It’s actually Day 31, but this post is about Day 30.
I attended a Mindful Parent Support Group meeting held at Lanikai Wellness Studio in Milton, Delaware, at the end of my first month focusing on positive parenting.
As a home educating dad, I’m used to being the only adult male in a room. The ladies in the group were welcoming and came from a variety of perspectives. The key was that we all had identified problems in our approach to parenting and recognized that we needed help to get where we want to be.
The theme was listening. I’ve become a more open listener in recent months, but I still lack patient compassion when it comes to my sons. I don’t take the repetition of questions or whining tone of complaints seriously. I don’t wait to fully hear the problem and understand their point of view, I assume the nature of the problem and offer my solution. Boom, problem solved. Not so. Most of the time children just want to be heard. They’re no different than adults. The difference is that most adults have spent decades not being heard and are more accustomed to it.
Listen to your children. I know mine are absolutely fascinating when I open myself to hear what they have to share.
God bless,
Jason