Yoga and Parenting
Yoga and Parenting
Yoga is a "way of life." One that brings more peace, calm, beauty, and health.
This past weekend I taught yoga to physicians and coached physician moms on parenting struggles. As a yogi, parent, and pediatrician, the overlap inspired me.
Incorporating yogic philosophy and mindfulness into your parenting can be a game changer.
When you pause and are present, things look different. Mindful parents raise mindful children. When you respond to a tantrum by being present, rather than trying to "fix it", the energy shifts. As one of my clients reported, I made only a tiny change and yet it changed everything.
When you breathe deeply, you activate the parasympathetic nervous system and feel more relaxed. When you breathe in nourishment and breathe out what doesn't serve you including judgement, frustration, irritation, resentment and unmet expectations of yourself and your child, everything shifts both physiologically and emotionally.
Changing a situation can be as simple as pausing to take a few deep breaths.
When we create space and compassion, and accept, allow and validate our feelings, stress dissipates and anxiety and tension lessen.
"This is what we have today."
"Everything we feel is allowed.”
This is true for everyone including you as a parent. When we resist feelings they grow stronger. Accepting and allowing "what is" is the essence of yoga and mindfulness.
When you take the time to get to better know yourself and your children, you learn from each other. When we are curious and not furious and look for how we are "just like them," we build bridges of understanding. Even adults have temper tantrums sometimes, they just look different.
Finding balance between effort and ease and rooting and stretching is foundational in yoga and is key to equanimity and contentment for both children and parents.
In yoga we set an intention. Choosing to be intentional, and foster feelings of compassion and love is protective. Deliberately creating opportunities for fun and laughing teaches the value of joy.
How do you want to feel as a parent? When you look back at this time, what will you wish you had done more of and less of?
Listen to yourself and start doing that now.
Ahimsa means “do no harm” in yoga. Listen to your body and respect your limitations. Be kind to others and the world. Don’t negatively judge your kids, yourself, or your parenting. This makes both yoga class, parenting, and life all go much more smoothly.