How can I parent mindfully when I get so tired of being a parent?

How can I parent(ˈpe(ə)rənt) mindfully when I get so tired of being a parent?

By Abigail Somma

When my twins were one and a half years old, I decided to become a meditation(ˌmedəˈtāSHən) teacher. The initial(iˈniSHəl) intent(inˈtent) wasn’t wholly(ˈhōl(l)ē) to be a meditation teacher, but rather to get a much-needed break(brāk) from my life. The way I explained(ikˈsplān) it to my partner and co-parent was a little different. I told him this course would move my career in a direction that was more meaningful. It made sense for long-term planning(ˈplaniNG). It was an investment in the future. The fact that it would also be a weekly sigh(sī) of relief(rəˈlēf) didn’t seem worth mentioning.

Turned out he was an easy sell, and once a week and a few Saturdays, I left the mania(ˈmānēə) of toddler(ˈtädlər) twin(twin) life behind and learned how to teach meditation, which often included a heavy dose of meditating(ˈmedəˌtāt). My plan was such a success that when my children were almost three, I convinced(kənˈvinst) him that I need to take yet another meditation teacher training course. And so once again, off I went into the world of “om(ōm)” and silence and peace and tranquillity(ˌtraNGˈkwilədē), a blessed(blest,ˈblesid) escape(əˈskāp) from “Mama!” and “Mommy!” and “I need this” and “I don’t like that” and “WAAAAAAHHH.”

Teacher-training wasn’t a vacation(vāˈkāSHən,və-) at the beach, but it often felt that way.

With two meditation teacher-training courses under my belt(belt), the next logical step was to teach meditation. Meditation is a regular tool I’d been using to “reset” myself for well over a decade and I am an avid(ˈavid) believer. So when a local business owner approached me about teaching a class, I readily(ˈredəlē) agreed. Ultimately(ˈəltəmətlē), she convinced(kənˈvinst) me to focus on mindfulness for parenting, as it was something she said she could use herself.

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