Description
Book SynopsisSometimes being a parent seems like one long to-do list: taking the children to and from school and clubs, arranging babysitters, feeding them and putting them to bed. Parents can feel trapped in a straitjacket of tasks, all of which prevent them spending quality time with their children. Susan Boegels has developed and delivered training on this subject for over twenty years. Now, for the first time, she shares her expertise, along with her experiences as a mother and child, with a general audience. In a series of accessible chapters, she shows how we can find a balance between "doing" and "being" modes when interacting with our children. She also explains how to deal with stress, conflict and guilt, and how to cultivate conscious, unbiased attention in a simple way. Together, the chapters form an 11-week course in mindful parenting, supported by simple exercises and guided audio meditations.
Table of ContentsForeword Preface Introduction 1. Mindful parenting: Being there without prejudice or judgment 2. Being your own parent: Self-care and compassion 3. Parental stress: From surviving to finding breathing space 4. Parental expectations and the true nature of the child 5. Rupture and repair: Deepening the bond 6. Parenting together in good times and bad 7. Setting boundaries: Where I end and you begin 8. Guilt and shame: Forgiving, connecting, apologizing 9. Love is blind: Denial and acceptance 10. Schemas: Re-experiencing your own childhood 11. Lifelong parenting Appendix 1: 11 everyday rules for mindful parenting Appendix 2: Guided audio meditations
