Mindful Parenting is a contemplative practice through which we become more mindful of our children and, in doing so, experience a more joyful life.
The Mindful Parent is an organization devoted to sharing with
parents and other child caregivers ways in which to enhance the many
joys of parenting. By mindfully attending to our children, both
when we are physically present with them and when we are physically
separated from them, we can enhance our sense of connection to them
and, in turn, our connection to the cosmos. This makes us a
better parent, a happier person, and a more vital human being.
To
facilitate a more mindful approach to parenting, The Mindful Parent
publishes on its website, and in its bi-weekly
newsletter, mindful
parenting
verses and commentaries. The Mindful Parent website
also serves as a community forum that encourages and supports a mindful
parenting dialogue and the sharing of mindful parenting experiences.
In
the spirit of developing a mindful parenting community, we encourage
you to
submit a mindful parenting experience through verse,
commentary, and imagery to share with others. We believe that
through our collective experience, we can help each other develop
a deeper and more meaningful mindful parenting practice.
Click here to learn more about making a submssion. We thank
everyone who has contributed or is considering making this very compassionate
contribution.
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and of changes to The Mindful Parent website. Please
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parenting experience. We are devoted to working with you to
enhance your ability to "be" with your children, and to experience
the bliss that awaits you.
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The Daily Sip: Your Child Knows You
Much of our behavior
is driven by our perceptions of ourselves. We believe we are
a certain way, or that others believe us to be a certain way, and
if we find those perceptions satisfying, we act so as to maintain
them. But, because we are in charge of these perceptions,
they may be erroneous.
To be present in the moment is
to see with clarity, and to know with clarity. It
is to soak in the stillness and embrace the cosmos. As
we come to know ourselves with greater clarity and honesty, our
relationship with our child reaches even greater heights.
Through
the practice of mindful parenting, our child can help us to see
ourselves more clearly. Today, if you have the opportunity to
interact with your child, open awareness to your true self.
You may be in the middle of a game, or a conversation, or reading
a book or reviewing homework. Whatever you may be doing, take
a moment and see yourself from the perspective of your child.
I am who I think I am
But my child
Knows
me
Like
a flower knows the rain
As you recite the verse, breathe deeply
and relax your shoulders. Soften your belly. As you open
awareness to your child's perceptions, don't judge yourself.
Just absorb the feeling. Smile at whatever insight might
emerge.
Originally Published October 5, 2004