Why Yoga is a Critical Practice for Gentle Parents & Caregivers
Gentle, or peaceful parenting, is starting to become a household phrase. How does yoga and mindfulness contribute to success of this approach?
Are you a gentle/peaceful parent? Or a nanny/childcare provider who is invested in using conscious discipline techniques? Do you strive to discipline and teach your child in such a way that is congruent with your beliefs about children’s autonomy and developmental ability? I know that many of us research parenting and child development as well as ways to ensure our child's resilience and happiness quite often because we know how much it matters.
I also know that we are always on the search for ways to increase our own patience, empathy, and actual skills so that we can parent our children and/or care for the children entrusted to us with a gentle but firm heart. We understand that we model the kind of behavior we wish to see. For the past few years, I have taught in numerous places, many of those being schools and childcare settings. One thing we have consistently found, and backed by preliminary research, is that kids and family yoga contributes and assists in our conscious discipline goals. It aligns so well. How so?
It complements the literature that forms the basis of the "Seven Skills of Discipline" and "Brain-State" models.
Yoga has been demonstrated to have a positive impact on the developing brain and body. Specifically, it provides a sense of safety, promotes connection between the mind & body, as well as with other people, and facilitates effective problem-solving.
Both Conscious Discipline and yoga/mindfulness practices heavily focus on building social-emotional skills so that children can more readily identify their feelings, correctly name them, and thus, manage their reactions more positively.
What have you noticed about positive discipline and practicing yoga? Have you ever thought about how a consistent yoga practice might help you in your peaceful parenting goals? Join me in our group and I'd be happy to chat with you about it!
With love,
Heather