Ever attended an expecting parents orientation at a hospital?
You know, where you learn the ins and outs of the birthing process and shown some basics about taking care of baby, from diaper changing to breast-feeding?
It’s basically a crash course in childbirth and baby care.
But if there truly is a survival recipe for parenting, then meditation would be the “secret sauce.”
Let’s face it, parenting is the most demanding job (with the longest hours) you will ever have.
Perfection in parenting is an unrealistic goal and even the best parents will lose control at some point.
It happens to all of us. Frustration levels go through the roof, and children are the victims of that emotional response.
I’ll never forget the first time I truly felt out of control…I mean COMPLETE loss of control…
The unfortunate recipient of my chaos was my then 14-year-old daughter who had just innocently told me she had forgotten part of her homework at home as we turned into the school parking lot for morning carpool.
I will never forget her face as my white clenched knuckles held the helpless steering wheel with all my might as I went off on a rampage about responsibility. She recoiling back against the passenger door as far from me as possible, in total shock.
See, this child was the most responsible kid you’d ever met. She never made less than A in her entire school career, and she was always obedient yet easy going.
And she had never seen me so rattled…so out of control.
Of course, it had nothing to do with some forgotten paper.
It had everything to do with the turmoil and anxiety inside of me. I was overwhelmed, working 12 hour days, and had a newborn at home. It was as if I was lifted out of my body watching this crazy woman lose all grip with reality.
I left the school parking lot, pulled over on the side of the road, and called my sister.
“I think I’m having a meltdown,” I told her.
It was a defining moment. One that set me on a path to not only gain control of my own anxiety, but also to find ways to love myself, my children and life….something I had completely lost the path of how to do.
And the one thing that has changed everything about my life, especially when it comes to parenting, is meditation.
I believe so strongly that the power of meditation keeps us on the inner journey to true happiness, and it’s something I teach to every single one of my clients. (I even create special meditation baskets and recordings for first time energy coaching clients, so that they have all the tools they need to develop a regular practice.)
As mothers, our focus is always on our kids.
We tend to not make time for ourselves, so things like meditation, taking a long relaxing bath, or going for a walk to clear our minds, can feel “selfish.”
As if by taking time for ourselves, we are neglecting the needs of our children.
But here’s what I’ve discovered: by taking the time for a daily meditation practice, my relationship with my children has actually gotten stronger.
And yours can too…
Here are 5 reasons your children will benefit from your meditation practice:
- They will feel more loved. (It’s true!) Why? Because meditation teaches us to be fully present. Your children will feel the difference because you can learn how to truly hold them with your attention. Being with them fully makes them feel valued and treasured.
- You become a safe place. Meditation teaches us to accept what is. It is the true teacher of non-judgment. When we live from this energy, we create a space for our children to be who they are.
- Your child gets to have more of the “real” you. Meditation teaches us to drop all the illusion, the fears, and to just be. It helps you to FULLY show up. Not be halfway at the office or projecting the angst with your supervisor onto your child.
- Your child will find that you are more fun to be around. When meditating, you go deep into a slower brainwave pattern called alpha, in which learning capacity and creativity are very high. This is the world of the 7-14 year old child. You then go deeper still into a slower brainwave pattern called theta, in which imagination and creativity rule. This is where 2-7 year old children spend most of their time. You begin to tap into the energy of your children and can embrace letting go of being an adult and tap into fun, creativity and imagination.
- Your child will love to be near you. Meditation helps us to drop negativity and lower vibrating energy. We lose the need to control, the fear, the stress…..and we tap into peace and acceptance – states of high vibration.
When you are peaceful and centered, others are naturally drawn to be near you. Your child will be happier to be with you because of you ease in shifting into this peaceful place.
