124. Great Parenting is Often Messy

Mess is almost always a sign of  growth, learning and connection in children.   Another episode in our Parenting with Presence series and an invitation to shift your mindset around what it means to parent "well". Great parents have kids who have meltdowns and messy noisy homes. A clean house,well-dressed children, and order do not mean you are doing a good job as a parent.    Messy is a sign of brain growth. Messy is often evidence of presence and connection. Mistakes,as hard as they are to witness, are essential for learning and growth.   There is tremendous value in stepping back so your children can step in and up.  A "good parent" allows their kid to experience failure/suffering because it is NECESSARY in order for them to learn.  Our kids need to learn to forge their own way (and even fail.    If we always jump in to prevent and fix things for them, we are sending them the message that we don't think they can succeed on their own. When we let them figure it out, we loan them our belief in them so that they can ultimately grow their own belief in themselves.   What feelings do you want to have in your family environment? What if love and connection were your intention, rather than clean and organized? What do you want to think intentionally when you see a mess in your home?   What stories do you want to tell about it? Immerse yourself in awe-inspiring natural environments at the Mindful Healers Connect In Nature Retreat. If you want to find calm, contentment, and a clear and meaningful path forward in areas of your life beyond relationships, I invite you to explore private mindful coaching with Dr. Mahoney www.jessiemahoneymd.com If you want to develop a mindfulness practice, reach out to Dr. Liang www.awakenbreath.org *Nothing in this episode should be considered medical advice.