Mindfulness is a bit
of a buzz word these days. So many people are rushing through life
that they actually have to be reminded that it’s important to slow
down and pay attention to what they are doing.
How do I know?
Because I am one of those people. Sometimes by the end of the day I
know I have done a lot of jobs, but I don’t really feel satisfied.
Everything I have done blurs into one and I didn’t really get much
enjoyment from any of it. I can eat a whole meal without really paying
attention to the flavor of the food or the way it feels to chew and swallow.
I can wash a whole sink of dishes without even taking notice
of the water on my skin or the scent of the soap. I am doing but not living.
I am not enjoying my life, I am just existing through
it.
Job after job, hour
after hour. The experience is, in a word, unsatisfactory. Not
because it has to be, but because I have simply forgotten to really pay
attention to the details that make life burst with color and emotion.
It’s like living with your mouth closed, nose plugged up, ears covered,
and eyes constantly on the clock.
Mindfulness can change all that, as it helps a
person tune into their senses and get the most out of the everyday rituals –
and in fact every moment – of life. It doesn’t take any extra time to be
mindful, it simply takes a bit of effort. There is no doubt
that being present for life as it happens is great for our
own mental health as well as our relationships with
others. To me, mindfulness is paying attention to the here and now, and
not getting distracted thinking about what has already happened
or worrying about the future. As a mother with three young kids,
however, this is so much easier said than done.
By the end of the
day sometimes I have an endless “to do” list running through my head…
plus ideas from the five parenting articles I read and the advice of two
friends. I can also get stuck in the trap of zoning out because my mind
is just too exhausted to take any more in. Neither of these are real
solutions for the stress I feel, and both disconnect me from my kids (and
anyone else around me).
Mindfulness allows me
to stop the deep thinking and hone into the moment right in front of me.
After learning more about mindfulness and its benefits, I have been
challenging myself to practice mindfulness more intentionally several times
during the day. One of these times is baby’s bath time.
What? Is there
really more to bath time than just cleaning your baby? Well, yes,
there is a whole lot more! Bath time is a great time to connect with your
baby and it’s the perfect opportunity to practice mindfulness because it is
a multi-sensory experience for the caregiver
as well as the bub.
Taste, touch, listen, smell, see – bath time is a great
time to pay attention to all five senses.
Being mindful during
bath time simply requires you to tune into your senses. It is
a lovely time to learn from your own baby as they naturally do this…
they splash, roll over, pop bubbles and enjoy the water without a care in the
world!
A bit of extra effort
to be present during bath time not only benefits parents though. Research
shows that routine touch and massage by a parent or loving caregiver is critical to a baby’s
growth and development, and greatly aids their communication and learning.
Baby’s first emotional bonds are built from physical contact, or touch. This
contact serves as the foundation for emotional and intellectual development
later in life.
According to a study
published in the Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, infants who
experienced routine touch and massage (compared to those who did not) were 50%
more likely to make eye contact and 3 times more likely to have an overall
positive expression (like smiling, eye contact). By age three, 85% of a
baby’s brain is developed; every experience leading up to this time helps to
shape a baby’s brain. The brain’s processes for learning are enhanced
when multiple senses are stimulated, as compared with the use of just one
sense. Therefore, connecting through daily rituals, like bath
time, provides parents a rich opportunity to nurture their baby’s ability
to enjoy as well as learn about the world and the people around them.
If these are new ideas
to you, and you had not considered bath time very important before,
rest assured you are not alone. JOHNSON’S® Global Baby Bath Report, an
online survey of more than 3,500 parents of young children around the world,
found less than half of parents (42%) say bath time is extremely important to
their child’s brain development. Here in Australia, even fewer parents
(32%) seem to recognize the importance of the bath time ritual.
JOHNSON’S® SO MUCH
MORE™ movement encourages parents to step back and take a few more minutes of
their day to offer their baby opportunities for skin-to-skin touch, bonding
time and sensory stimulation. In other words, just forget about cooking dinner,
sorting the laundry, or paying that bill for ten concentrated minutes of bath
time or massage, during which
you give 100% of your attention to what you are doing. I am finding it is
very relaxing and the practice of being mindful really
helps me clear my mind and centre myself to be ready for
the next thing life throws at me.
So how can you
practice mindfulness at bath time? Ask yourself:
What do I feel?
What do I smell?
What do I hear?
What do I taste?
Just look to your
baby for inspiration. Babies are, in fact, great
teachers of mindfulness because they always live in the moment!
The joy my baby
receives from having a bath – sucking a wash cloth, splashing, listening to a
parent sing silly bath songs – is contagious.
Being mindful during
daily rituals such as bath time can help parents nurture their baby as
well as their own selves. It’s a win-win for sure!
And building up the
practice of mindfulness spills over into other parts of the day. Over
time, you may not even have to remind yourself to be mindful. I’m working
towards that!
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