Is it even possible to be sane, calm and connected in the chaos of parenting? Yes!
Provocative, life-changing and kind, this book will transform how you think about yourself as a parent, as well as transforming how you parent.
Somewhere in our over-scheduled and frantic lives we’ve lost our intuition around how to bring up kids. Our children come with all they need to flourish to their full potential, and yet we’ve accessorised the parent-child relationship beyond recognition, creating a world of stress for parents and kids.
The Mindful Parent changes all that. It’s a timely and liberating journey back to the heart of what really matters — a deep and lasting relationship with our children. Its unique approach leads us to that deep connection by weaving together the latest in neuroscience, personal story and deceptively simple strategies that are so kind and effective it’s hard not to use them. Each chapter reexamines a different area of our parenting lives — our busyness and stress levels; our more difficult emotions; our challenging core beliefs; our essential connection with our children; our children’s tricky emotions; and the struggle of conflict-management. There is more un-learning than learning in this book. It will be read with a huge sigh of relief, a new sense of joy and a realisation that the expertise to parent well is already deep within each one of us.
Shirley Pastiroff is a counsellor, mindfulness trainer and parent coach. She has trained thousands of parents in the techniques described in this book, and now works across the education and commercial sectors as well as with individuals and families. Shirley is a former BBC documentary-maker and lives in Auckland with her husband and five children.
“This is one of those rare books which takes an incredibly complex but hugely important subject and turns that into simple tools we can all understand and apply. If you sometimes struggle to be the kind of parent you want to be... this book is an absolute must.” ~ Nigel Latta, clinical psychologist, author + dad of 2.
“I am frequently asked how on earth we can raise resilient and happy children in the over-scheduled and busy world we live in today. The answer is mindful parenting. Here, Shirley Pastiroff outlines simple and effective practices that are loaded with meaning and power and serve to achieve exactly that - happy and resilient relationships. Her practical and down to earth style makes this easily achievable for parents.” ~ Nathan Wallis, neuroscience educator
“ A brilliant book. The increase in peace and co-operation in our home is sensational. The tools in this book helped me trust in myself more and support my children to process their difficult emotions and come out the other side able to think and act in healthy ways. I’m please to report there is less losing of my s#*t.” ~ Petra Bagust, broadcaster & communicator
“ In 20+ years of parenting programmes and resources none have impacted our family more than Shirley’s Mindful Parenting. From frustration to connection; from red brain to green brain; Shirley taught us – simply but profoundly – how to have the kind of relationship with our children we all dream of. I’m SO excited she’s now put that material into a book!” ~ Greg Fleming, CEO Parenting Place
“ For a long time I felt helpless during those trying moments with the kids, but with the practical approach Shirley offers in The Mindful Parent I feel empowered with the tools to help navigate those tricky times while still maintaining a deep connection with my kids. This approach is helping me be the father I want to be”. ~ Ido Drent, actor
“ With the explosion of social media and the ubiquitious digital world our children operate in, the need for connection with our kids is more important now than ever. Mindful Parenting is a refreshing and timely book that’s a must for all parents – offering insightful and tangible steps to help navigate our relationships and truly connect with our children.” ~ Nikki Denholm, director The Light Project
“ As a surgeon and father of five, I found Shirley’s book a compelling read. It anchors the latest insights from neuroscience with actionable, practical, and surprisingly simple ways to be the parent you want to be. If you’re interested in understanding your innate responses to the challenges of parenting, creating a calmer and healthier connection with your children, and experiencing less parental guilt as a result, this book truly delivers”. ~ Zac Moaveni, paediatric surgeon