Newsletter Contents
Publisher's Pen: Mindful Parenting
“Mindfulness means moment-to-moment nonjudgmental awareness.”
Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D
Seeing our children for the beautiful gifts that they are, on a moment-to-moment basis, can be a challenge. Mindfulness is a skill. It means learning how to be aware of how we react to situations on an emotional, mental and physical level as the situations are unfolding. How do we learn this skill?
Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D, author of Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness (Dell Publishing, New York), describes mindfulness as the disciplined practice of moment-to-moment awareness and the complete “owning” of each moment of your experience, good, bad, or ugly. He believes that this is the essence of full catastrophe living. We all have the ability to be mindful; we just need to practice paying attention. This book outlines the program of the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center.
It is highly informative and produces results. I can attest to its efficacy, because I read the book and practice the techniques. As a self-taught “graduate” of the printed program, I am learning to stay calm and focused during trying times that, previously, might have put me over the edge of my sanity. And, I have had to do a lot of “owning” of the bad and ugly lately. I highly recommend it for all parents, teachers, guardians and caregivers.
My most recent practice session came when I arrived home after a long day on the road to hear this message from my college-age son who was backpacking in Mexico with his best friend: “Hi Mom. It’s bad here. I can’t wait to get home. Brian and I got separated. I can’t find him. I lost my cell phone…….(click)”. What did I do when I heard this? – stiffened, cried, made some phone calls, and then practiced, practiced, practiced.
As many of you can relate, parenting gives us ample opportunities to practice being aware of how we react to situations as they arise, and to cultivate our ability to be mindful. May we continue to cultivate the best in ourselves, which will naturally spill over to our children.
Smiles,
Elaine
Empowering Parents and Teachers:
Try practicing being mindful during activities that might, at certain times, cause stress. Do you block out, shut down, get angry, feel excited, or act out? Does it cause a chain reaction? Here are simple steps that will help you learn to keep the peace, keep your sanity, and stay in the present moment.
- Choose an activity.
- In the first few minutes, do it more quickly than usual.
- Next, do it more slowly than usual.
- Complete it at your own pace, whatever that may be.
- Once it is done, write down what you noticed.
- Do the activity again when you don’t feel like doing it.
- Did you notice anything different?*
(Taken from, “Mindfulness is in the Details,” by Carolyn Wilson-Elliott, DD, MSC, Milwaukee, WI, USA, www.quantumspirit.com)Activities at Home:
Getting out of bed in the morning
Getting dressed and ready for school
Doing homework
Doing chores
Participating in an extracurricular activity such as sports, dancing, clubs, etc.
Going somewhere with your family
Going somewhere with your friends
Going shopping
(Add activities of your own).
Activities at School:
Walking into school
Getting in line to go to lunch or specials
Taking a test
Doing other work at your seat
Working in a small group
Playing outside during recess
Waiting outside before or after school
Riding the bus
Eating lunch
Going on a field trip
Helping a substitute teacher
(Add activities of your own).
Empowering K.I.D.S. (Kids In Daily Situations):
What happens when……
You do any of the activities listed above when you don’t feel like it?
You do the activities and you do feel like it?
Does it result in a good day or a bad day?
Throughout your day, stop, think, look and listen. Notice what is going on around you.
Practice this over the summer, and I guarantee you that things will go more smoothly and your life will get easier.
Keep a journal. It will help you keep track of your feelings, sensations and behaviors. And it will also help you retain your writing skills.
Above all, HAVE FUN!
And have a good summer.
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