Mindful parenting: a beginner's guide - Part II
When we really connect with nature and observe carefully what is around us, we can’t help but be mindful! A mindful parent will help install in children a sense of wonder at nature. If we take the time, nature is the most amazing builder. We regularly have an ‘Amazing Nature’ post on our Instagram – share the pictures with the children in your lives and help them appreciate the natural world!
On a practical level, a regular weekend ‘nature experience’ is a great addition to any mindful parenting practice. Let’s face it, we schedule a weekend sports activity or play date with no question, so why not schedule a ‘nature experience’ session as well? And they don’t have to be amazing, your own backyard or city will do!
Our children's book, Making Mindful Magic purposefully offers mindful experiences set in nature like ‘follow a bird’, ‘go walking in nature’ because we believe being in nature is very grounding and encourages us to fully experience the present moment.
There are experiences inviting you into nature in your own backyard and neighbourhood – take the time to accept the invitation on behalf of your family. Discover the peace and calm that connecting with nature offers. Encourage your children to mindfully observe everything around them – listen to the quiet or the sounds of nature, breathe in the fresh air, smelling its perfumes and feeling it encompass your whole body.
Children can become overwhelmed and distracted – a good solution is to get them outside. Look for the easy and uncomplicated to rebalance them. It’s hard to go past slowly walking barefoot on grass to feel a deep connection to nature and a sense of calm.
Random acts of observation of nature are important too. Stop and notice things with your children on the way to school, when visiting a friend’s home, maybe it's just a flower that has bloomed? It doesn’t really matter where, but keeping your eyes open for a dose of nature daily helps keep all of us, including our children, in the present moment and helps us to appreciate the wonder of our natural world.
