Every parent strives to be the best parent that they can be, and they read the books, look through the blogs and watch other parents and how they parent. It can be a bit overwhelming, because there can seem to be so many different ways to be a parent, and they all have names. You can be a tiger mom, a landmower parent, or a helicopter dad. You can use more authoritative parenting or a gentle parenting approach. What a lot of people end up doing is adopting aspects of different parenting styles until they find one that works for them and their families.
One of the newer terms is “conscious parenting,” and this is becoming more commonly seen in the media and on social media. It may not be a new way of parenting, but it is a style that has now been given a title. There are a lot of who think that this is the best way to approach parenting, but mom and dad may not know much about it yet.
What Is Conscious Parenting?
It seems to go without saying that we need to have a basic understanding of what this type of parenting is before we can understand if it will work for us. According to Today’s Parent, being a conscious parent really means to live in the moment in any situation that happens with your child. That means that you are being present and mindful in the interactions you have with your child so that you are not reacting to your child out of your own emotions. This makes it easier for moms to remain calm.
The Benefits & Drawbacks
As with anything do to with parenting, there are benefits and negatives with conscious parenting, and it is important to know both. According to Healthline, conscious parenting can help to reduce stress and anxiety in both the parent and the child. It can also encourage respectful language when communicating for both parent and child.
When it comes to drawbacks, there are two that really stand out. The first is that it can take a long time for parents to really get the hang of being a conscious parent because it requires a lot of self-reflection and self-work. The other thing that parents often have a hard time with is the fact that you need to let your child struggle and fail at times.
How To Practice It
Like we said earlier, conscious parenting requires a lot of work on the part of the parent, but it can be hard to know where to even start. According to Mom Junction, the best place to start is by taking a step back in every situation. If your child is showing some big emotions, before you respond get in the habit of stepping away and collecting yourself. This helps to calm the parent down so that they are not responding out of anger to their child. They are able to come at the situation from a calmer place and really listen to what their child is trying to tell them.
Sources: Today’s Parent, Healthline, Mom Junction