My life has been changed so much since I had kids. They are my spiritual teachers even though I am parenting them. We got lot to learn from being around kids. If you look around children or infants, they are more involved in that silence or present moment than us. They are completely engrossed in their act for the moment and play with mindfulness while being totally present. As we are grow up, we slowly forget to use this gift of ours, among others. By the time, we remember to use this gift, if we decide to use it, we struggle and struggle and must make quite an effort to bring it back.
Yes, it’s such an instinct that children do teach us Mindfulness naturally. There is no effort from them and only effort is as adults to focus on what we learn. Before we change them and teach lets learn the most valuable the lessons they are here to teach us. Now Pause and take few breaths and read further.
1. Notice what’s around
Ask them what colour car is uncle pat’s including door handle and they are quick in responding than you would be. As an adult, you would have gone past the car many times but never been there present to see it, notice or acknowledge. But the kids do notice what’s around and hang on the present moments.
2. Present moment
At the playground, did you notice when you mention “wrap up “time children ask for more time or 5 min more and they are great at negotiating. And when you promise we will be there tomorrow again, they never listen to that “tomorrow” as for them the point is “Now” – Present moments. There is not past or future. Is it amazing how they are living their life in this moments they have got. If you bring them next day its a bonus if not no bother if they win for the 5 min. For them every day is a new day like a fresh sheet of paper. We make plans and organise etc. but they wake up and look forward to the day like a present and make most.
3. Non Judgemental
Mindfulness is about being non-judgmental. When you speak to them and share your experience of your day or a situation as per age appropriate. All they do is listen and give a warm hug. That melts away your problems, they didn’t judge or criticise and just accepted and heard your voice what you shared.
4. Single task
Did you notice while a child is building a Lego block how totally 100% they are in the task? Not thinking of break or water or who is around but just focussing on one thing at a time. Being in the moment and not multitasking. look back and learn from them to focus on single task at a time. Which helps us to give 100% attention to the task we perform.
5. Active with 5 senses.
Notice a child playing in muddy puddle. So much lighter and fun it they create and are. Even if we can observe that act it shifts an inner child fun part. They are they totally present and even trying to taste mud. And remember they are never stable mostly. It’s such a natural way for them to run, walk and use the body with flexibility. Rather judging on what they can do and not.
6. Forgiveness
They teach us how to forgive and more over and forget too. You notice that when they sleep they sleep so peacefully nothing in the heart. And forget the facts they would have been upset the previous day. They let go of the past so quickly and move on.
7. Me time
With mindfulness, we learn on self-love and time for us. And with children it’s a natural thing. You see them when tired they go up to their comfort position in couch or bed and relax. They don’t wait for permission or think what would others think.
8. A Better Listener
Being a better listener they show empathy or kindness to people around. No matter who it is they can sense what’s happening. They do hear and remind us to be listeners. Things like what Grandma said they will remember for ever at summer holidays.
9. Creative
They are so good with their creative centre. They are immersed in the activity and get a long way of it. weather playing with water balloons or pain.
10. Laughter lounge
Pure bliss to be surrounded by them and not laughing at their silly jokes or things they do. They giggle and make the house full giggle too for a spilled milk right. when they do mischief rather being upset they make fun of the situation and in a way if we can take that into our adult life we can relax rather be paranoid of situation. If we can’t handle we can’t and we will be ready to ask for help.
We as adults always like to be the children. We couldn’t wait to grow up and then realised it was better to be a child. Here is what we are learning form them and these are only some of the lessons they teach us if we focus into to them from time to time. Now look around at your kids or nieces, nephews or cousins and see what are they teaching us before we teach them anything.
"Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things." - Robert Brault
§ In Part 3 will share “How you would bond with your child with mindfulness”. As while teaching to learning it’s such a special moments.
§ In Part 4 I’ll wrap things up by discussing how mindfulness tools are effective and can used in daily lives without further complicating it.
