Our bodies talk to us, but we have to be in tune to hear the message. This can be a bog concept even for adults to integrate. Many people have not learned the art of listening to their bodies. Just tonight at dinner I was talking with friends about the ability to break when we feel like something ins’t good for us. It’s a skill that need practice.
Sitting in the discomfort is part of the way we learn to manage these feelings. Yet, our children are growing up in a fast-paced world where no one stays with anything long enough to feel the discomfort because they have moved on to the next best new thing!We live in a world where overeating and excessive drinking are just a part of the norm. The overindulgence is almost always the result of us not listening to our bodies.
Recently, one of my kids had a terrible stomach ache. It was so bad that they came home early from an outing with friends. With all the late nights and early mornings, I suspected exhaustion so I suggested a nap. I was met with some hesitation because after all I am just mom but thankfully after a much needed nap the stomach ache was gone.
I regularly talk to my kids about listening to their bodies. We talk about staying connected and grounded. Some of the ways we talk about staying grounded are; expressing gratitude, getting outside, journaling, taking a break, or being kind.
Kids don’t always follow the advice of their parents. But even if we do’t feel like our kids are always listening, it’s the repetition of teaching the concepts and the modeling of listening to our own bodies that will have the most impact on our kids.
Sending love,
Mirsada
Pssstttt…if your expat life has been making it harder to stay connected to yourself and to your child, don’t worry, you aren’t alone. Staying present is a practice, one we have to work on over and over, so if you weren’t patient today, don’t worry, you have tomorrow. Keep it up, you are amazing and your kid is so lucky to have you.
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