind of parent do you aspire to be? What do you need to be able to live those values?
9. Check in with your body throughout the day for holding any stress, tension – our children are soaking up our emotional states.
10. Spend a few moments everyday reflecting on a pleasant moment you had with your child/ren and/or something you appreciate about them.
11. Learn to recognize the voices of social comparison and allow them to float away like clouds in the sky on a breezy day.
12. Invite compassion to be the default when you’re just not sure what to do.
13. Remember to breathe… lots…