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.
Click
here to learn what
recent events are taking place and of changes to The Mindful Parent
website. Please
contact us with your questions about mindful
parenting or to share a mindful 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.
Sign up for The Mindful Parent newsletter
and receive information and tips on mindful parenting. It's easy,
free, and fulfilling.
The Daily Sip: Turning
On The Radio and Your Child's Omni-Presence
When you turn on
the radio, you probably do so to listen to music, a talk show, or
to learn what is going on in the world. The transition between
radio off and radio on is generally seamless, perhaps automatic.
Today,
when you reach for the knob, dial, remote control, or mouse
to turn on the radio, open awareness to your hands and fingers.
Move them a little slower than you normally would.
Feel your fingertips and observe the space surrounding them.
As you make contact, observe the tactile sensations and subtle pressure
against your fingers. Breathe deeply. As the music or
other sound emerges, listen deeply and detect the differences
between before and after.
It is easy to forget that the
sound you hear derives from radio waves that are always present.
Turning on the radio simply transforms these waves into a form you
can better comprehend.
So too, your connection to your child
is one that is always present, regardless of whether your child is
with you or miles away.
Today, when you turn on the radio,
turn on awareness to the (omni)presence of your child. Turn
your thoughts to where your child is and what he or she is doing.
Smile. When you turn the radio off, know deeply that your child,
like the radio waves, remain vital and present – and that your connection
to your child is always flowing.
