secrets to staying present in parenthood
Guest blog written for More Than Mums
Last week while playing with my daughter I suddenly found myself completely immersed in a string of my own random thoughts…what to make the kids for dinner, when to change the bedsheets, what to reply to that work email, when I’d make time to wash my hair…
The thoughts had crept in unexpectedly, without warning and without permission.
I had no idea how long I’d been distracted for, or what I’d missed. But I’d definitely checked out of what was happening right in front of me and allowed myself to drift away from this moment of connection with my child, who was now repeatedly chanting ‘Mummy’ to bring me back!
And that absent episode left me burdened with a combination of emotions. Irritation and impatience that my flow of thoughts had been interrupted. Guilt about what I’d missed. And overwhelm about how full my head was with thoughts, jobs, worries and ideas…
Sounds familiar? If you are a Mum, I imagine this incident might strike a chord. This certainly wasn’t the first time it had happened for me.
Because being in the moment with our kids and staying present amidst the juggle of life as a Mum is no mean feat!
It can feel like our mental ‘to-do list’ is always tapping us on the shoulder in the background, and compartmentalising time to tackle it in isolation can feel like Mission Impossible when we are spinning all the plates.
We can be left feeling like we can’t keep up with ourselves, always looking to what’s next rather than truly engaging with the more subtle or precious moments of joy and connection right in front of us.
Since this particular episode, I’ve committed to experimenting with a few strategies tohelp me park the distractions and build more mindful and meaningful connections with my kids and myself.
Here are some of my favourites….