Are You Being a Mindful Parenting Style Parent?

Are you being a Mindful Parenting Style Parent?

It is often said that children take up from their parents. You are your child's earliest role model. How you respond to certain situations will influence their behavior in the future. You will look everywhere and find out that no parenting style works for all children. However, there are those techniques that you can implement to raise responsible adults of the future. You have parents who are strict disciplinarians and those who take things as they come.

As child experts continue to research parenting styles, mindful parenting is increasingly becoming more popular, and the results are there to prove it. If you are still new to this parenting style, below is some information to get you in the loop about what it is all about.

What is mindful parenting?

It refers to a style of parenting where you react more positively to situations, taking into account both your outward and inward emotions. Mindful parenting borrows from the principles of Buddhism in terms of you having a positive outlook on life and are more accepting than judgemental. It involves positive responses to your child's behavior, which are calculated and measured to result in more amicable outcomes.

Mindful parenting is not about being positive all the time. It involves other facets of your behavior as a parent on how you respond to certain situations. These facets are as follows:

• Having situational awareness of things happening around you.
• Taking the initiative to understand these situations better and come out with a positive decision.
• Having the self-control to get rid of any biases and being accepting of things as they occur.

To successfully execute mindful parenting, there are specific skills that you require. You will need constant practice to ensure your prowess in them. The skills are as below:

1. Self-control

Self-control is all about gauging your emotions and ensuring that they do not govern your reactions. Regardless of how angry your child makes you, your reaction should be based on rational thinking. Only then are you able to reach favorable conclusions to unruly behavior from your child?

2. Empathy

People have different preferences, and sometimes this may lead to conflict. You may have a particular style of doing things, which may not be agreeable to your child. However, taking the time to understand your child's situation and rationale will result in you being a mindful parent.

3. Being unbiased

You may have certain expectations of your child that may simply be beyond their abilities. Rather than blaming them for their shortcomings, learn to accept where they are coming from. Look for alternatives to the situation, and work on ways to make them excel within their passions.

4. Listening

Human beings have two ears and one mouth. The reason for this is because you get to learn more from auditory cues rather than your other senses. Life is continually changing, and so is the environment. Therefore, you need to listen to your child more and learn from their perspective as well. A few decades back, the post was the primary means of communication, but that has since become obsolete. You now have video calls and instant messaging, all of which your child is privy to. Take time to learn from them and understand how things work. You will realize that they are not as bad as they are portrayed to be.

5. Emotional awareness

Emotional awareness involves more of being able to read the room. Different scenarios arise from different emotions. Being aware of these will make you able to interact positively with others in the same scenario without causing unnecessary tension. For example, if your child is gloomy, continually asking them what is wrong may lead to extra friction. Instead, allow them some time to calm down and then find out the issue when tensions are less likely to occur.

Benefits of mindful parenting.

The main reason why mindful parenting is becoming more mainstream is due to the many benefits it accrues. As you continue to practice these techniques, you will notice the following:

• The communication between your child and you is more open and honest.
• Both you and your child have better control of your emotions, even in stressful situations.
• There is less hatred and alienation between you, your partner, and your children.
• Parenting becomes less of a chore and more pleasurable.
• You get rid of self-doubt and believe more in your child's abilities.
• There is increased collaboration between you and your child. Your child will allow you to participate more in their life as compared to other parenting styles.

Examples of mindful parenting.

1. Your child is a social media addict.

Technology is a part of life, and if not regulated, may result in addiction. As a mindful parent, take time to understand what is engaging your child. Rather than taking away their phone or switching off the Wi-Fi, have a heart to heart with your child. You may find that the issue stems from other factors such as being too busy for them and finding comfort in talking to others.

2. Your child is not performing in school as per your expectations.

Where most parents fail is by living their unfulfilled dreams through their child. You should know that not everyone has the same abilities. Rather than scold your child or, worse, beat them for failing in class. Take time to find out what they fancy. Encourage them in their passion and see if the situation changes. They may become the next big inventor or win an acting award.

By approaching the situation with a more positive attitude, you will realize that your bond becomes stronger in the long run. Communication will be more honest, and there will be less mistrust between the two of you.

Your child is indulging in dangerous behavior behind your back.

Adolescence is a troubling time for both children and parents. Teenagers tend to misbehave and involve themselves in decisions that you may otherwise find questionable. However, approaching the scenario like a military operation will only worsen the situation. Understand that your child is going through a phase that is new for them. Be the grown-up in the relationship and listen to what is troubling them. Only then are you able to find a solution that works for both parties?

Do not let your past experiences affect your judgment of your child's behavior. One of the key skills in mindful parenting is being unbiased. Therefore, when talking to your child, forget all your past experiences. Instead, approach the situation with an open mind and know that this is new to both of you.

What is Famisafe?

With the internet and digital devices becoming more commonplace, your child's potential risks are even greater than before. Threats such as cyberbullying, inappropriate content, and being lured to danger, or addiction to social media, is closer than you think.

With Famisafe, you can now control what content your child has access to and how much time they spend on their devices. You can even track your child's location in real-time to ensure that they are safe.

Famisafe is designed for children from three years to eighteen and comes with different controls for all age groups. You can monitor the content that your five-year-old is accessing and get notifications of any suspicious activity on their device. Similarly, you can track your teenager's location should they miss the agreed curfew and take the necessary actions.

The app is available on Android, iOS devices, Windows, and macOS. Depending on your plan, you can control up to thirty devices at once. As a mindful parent, you want your child to explore as much as possible without appearing too overbearing. All you need to do is install the app on all the devices you want to monitor and grant the necessary permissions. Once done, you can remotely monitor your kids' activity without interfering with their everyday usage.

Parenting can be stressful if you do not use the correct approach. Different children require different techniques. However, by including mindfulness in your approach, you can strike a balance and enjoy better relationships with your children.