Emotions

Emotions

When we continually try to push away the prickly emotions in favour of the pleasurable ones, we create a pattern of behaviour which reinforces that some emotions are to be avoided and some are to be clung onto.  Our constant search for happiness, peace or...
Adolescence

Adolescence

I struggled with my own adolescence, felt like I didn’t fit in, did many things I knew were wrong to try to fit in and felt very disconnected from my parents- that they just wouldn’t understand my life or how I was feeling.  I was also living as an expat from...
Mindfulness Attitudes – Non-striving

Mindfulness Attitudes – Non-striving

Non-striving is one of the 7 attitudes of Mindfulness but where does it fit into Mindful Parenting? When my children were smaller I remember thinking, “When they sleep through the night things will be better”, “If I was calmer, they would be...
Anxiety

Anxiety

Over the last 20 years I’ve spent a lot of time with anxious adolescents and what they’ve told me and what we know from a large number of studies on adolescents and anxiety, is the important influence you have as a parent.  Anxiety doesn’t always look like...
Conflict

Conflict

Conflict Is another opportunity to  Connect – with ourselves and others  To lean in and listen  Hold space Co-operate with the feelings or person instead of pushing away Do your children ever fight?  With their siblings, with you or with...