Mindfulness exercises can seem like a big undertaking. The good news they don’t have to be! What is a mindful moment? Read on to learn more about what mindfulness is and why it is important for healthy parenting.
MINDFULNESS DEFINITION: a mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.
Why Practice Mindfulness
The results of practicing mindfulness are easy to see. For children, the practice allows them to navigate difficult emotions, handle anxiety without getting overwhelmed, and build emotional awareness and self-knowledge, while experiencing and considering their feelings. They learn to slow down their response times in difficult situations and make better decisions before reacting, increasing cognitive flexibility and frustration tolerance.
For parents, practicing mindfulness means being more in control over your reactions to the stressful situations you encounter daily as an adult, feeling more connected and present with your family members, finding your body less tense throughout the day, and stepping fully into joyful moments with awareness and calm.
Despite its popularity, mindfulness can seem like a big undertaking. It often feels mysterious and out of reach. Many of us may find ourselves wondering how on earth we’re supposed to find a “quiet moment” to sit cross-legged and breathe amongst the busyness of our everyday life routines. If we did get such a moment for a mindful minute we’re scared of what may greet us when we actually pause, worried that if we’re not “calm and clear-headed,” then we’re not “doing it right.”
Good News: You’re likely already practicing!
Parents and caregivers practice mindfulness all the time, we may just not identify it that way because of common misperceptions about what everyday mindfulness is all about. That long eye gazes between you and your newborn… the tender nighttime snuggles and lullabies after dressing your little one in soft pajamas… the heartfelt hello and bear hug at school pick-up. You can follow mindful practice in your daily life each time you pick up one of Slumberkins’ social emotional learning books and connect with your child.
To kick off the new year, we’re inviting our Slumberkins Community to intentionally incorporate mindful moments into each day with your children! These moments enliven all your senses and include reflective questions and positive language from our friend Yeti for you and your kiddos to contemplate.
Mindfulness Meditation vs. Present Moment Mindfulness
Mindfulness exercises can be practiced in countless ways. The cross-legged variety, called Mindfulness Meditation, is only one of the many unique approaches to a practice whose benefits are as vast as they are ancient. The "present moment" is available to you anytime you want to bring awareness to what is happening in your inner and outer experience. Unlike those autopilot drives to work when we arrive in the parking lot with little recollection of our journey to get there, mindfulness training invites us to notice everything passing through our sensory doors — the sounds, smells, sights, tastes, body sensations, thoughts, and feelings — that we are experiencing right now.
Wait, so do all those experiences have to be pleasant and calm in order to be mindful? Not at all!
Say your toddler is melting down at the end of a long day. Notice your heart rate increase and the unpleasant emotions that may arise. Name them in your mind. Then take a few deep belly breaths, imagining any negative thoughts that arise moving from your head to your belly. Without judging yourself for having these thoughts, you might instead use positive language and a compassionate statement like, “I’m doing my very best at this moment. I'm OK.” Like watching a churning sea from a lighthouse perched upon a cliff, mindfulness allows you to experience tantrums or stressful situations without getting swept up by the tide. If you do find yourself losing your patience, the mindfulness technique allows you to notice that fact without criticizing yourself harshly and regroup — for that moment of impatience, too, shall pass!
Mindfulness training is about seizing the moment in everyday life, regardless of whether it’s calm, chaotic, or otherwise, and being kind to yourself through it. Over time and with mindful practice, you will notice a shift to a more tranquil inner state.
Join us this month for Mindful Moments with the Slumberkins Family!
Mindfulness is something I need to practice a little more! I have a four year old and a three month old and we have been struggling at adjusting. Sometimes the long days are when the meltdowns seem to happen the most, for both of us. I love this advice that you give and love what your slumberkins stand for.
Practice positive thoughts and moments! It’s super easy to think of the negative. But in stressful situations I want to remind myself of the good in my life and to be thankful for the opportunity to even have negative experiences. Focus on breathing and enjoying each moment. And dedicating alone time each night when my daughter goes to bed.
Beautifully said and well-written!! I think you’ve captured so much of what I’ve learned about being mindful in life, especially as a mother. I am currently working on developing a consistent mindfulness practice for myself and for my daughters by way of a membership site and, of course, Slumberkins!! Thank you so much for the tools, advice, and support in helping to raise the next generation.
I feel like mindfulness is something I need to embody every day, both at home and work. I am a middle school teacher and a mama to a 1 year old little boy. Sometimes it really is difficult to be mindful and remember they are just kids. I am trying to start each day with a prayer to be a positive force in my students and my sons life and to keep calm and patient with them. I want to be more mindful about the time I spend with my son. I often am stressed at the end of the work day and sometimes find myself getting short with my son. I want to be better at grounding myself and remembering to soak in the moments, both good and bad. I have realized how precious time with him is, and putting down my phone each evening to experience things with my him is on my priority list this year. I have noticed that taking better care of myself and taking a little me time each day helps me to stay more mindful in other areas of life. I am loving the mindful moments calendar and am excited to do the daily activities with my son and some with my students as well!
I think mindfulness is key in leading your family. Your children constantly look to you to be their rock and guidance. I plan to use mindfulness and the mindful moments to teach my kids how to be present and understand their feelings and emotions. When they understand themselves, they can better control how they want to react to situations. I have a newborn and I practice mindfulness by being more present in the now and enjoying all the little moments of sleepy snuggles and late night feedings and even messy diaper changes that make my husband and I die laughing. It’s so important to be calm with him in the difficult moments because even as a newborn he can pick up on your emotions and they effect him too.
Thanks for the mindful moments they are very helpful even with my new little guy :)
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