In the modern world it is very important for parents to know; What are the challenges for parenting? How to overcome these challenges? How to be a mindful parent? And Does mindful parenting really works?
Parenting is known to be full of unexpected turns and twists. Being a parent is a tough job that no one ever educates you for, and it involves both positive and negative experiences. You may have many preconceived notions about the type of parent you want to be and the nature of your relationship with your child before you actually become a parent. Parenting transmits cultural values, prepares children for adulthood, and assures their health and safety.
Almost all the parents try to give their children best possible love, care, education and guidance but it is very important for the parents to know that every child is not same; they have different temperaments, different personalities and different goals. Parents raise their children skillfully so that they grow up and chive their goals and live happy life. However, the current stressful lifestyle has made parenting very difficult and challenging, which in turn affect children’s mental well being and has negative impact on their future. In the modern world it is very important for parents to know; what are the challenges for parenting? How to overcome these challenges? How to be a mindful parent? And Does mindful parenting really works?
Challenges for parenting:
- Changing landscape of the family is an important factor which can be challenging for parents. In present world, formation of nuclear families although has some benefits but it has many disadvantages. Previously we used to see collective parenting by parents, grand-parents, uncles and aunts but nowadays the nuclear family, consisting of parents and their children, became the norm. It is also important to mention here that it is not uncommon nowadays to raise a child by single-mother or single-father. It has lead to reduced support system, limited cultural transmission, lack of role models and financial strain.
- Busy lives put families under pressure as parents are very busy nowadays and had minimal time for relaxation, leisure, or even sleep. Spending less time together can be highly unproductive for academics to sports and hobbies of children.
- Parenting in the digital era is becoming so difficult because digitalization has invaded our lives. Sometimes parents are busy on social media or working from home or at times it is children who are busy with social media or with online classes etc. This has lead to less communication or miscommunication among children and parents.
- Competitive pressures among parents for their children’s grades can also make parenting more challenging. Parents have high expectations from their children in exams etc that puts pressure on children and can disturb their mental well being.
To overcome these challenging situation mindfulness and mindful parenting can come in handy. Mindful parenting can help you and your child to combat such stressful situations.
Mindfulness is a form of mental training that supports the mind to be more focused, effective, and present to what we are doing as we are doing it. Mindfulness can be sensory, as in noticing every sound, taste, odor and touch sensation in your environment, then leaving these impressions behind.
Mindful parenting is the practice of paying attention to whatever is happening in the present moment with yourself and your kids. Mindful parenting is basically listening with full attention what child is saying, be non-judgmental, be emotionally aware of yourself and your child and finding a constructive way forward means figuring out a way to deal with them
- It can help you to identify feelings you have in response to your child’s behavior, to understand feelings of your child rather than react impulsively.
- It also help you to be non-judgmental towards your child and to hear or understand your child what they’re saying verbally and non-verbally.
- It can help you to be less critical and more empathetic regulating your thoughts, emotions, and actions.
- Mindful parenting can significantly reduce parenting stresswhile increasing parenting satisfaction and lessen aggression and stress.
- Mindful parenting can promote better child-parent communication.
- Mindful parenting can help your children to grow up with better emotional regulation skills.
- It helps children to be more secure and patient.
- Mindfulness techniques can help prevent tense situations from escalating into full-blown conflicts.
Conclusion
The positive impact it could have on our kids is worth the effort. In fact, research shows that it can be a useful tool that assists parents in helping their kids solve conflicts in a calm, kind, and respectful manner. It’s not always easy being a mindful parent especially for those whose own upbringing involved the reactive or dismissive parenting approaches that they now try to avoid. The demands of parenting pile on top of all your other obligations, making you susceptible to overwhelm and anxiety.
It is imperative for one to meditate on personal love, recognize small accomplishments and look out for others or even experts in case of a need. This way you can start practicing resilience bit by bit, and thus move towards being more nurturing in your parenting style. If you practice mindful parenting, you can create a home environment where empathy, understanding, positive growth and your own children are nurtured.
(Author is Consultant Psychiatrist IMHANS. Feedback: [email protected])
