Mindfulness will not only benefit you, but it will benefit your children as well. When you’re practicing mindfulness, it allows you to be present in the moment without focusing on results you want to see in your children.
It allows you to be more attentive, more easy going and less likely to concentrate on the performance of a child – whether it’s in the grades he receives in school or how he keeps his room.
You’ll learn not to judge your child’s emotions or behaviors
Not that those aren’t important, but those won’t be your focus and you won’t give in to emotion and get upset when your child doesn’t reach certain milestones. With mindfulness, you’ll learn not to judge your child’s emotions or behaviors.
You’ll be able to be more compassionate and more understanding when your child does something that he shouldn’t – or doesn’t do what he should do. Mindfulness will allow you to keep a healthy emotional balance with you and your children.
This means that you’re less likely to get angry or frustrated when your child starts to act against what you’ve taught him. You’ll be able to see past whatever the situation or problem is to the emotion that your child is experiencing because mindfulness will help you concentrate on the root issue.
You’ll learn how to respond to situations rather than reacting to them
Through techniques in mindfulness, you’ll learn how to respond to situations involving your child rather than reacting. Your child won’t always understand everything that you do, but he will know how you react.
If you react in anger and then walk away, refusing to speak with him, he’ll learn that anger is an acceptable response and that it’s okay not to communicate. Mindfulness can help you communicate more effectively with your children.
A lot of parents spend time with their children without really interacting with them or without really being aware of their children because their minds are millions of miles away.
Mindfulness can help you establish a connection with your child
When you’re mindful with your child, it will help you enjoy being fully present with them – not just physically but emotionally. Mindfulness can help you establish a connection with your child and build bridges where there may have been relationship damage caused by hurt feelings.
You’ll be able to define the emotion involved when you interact with your child. You’ll learn to separate whether your emotion is based on what actually is best for them and your family as a whole or if it’s based on what you thought was best.
When you practice being mindful with your kids, you’ll be less anxious, calmer, more thankful and more accepting of yourself both as a parent and as a person, and your bond with your child will grow.