Early experience shapes the structure and function of the brain. This reveals the fundamental way in which gene expression is determined by experience.
Too often we forget that “discipline” really means “to teach” – not “to punish.” A disciple is a student, not a recipient of behavioral consequences. When we teach mindsight, we take moments of conflict and transform them into opportunities for learning, skill building, and brain development.
As children develop, their brains “mirror” their parent’s brain. In other words, the parent’s own growth and development, or lack of those, impact the child’s brain. As parents become more aware and emotionally healthy, their children reap the rewards and move toward health as well.
Too often we forget that discipline really means to teach, not to punish. A disciple is a student, not a recipient of behavioural consequences.
We must keep in mind that only a part of memory can be translated into the language-based packets of information people use to tell their life stories to others. Learning to be open to many layers of communication is a fundamental part of getting to know another person’s life.
For “full” emotional communication, one person needs to allow his state of mind to be influenced by that of the other.
From early infancy, it appears that our ability to regulate emotional states depends upon the experience of feeling that a significant person in our life is simultaneously experiencing a similar state of mind.
When we begin to know ourselves in an open and self-supportive way, we take the first step to encourage our children to know themselves.
Mindfulness has never met a cognition it didn’t like.
While the days of parenting may seem so long, the years are so short.