To Be Present

I am currently reading a book by Jon Kabat-Zinn and Myla Kabat-Zinn called “Everyday Blessings: The Inner Work of Mindful Parenting” and although it seems so simple, something in the very first few pages of the book really struck a chord.  They explain how important it is to be present in order to know what you need and your child needs.  I think as parents we sometimes consume ourselves with so much information and there is so much literature as to how you should be parenting.  However, they explain how no one can tell you the right way to parent your child because both you and your child are unique individuals.  I’m not sure why I never looked at things so clearly before but it just made so much sense.  There is no right or wrong way.  It is important to be present and really take in the situation because only you know your child and how they respond as well as your own responses.  So I am trying to be a little more mindful in my words and really try to listen to my children.  This obviously would work in all your relationships.  There is no one size fits all.  This isn’t to say that we shouldn’t keep learning and informing ourselves because I think that only helps you grow but for today I hope to be a more mindful parent.