How Mindful Parenting and Peaceful Homes go Hand-in-Hand

How Mindful Parenting and Peaceful Homes go Hand-in-Hand

What is Mindful Parenting? 

Mindful parenting is when you know how you parent, your emotions and triggers, and your child’s emotions and triggers. It is when you look at the big picture and decide to be mindful of how you are going to parent and to say no to reactive parenting.

Why Should You Want a Peaceful Home?

 One of the most important questions you should ask yourself is why you want peace for your home. I started the Peaceful Nest as a way to keep myself accountable because I desire to provide a peaceful home for myself, my family, and my children. Ask yourself why you want a peaceful home. I want to piece for home because it is a haven for everybody. Our home should be a place where we all can come to rest and feel loved and safe.

When we practice mindful parenting, we can create a more peaceful home for our family and children.

How Can a Peaceful Home be Beneficial to Your Family? 

The truth is the world is complex and unloving sometimes. A peaceful home can benefit you by giving you a place to retreat. A peaceful home can benefit your family and your children for the same reason. A peaceful home gives them a place where they feel safe and loved. A place where they can retreat when things are rough and challenging in the outside world. They do not have to worry about having turmoil in their home. They know that they will have peace when they come home. 

Being a Mindful Parent Can Help You be Peaceful and Create a Peaceful Home 

Being a mindful parent can help you become peaceful and create a peaceful home because you become more aware of yourself and your children instead of giving into your emotions and becoming more aware of them and why they are being caused.

When you remind yourself, you can know your triggers and how to better care for yourself. As a mindful parent, you know your child’s triggers and the best way to help them overcome obstacles. Instead of giving into reactive parenting and parenting with your emotions, you can approach your situation with mindfulness and awareness.

At the same time, you go into that situation and know what the best techniques to handle it are. 

Learning as You Go

For example, we have a child prone to becoming overwhelmed quickly. She has come a long way with handling her emotions and calming herself down. But telling her to get over her emotions there for a while was very tempting. But instead, I got down to the root of the issue and figured out why she was having meltdowns.

She is a perfectionist and doesn’t want to try when things are not easy for her. I just realized this was a perfectionism trait within the last year or two. Because I know why she has his meltdowns, I have been able to help encourage her when she is in the middle of one.

I have helped build up her self-esteem and helped her learn that she can do hard things and that some things take work. Instead of brushing off what she needed from me, I was mindful and dug deep into the issue’s root.

You Are Mindful of Your Child’s Triggers

Remind yourself to be aware of your child’s triggers. If you have a young child, you know that they need naps and to eat at certain times, etc.

So, when you’re aware of their triggers, you know that you cannot plan a grocery trip in the middle of naptime because that is a recipe for disaster.

It’s when you know that you cannot go to someone’s house during lunchtime without first feeding your child. It’s as simple as knowing what triggers your child’s emotions and meltdowns.

You Know What Your Needs Are for Self-Care 

When you are a mindful parent, you also pay attention to your needs. You know what you need to do to care for yourself so that you can be the best version of yourself and the best parent for your children. 

When You are a Mindful Parent, You Know What Your Triggers Are 

This goes along with knowing what you need for self-care. Being a mindful parent, you will pay attention to your triggers. I know moms, and it’s easy for us to put ourselves on the back burner.

But we cannot be our best selves and parents for our children if we neglect our self-care. This goes for our triggers and not knowing what they are. When we are not more aware of what triggers our emotions, we are more likely to give into reactive parenting.

For example, having a messy house may be one of your triggers. You can be mindful of this by setting aside time to tackle these chores or even teach your children how to clean up after themselves.

Being a Mindful Parent Helps You Practice Giving Grace More Often

When you are a mindful parent, you’re more willing to give grace to yourself, your children, and your spouse. Being mindful reminds you that everybody is human, and sometimes, our expectations for ourselves and our families are unrealistic. When we offer grace to ourselves and our children, we experience more peace in our homes. 

You are More Willing to Offer Forgiveness to Yourself and Your Family 

This goes along with offering grace. Grace and forgiveness come hand-in-hand. How many times have you made a mistake as a mom? We don’t want our families to hold our mistakes against us.

We all make mistakes. Therefore, we should be more willing to offer forgiveness to our spouses and children because we expect forgiveness from them when we come short. 

You Learn to Know Your Child on a More Personal Level

When you practice mindful parenting, you learn your child. What do I mean by “learn your child”?

Do you know them on a deeper and more personal level? You start to understand their chairs, thoughts, interests, etc. When you know your child on a deeper level, you can better connect to their heart when you’re guiding them.

You Will be Able to Say Goodbye to Reactive Parenting

One of the best things about being a mindful parent is the ability to say goodbye to reactive parenting. Have you ever been a reactive parent? I know I have. I have allowed my emotions to roll over in my motherhood and guide how I parent my children.

But then I realized this was no way to parent. Being mindful can help you say goodbye to reactive parenting because you will be less likely to give in to your emotions.

I’m not saying you won’t ever give up on your emotions because that’s unrealistic. However, you will be able to be more mindful as a parent and more peaceful as a parent the more you practice mindfulness. When this happens, reactive parenting becomes a distant memory in your rearview mirror.

I’m not saying that won’t ever happen because it might, but it won’t happen as often as it did.

Being a More Mindful Parent is Worth it 

Being a mindful parent takes work and a lot of time. You have to wake up every day and decide to put emotions aside, put reactive parenting aside, and focus on being more mindful of the job God has given you as a parent. It will be hard work, but it will be worth it. (Read: How to Stop Being a Reactive Parent.)