My Child Is The Best Mindfulness Teacher I’ll Ever Have

Practicing mindfulness can be easy when we let our babies be our teachers

You’ve likely heard a lot about the benefits of mindfulness and meditation, and perhaps, like me, you’ve put it on your to do list as something to learn more about and try out…only to find that it keeps getting pushed off as newer, more urgent things crop up. I’m still no expert, but what I have come to realize is that practicing elements of mindfulness is much easier than we think, especially when we leverage time spent with our babies, and let them be our teachers.

Mindfulness, as Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn puts it, is the practice of paying attention to the present moment with intention, while letting go of judgment.

Being in the present. Letting go of judgement. Sounds like what our babies do all day, every day.

Take a moment today or this week to observe your child and emulate their behavior… you’ll find that you’re practicing mindfulness in the process.

Here’s how:

1. Copy the way your infant watches the world around them. Our 0–6-month-olds are fascinated with the sights and sounds of the world. When they are calm, they spend their waking hours soaking in information from their senses. Notice how happy and satisfied they are just staring at something. They don’t get bored. They don’t have past experiences that they’re using to judge what’s happening. They don’t have likes or dislikes, or an ego that can be triggered by what they see. They’re just noticing and observing and learning and accepting. In this way, they are in a constant state of meditation. You’ll find your older children in this same state anytime they’re absorbed in something new. Try setting a 2 minute timer and follow your child’s lead! Look at what he or she is looking at and notice the things you feel, smell and hear. Notice what thoughts you have. What do you think your child is thinking?
2. Let go of the things that bothered you in the past, the way your baby does. You’ve likely experienced your little one completely overcome with angry, sad or scared emotion one moment and then perfectly calm and happy the next. Our 0–3 year olds live life completely in the moment — another great example of how they practice mindfulness. Try it out yourself. Think of one thing that worried or bothered you this week. Now focus on the present moment — what are you actually experiencing right now? Can you, just for this moment, let go of that worry?
3. Go into new experiences with no inhibition and no expectations. Our little ones see everything with fresh, new eyes and don’t hold back based on their expectations of how something is “supposed to be.” They aren’t afraid to try something new, aren’t afraid to fail, and they pay attention to their bodies and emotions. If they are tired, hungry or hurt, they will make it known. When they are happy to see us, they dive in for a big slobbery kiss and a hug. Try it out this week — notice a time when you hold back or inhibit yourself from fully immersing in the moment. Sometimes this is appropriate, but other times we’ve artificially held ourselves back. Maybe you wanted to reach out to help someone but held back. Maybe you wanted to raise your hand for something but didn’t think it was your place. Maybe you wanted to ask for help but didn’t want to burden someone. Go back and redo it the way your child would. How does doing so make you feel?

Each of these little moments, inspired by our children, are actually moments of practicing mindfulness. When we do this, we learn what it feels like to stay in the present and experience things as they are. We grow more aware of the thoughts we are having and how they can dictate our behavior. And ultimately, we learn that we can change our natural gut responses and we can choose how we want to feel or act in any given moment. And that feeling of control, of being able to choose how we want to feel and act, ultimately leads to more happiness.

For even more reminders of how you can use your time with your children for purposeful play, boosting their development, and nurturing your own growth as a parent, check out the Playfully app.

Originally published at www.playfullyapp.com on July 24, 2018.