Conscious parenting you should encourage

A mother talking to her daughter. (Courtesy)

After a long day at work and for some super parents who have college and assignments to deal with, all you want to do once you are home is rest and unwind. Sadly, that is usually not possible with children. At the end of the day, you have zero energy for those you love and sometimes the children get to experience the brunt of your stress.

This has happened and you have asked yourself at least once, how you can keep your bad mood from affecting your children. The simple answer lies in conscious parenting. This is a more mindful approach different from other parenting styles. Based on the bestseller book, The Conscious Parent: Transforming Ourselves, Empowering Our Children by Dr Shefali Tsabary, parents are taught to manage their behaviour, thoughts and feelings first and foremost.

It is a philosophy that encourages parents to make emotionally intelligent and mindful decisions when it comes to raising their children. The reason why this is important is that we tend to learn habits from our parents consciously or unconsciously, repeating patterns we saw growing up. What is more unsettling is the fact that our childhood traumas and experiences tend to dictate our decisions even without us being aware of it.

Recognise that every child is unique and the approach for each one of them should be different. From when they are born, children have distinct needs and preferences. The only way you will understand this is by paying attention to them and learning. This will help you understand that you and they are two different people. Accept them for who they are and let your parenting cater to those needs.

Parenting should be a relationship, not a transaction. Like every relationship, it takes certain habits to build on trust and open lines of communication and develop a deep care and love for one another.