The Daily
Sip: Finding Truth In Your Child's Expressions
"To practice mindful parenting is to be
in touch with the present moment. The practice serves to push
aside the many distractions that bombard us so that true awareness of
the moment may surface. When it does, we can trust our
behavior and decision making. Oftentimes, however, the distractions
can be powerful and difficult to overcome."
Yesterday's column focused
on being mindful of the distraction (e.g., hunger)and how it may compete
with our child's needs.
A related thought is that we can
often trust that our child's expressions, especially when they
are young, derive out of the present moment. As a result, it
may well be the case that our child is open to the moment at
the very time we are running toward the nearest dearest
distraction.
The promise of this is that we can look to our child's
expressions to help pull us back into the present moment.
Today,
if you find your own needs in conflict with your child's,
listen to your child as if they were a profound spiritual teacher.
Trust their expressions even though you may not understand them
or see the immediate value in them.
Apply yourself fully
and without reservation. Even the simplest request may lead
you to the door of mindfulness. Open it, on the faith of your
child's teaching, and you may be surprised where it leads you
