Meditation in Parenting: Cultivating Wellness

Most people enter parenthood with no clue as to what hit them. By the time they understand, they’re too busy juggling schedules and activities to pay attention to what parenthood is actually about. Raising a human being is not about feeding, clothing and educating alone. We want to help children achieve overall wellness and grow into mindful adults. That’s where meditation comes in. Meditation is an age-old practice traditionally in Eastern cultures but that is now growing in popularity worldwide. Here are some reasons why parents would benefit from adopting meditation in their familial lifestyle.

Why Meditation?

Calmer Parents

Ever had a sleepless night and feel agitated the next day? Multiply that by years, and you’ll get the picture of what parents, in particular moms, feel like on a regular basis. Parenthood is a great responsibility that challenges you both physically and mentally. Sleepless nights, preparing food, cleaning, and shouting leave you stressed out and agitated. A dose of meditation helps you become a calmer and more mindful parent. It encourages you to STOP (Stop, Take deep breaths, Observe, Proceed) according to Yaffa Maritz of Community of Mindful Parenting.

Mindful Kids

Once your kids find you calmer, they too will be less reactive and more responsive. According to Alicia Walton’s article, when children meditate they are less likely to become aggressive, less prone to unhealthy behavior, and less likely to get into trouble at school. When they become mindful of their behavior they are able to focus more on their purpose (of being in school), and what they want to achieve.

Family Wellness

As a family it’s important to adopt a healthy and natural lifestyle for the wellbeing of the whole family, rather than just the parents or just the kids.

“The key to achieving and maintaining great health is balance and consistency. Balance in your diet & lifestyle, and consistency in your execution of these activities.”

~ Rebecca Johnson, Naturopathic Practitioner

When you adopt meditation into parenting, you’ll benefit more than just a few minutes of calm. However, the hardest part of meditation is not finding the time, but cultivating the will and ability to adhere to a ritual.

Getting Started

Like many parents, you may have reservations against how you will find the time for meditation. Fortunately, it doesn’t actually take long to meditate. Making time is the first step. Learn to capitalize on down time and incorporate your meditation into it. This could be when you’re in the car after dropping the kids off to school or right after you’ve put them to sleep. Most people spend this time feeling agitated, checking their phone, or staring into space. Instead, follow these steps for meditation.

Step 1: Find 10 minutes of alone time to meditate.

Step 2: Find a quiet, relaxing spot where you won’t be disturbed.

Step 3: Block thoughts of worries and distractions.

Step 4: Start your practice, a method that you’ve chosen for your meditation.

That’s all it takes. It will take effort to remember to do this in the beginning but eventually, you will get the hang of it.

Choosing a Method

There are many different types of meditation. Some methods originated from cultural practices and others are derived from modern rituals. The type of meditation you choose depends on your comfort level, effort required, and your lifestyle. As a parent, it’s best to start with the meditation that can easily be incorporated into your kids’ routine.

Mindfulness meditation involves paying attention to your thoughts without any judgment or reaction towards them. Let your thoughts loose and focus on an object or breaths. This one is ideal for working parents.
Spiritual meditation requires you to reflect on your connection with God or the Universe in a place of worship. This could be a good stopover for parents who are seeking to have a ritual at a designated place, similar to how people go to the gym for a workout routine.
Focused meditation involves paying attention to the five senses. It is ideal for distracted parents to notice these simple sensations.
Movement mediation is a physical therapy that requires you to take specific movements and focus on them. This can include walking, yoga, or any movement you feel comfortable with that doesn’t get too strenuous.
Mantra meditation requires you to say or make a sound that soothes your thoughts. By saying the mantra loudly you’d be able to focus on what you say instead of ambient noise. Repeating the same term will help parents with young kids to block out screaming and bickering. Repeating “Ohm” stimulates the vagus nerve and calms your nervous system!
Transcendental meditation is preferred by most because of its easiness. Adopt the mantra of your choice and concentrate on saying that to help boost your morale and focus. You may consider “I can do it” or “I’m a caring mom”.

Be Consistent

Whatever method you choose, remember it’s less about the method and more about consistency. Getting caught up in the details distracts from the beautiful journey of meditation. Meditation truly is a practice; remember to be patient with yourself while adopting this practice. In addition, it helps to involve kids in the process so that your whole family is included in the meditation. Parents are extending health and wellness to their children when they include them in the process. This helps them cope with their own life stressors later on in life.