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
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making this very compassionate contribution.
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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: The
Back and Forth of Flossing
When we awaken to the present moment,
and deeply feel our child's presence in the here and now, we
are practicing mindful parenting. Such awareness is most
precious when it helps us to move beyond the rigid, allowing
us to be flexible as we approach everyday circumstances.
When
we floss our teeth, we rub a thin piece of material back and forth
between two teeth. Doing so, releases bacteria and food particles
which makes our mouth healthier. The back and forth is
a good thing.
It is not very different when we engage in a back
and forth with our child -- each of us trying to advance a different
position on a matter. The process creates the opportunity to
deeply listen to our child, to release old baggage, and to move into
the next moment with more grace. All this is open to us, even
if we continue to disagree with our child and deny them what they
want.
Today, when you floss your teeth, bring your awareness
to your child and reflect on a time when you disagreed with one another.
Smile knowing that such times present golden nuggets of opportunity
and that the next time you will be open to seeing the gold sparkling
all around.
