Momfulness

BY C.E. HUGGINS NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – At all ages, wisdom and a sense of gratitude appear to go hand in hand, especially for women, according to a recent study.

I'll be honest with you. In my house, the beds are rarely made unless someone is coming to visit. Sometimes I yell. My closet is a disaster and I feel guilty that I work too much. My kids watch more TV than they should.

Mine are called The Tias. Yours may be called The YaYa’s or simply the Girls. In any case they are the trusted women who show up when life stinks and celebrate when it doesn’t.

Although the words "hurry up" did little if nothing to increase my child's speed, I said them anyway. Maybe even more than the words, "I love you." The truth hurts, but the truth heals... and brings me closer to the parent I want to be.

A call to arms for happier parents (and kids) everywhere

So whenever I see research which shows that parents are, on average,less happy than their childless counterparts, my heart sinks.  Equally devastating to me is the research that reveals how my generation of women is unhappier than previous generations. If we aren’t happy, our children aren’t likely to be happy, either.  And I really don’t want my children’s generation to follow in our unhappy footsteps.

Children learn by example and gratitude is a win-win.

I have a daughter.

It's changed everything. My gorgeous, rough and tumble boys - I love them as hard as they love all things mud, dirt and mortal combat.

Here are some tips for parents to teach their children the basics of stress management to allow them to live healthy lives.

1000's of Ideas for Childcare Professionals & Teachers!

A year of kindness.  Our family project is off and running!  Our commitment in 2011 is to complete one out-of-the-ordinary kindness act each week for one full year.  Each month we pick from a kindness “type” and our challenge is to complete it before week’s end.  

Get the conversation started at your family dinner table. These adorable free questions can be printed and put in a mason jar. We hope you make many memories, and have lots of laughs around the table this year.

Child nagging & negotiating can drive parents crazy. These three simple words will bring child nagging and negotiating to an end for good.

This post is for you. You moms who did something hard today. Something you didn’t want to do. It wasn’t long like a marathon, glamorous like a solo, even noble like giving birth.

Whether you are a work at home mom or a work outside the home mom, time to yourself is a rare and precious commodity. Taking time for yourself is a necessary practice not only for your own mental health but also to be able to give your family, career and passions your best. 

Mindful Parent Happy Child opens doors to a life long connection with your child through the developing years and beyond.