Check this site out. Mindfulness, speaking for myself, has been a major contributor to my own flawed quest for more patience, attentiveness and compassion toward myself and others. This piece offers a great way to integrate mindfulness practice with everyday parenting. Give it a try.
Here's one mindfulness practice I do with my clients (including my teen clients):
- Sit in a relaxed but dignified position
- Bring your attention to your breath
- Your body breathes all on its own, so all we are going to do is notice our body doing its work
- As your body breaths in, say to yourself 'Breathing In'
- As your body breaths out, say to yourself 'Breathing Out'
- Bringing attention to the automatic, the mundane, is a great way to expand our general ability to pay attention to the moment, as it arises, without judgement
- Your mind will wander; that is totally natural and not to be avoided; the goal here is to notice when your mind wanders.
- When you notice your mind wandering off of your breath, gently bring your attention back to your breathing
- Do this without judgement
- The goal is not to 'not be distracted' but to notice when you are distracted and kindly bring your attention back to the present moment: breathing
- We will do this for about 4 minutes and I will let you know when we are done
