We all need simple responses to the everyday questions and comments from children. Quick things we can say to minimize our frustration while simultaneously validating their experience.
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Like so many times before (this is a familiar pattern in my life), I was on the verge of putting everyone else's needs before my own. And then here comes Gabriella, singing about how sometimes you need to walk away.
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Being present means that instead of being focused on what happened yesterday or what could happen tomorrow, you are simply here, now. It’s about getting off autopilot and becoming aware of the automatic actions and reactions you are used to, and finding a place of clarity and calm. The present moment offers peace.
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This is a simple idea, something you can practice everyday. It’s simple, but it’s not always easy.
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My husband and I continue or Zen Parenting series this Sunday (7/25) at Elmhurst Yoga Shala from 6-8 p.m. and we are focusing on new parents (with children ages 0-5…expectant parents, too!).
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My girls love playing with the boys on the block. They love their girlfriends, too, but this summer they are developing relationships with the boys. I appreciate what I am seeing because I grew up with some great guys, too; guys that I met very early in my life, guys that remained friends through high school and beyond.
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Todd and Laura Mansfield host Parenting Unplugged, the flagship program of the Parenting Unplugged Network, but the Network also offers Dad's Unplugged and Single Parenting Unplugged.
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The following article was written by my friend Amy Hearst, a very green mama and one of my favorite people. She recently told me that when she eats at restaurants she asks for the manager to make sure they are recycling; if they aren’t, she takes the opportunity to tell them why they should.
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I take a deep breath and slow down even more. Slowly and softly I explain that tonight we are staying inside. I allow them to share their frustration; I don’t talk, I just listen intently and nod. I slow down even more, keep breathing, keep it together…..
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Children know how to cry, but we often stifle their emotion by telling them they are “fine”, “overreacting”, or “dramatic”. This can be a disservice because crying is a natural cleanser. It’s the way the body releases what feels uncomfortable and the way it heals what is painful.
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