The Power of Mindfulness in Raising Sons

I haven’t always been good at practicing mindfulness. Even now, some days are good and other days it’s nonexistent. As I’ve grown up and become a mother, I understand the importance of incorporating mindfulness into my life as much as possible.

Growing up is hard. Every new situation seems life altering. New daycares. New schools. A new routine. A new sports team.

It’s rare that we make it a week without something new popping up for my sons. It’s in those situations where they act out or completely shut down. Middle ground ceases to exist.

It’s in these situations where I’m reminded of the power of mindfulness. Like anything with being a parent, it’s a work in progress. Here are the five key steps I take to teach my sons the power of mindfulness.

Recognize and acknowledge how you’re feeling. Put a name to what you’re feeling. Is it nerves? Anger? Frustration? By naming the emotion, we’re able to figure out how to address it.
Be okay with not being okay. It can be easy to write off negative emotions and live in a world of “okay.” But, by doing so you’re not being true to yourself. It is absolutely fine to not be okay at all times.
Verbalize what you’re feeling. You’ve named the emotion, now talk through why you’re feeling that way. Are you frustrated because the page you’re trying to read is hard? Are you mad because your brother took the toy you wanted to play with?
When all else fails, take a deep breath. Take several. Nothing gets us out of our heads and the spiral of emotions faster than concentrating on taking deep breaths.
Model mindfulness. I model the steps above every chance I get. If my sons see me frustrated, I talk them through what I’m feeling and why. When I ask them to take deep breaths, I do it with them.

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