Acceptance requires being present and engaging with whatever situations present themselves.A parent’s ego and needs should not prevent a child’s growth! Children can grow and develop through struggles. Parenting is not just about making a child happy.What led up to this event and what does it mean in a bigger picture? Instead of trying to fix a momentary problem (e.g., a temper tantrum), it’s important to look at the process.

Instead of reacting to issues with consequences, parents should establish boundaries ahead of time and use positive reinforcement.

Instead of forcing behaviors on children, parents should focus on their own language, their expectations, and their self-regulation.

Conscious parenting is about letting go of a parent’s ego, desires, and attachments.

(And not a one-way transmission process!) Children are their own unique people who can teach a parent. While there are many elements to conscious parenting, a few key ideas include: They also feel it creates closer bonds with children and that the conditioning and authoritative style common in many parental relationships are responsible for the large number of children who pull away from parents. Supporters of conscious parenting believe this model prevents children from having an identity crisis later in life. Ultimately, Shefali argues this will help children connect with their parents since they’re being accepted for who they really are. When this occurs, children become free to develop their true identity. Shefali suggests that through serious consideration of cultural legacies - or to put it more bluntly, family baggage and personal conditioning - parents can begin to let go of their own checklists for how life should be done.īy releasing these checklists, Shefali believes parents free themselves from forcing beliefs on their children. (In case you’re wondering how popular she is, the Dalai Lama wrote the opening to her first book, Oprah has considered her one of the best interviews she’s ever had, and Pink is a fan of her books, which include: The Conscious Parent, The Awakened Family, and Out of Control.) One of the figureheads of this approach to parenting is Shefali Tsabary, PhD, a New York–based clinical psychologist, author, and public speaker. Conscious parenting views children as independent beings (though admittedly still developing over time), who can teach parents to become more self-aware.

Put most simply, conscious parenting asks that instead of striving to “fix” your child, parents look inward at themselves. (In other words, a bringing together of meditation and self-reflection.) It’s rooted in a combination of Eastern-style philosophy and Western-style psychology. Conscious parenting is a term used by various psychologists (and others) to describe a style of parenting that usually focuses more on the parent and how mindfulness can drive parenting choices.

Book the conscious parent