Parenting Is the most toughest yet most enjoyable journey. You should not worry about the destination but you should enjoy the journey as you travel through. Do you know your kids? There were times, when I cared not to know about my son but went on yelling that he should understand me. How poor was my parenting attitude???
When I was a working mom, I used to hear from many, that my son seemed to be hyper active child. Also I have never gone to any place without getting a complaint about him for his naughtiness and over talkative behavior. So I hesitated even for going out with him. Then slowly, I researched and learnt from net about Mindful Parenting.
Many methods, I tried with him and got a mix of hit and fail results. But all are learning only. In the whole period, I never ever compared my son with anybody. Now he’s such a good lovable teen . Very proud momma moment. All these happened because I made a big decision to be a Mindful Stay At Home Mom (MSAHM), some 5 years back.
“Mindful Parenting is being present for your kids at the moment without judgement and distractions.”
Appreciate More, Appreciate Often
In the depths of their heart, everyone loves appreciation. So appreciate your kids more and often for even little deeds. This provides them the fuel to achieve greater things in the future. Celebrate their successes. Showcase their works. Share the joy of their accomplishments. Encourage them to participate in school contests. Appreciate your kids more and often for even little deeds. Being mindful on giving appreciation and encouragement will make them more talented.
Tell Bedtime Stories
Children love to dream. The world of fancy and fantasy is the privilege of their childhood. And stories justify these attempts to nurture their imagination and foster moral values. We had our bedtime story sessions till my son was 12 years. And we used bedtime stories as our bonding time which really helped in improving our mother-son relationship.
Listen Mindfully
I used to spend nearly 10 minutes of distraction free talk with my son when he returns from his school. This makes our understanding much better. Also I could know about his day and emotions clearly through this. It makes easy for me to help him in any of his problems during the day.
Stop Praising Your Children
Are you shocked??? You are reading it rightly…… Stop Praising Your Children. Praise is a reward for an accomplishment that meets or exceeds the parent’s expectations. Encouragement, however, is a gift for being oneself and trying hard. Encouragement is empowering. While praise is building the image of ego. be mindful in your selection of words while you appreciate your kids.
Our strategy of replacing praise with encouragement
Praise: “I’m so proud of you, Mithu.”
Encouragement: “You deserve this for your hard work.”
Teach By Example
Be the role model. Kids learn from their parents more than they learn from books and school. So be aware of your words and actions. Make happiness as a part of your daily life. Showcase your talents and inner joy in front of them to inspire themselves.
Maintain A Family Happy Journal
Keeping a Family Happy Journal has many benefits. You can maintain a Family Happy Journal which can include happy moments, comments from your spouse or children, photos, poems, art works and all that adds to your family happiness. It will be of much help when you are not in mood. Turning the pages of your Family Happy Journal may refresh your heart and mind.
Practice Gratitude
Gratitude make our life a celebration. Stop whatever you are doing now. Spend few minutes with your kids before moving onto the next thing. Visualize about one thing, just one thing you’re grateful for today. Ask your curious kid to do it and ask him / her to write what he / she noticed. Kids will begin to uncover more happiness from now for sure.
Enjoy Parenting Happily
Life is not a video game, and you don’t have any choice to restart it, pause it or delete it !!! So you have to accept and live your life as a parent. Then why can’t you live as a happy parent? The key to Parental Happiness lies in keeping yourself happy and powerful always. This will in turn keep your family happy and powerful too.
— Vasantha Vivek —
I am a happy woman, daughter, sister, wife, mother, teacher, friend, mentor, seeker, lover. I enjoy reading and writing very much. My days start and end with reading. Lately I have started writing also on my blog My Sweet Nothings.
