Ways to be a More Present Parent
Stress often makes us a bit detached in our day-to-day routine. However, kids learn a lot more from our actions than they do from our words, so always being somewhere else mentally is almost as bad as being somewhere else physically.
Here are some things that help me be present with my children:
1. Wake up before your kids.
That quiet time to center yourself before the day begins works wonders. If it’s not always possible, plan a time during the day, even if it’s 15 minutes, when you can be alone: Maybe during a nap time, quiet time, while your kids are at school, or when your husband is home.
Instead of using that time to frantically get something done, choose something slow, relaxing, and that you enjoy.
2. Exercise as often as you can.
Yoga is one of the best exercises to try because it effectively can bring peace and mindfulness.
3. Put the kids to bed early.
Establish an early bedtime, or at least lights-out time. Creating a peaceful end to your days will help break them up instead of feeling like you’re in a never-ending cycle of need-meeting.
Also, take advantage of bedtime time to talk to your children and ask them about their day. This ritual creates an easy opportunity for children to open about what’s on their mind.
4. Put your phone away.
Technology has an uncanny ability to suck us into its world and detach us from the people who are around us. Log less minutes on your devices and more moments with the people you love.
5. Remember how fleeting childhood is.
You won’t always be this needed or wanted by your children. When you look back on how you spent these years, you will never regret spending more time with your children. Time spent with family is always a positive investment.
6. Have daily one-on-one time.
Make a goal to spend five minutes of uninterrupted one-on-one time with each child every day. It’s amazing how much this simple commitment does for children’s happiness, behavior, and relationships.
Coach Benjamin Mizrahi. Educator. Learning Specialist. Family Coach. Father. Husband.
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