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 Morning Sip: Breathe With
Your Child
It is likely that in between every two of your breaths
your child inhales at least once. And, every so often
you inhale together at the same time
When we entered this
world from our mother's womb, we took our first breath. And
our leaving this world will be marked with our final
breath.
Today, open awareness to yours and your child's breathing.
First, when you are together during a quiet monent, notice where you
each are in your breathing cycles. This is easiest when
embraced in a hug. Then, establish synchronicity by deliberately
waiting to inhale or exhale until your child does. It may take
a few monent to catch on to your child's rhythm. Finally, together
"reset" your breathing cycles. To do this, you and your
child can count down from three, then slowly inhale a deep
breath and hold it for a few seconds. Then exhale together. To
synchronize the exhalation, identify a cue you will use such
a raising a finger. If you are doing this over the phone, the
cue can be pushing on the phone's number pad.
Don't rush through
these moments. When your breathing cycles are reset, close your
eyes and smile.
Beautiful scene
Many parents
Many children
Your
mindful parenting practice tip
of the day.
Be sure to
sip slowly
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2003-2005 The Mindful Parent. All rights reserved. The
Mindful Parent is a servicemark of Zen Health.
Experiencing the Joy of Connecting With Our Children
The Mindful
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