Oftentimes, parents and caregivers forget to include themselves in the need to care for their families. We can be so caught up in the role of caregiving that we forget to nurture our own hearts and minds.
I also realize how important it is to let your kids see you struggle and strive toward your own goals.
I recently completed yoga teacher training. Here are a few things I witnessed happening as my daughter observed my journey.
Model Resilience Within the Struggle
I fell on my first day of training. I couldn’t believe it, as I’d been practicing for a few years now. But, the nerves got the best of me, and I lost my balance in a warrior pose.
I did not give up, though. I stood back up and got into the pose. Afterward, I used the experience to share with my daughter that I was determined to not get discouraged by a mistake.
Over the next few weeks, I heard her talk to herself in ways like “I can do this!” or “I won’t give up!” more than before. My heart smiled hearing the self-love and affirmations! She was beginning to find her own resilience in the face of error.
Teach Them to Strive for Their Passions
I also noticed that as I took time for classes, practice, and reading, my daughter seemed more engaged in her own books, toys, schoolwork, and hobbies. The focused and intent energy seemed to ripple out from my own work, and she was more motivated!
Through watching me make time to practice, she realized that she could also practice what is important to her, whether that was tap dancing steps for class, art techniques, or writing letters to her school friends (and working on handwriting!)
Empower Them to Empower You
As parents, we work hard to not lean on our children for emotional support because this can be far too much responsibility for them. That being said, we are humans who experience real emotions. Sometimes we can’t hide them, and it can actually be a positive choice to show those emotions.
One of the coolest discoveries for me during my training occurred on the day I would first practice teaching my classmates. Although yoga is very soothing for me, teaching and remembering the instructions is a bit overwhelming!
My daughter noticed I was nervous and reminded me of two breathing exercises we practiced when she felt overwhelmed. I could see how proud she was to remember and remind me of these coping tools!
Struggle, Resilience, and Striving Cultivate Hopefulness
Seeing all these positive effects on my daughter really motivates me to keep filling my own cup. I struggled with some mom guilt about all the training hours and mental energy that was elsewhere.
However, I realized this journey actually brought us closer together, and I feel healthier all around for striving and struggling towards my own individual goals while I continue cheering my daughter on for hers!
The opinions expressed in this post are those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of ABQ Mom, its executive team, other contributors to the site, its sponsors or partners, or any organizations the aforementioned might be affiliated with.
