Spiritual Parenting

By

Katherine Siswick-Clark

 

 

Spirituality is often an area that is overlooked when we think of children and their upbringing. Yet it holds great importance when we look at the meaning of all our lives.  Spirituality has little to do with religion; religion in my view is simply a means a person chooses to explore their spirituality. Spirituality, I feel, is the essence of who we are; our divinity; our oneness, that which connects us to everyone around us, the world in which we live and our higher selves, or if you like God. We are more than just the physical being we see when we look in the mirror, much more. In fact that physical body is a tiny part of the presence that lies within all of us. 

 

When we have a child we are safeguarded with a spirit that has chosen us to introduce them to their new world. This spirit is older and wiser than would first appear and they have as much to teach us, as we do them. Children show us daily how to embrace life, to live in the now. They show us the magic and wonder that surrounds us and which we, through many years of conditioning, have grown to deny. They hold none of the judgments and cynicism that we have grown so accustomed to. Their minds and hearts are open; they are guided by their intuition and are so in tune with their inner experiences.  This special connection, as I see it, needs to be nurtured so that as they grow they remain in tune with who they are and continue to see and experience the goodness and joy the world has to offer them.  By helping our children to maintain a connection with their higher-selves, we are giving them the means to overcome fears and feelings of isolation.  We are teaching them to discover, accept, trust and love themselves and the world that surrounds them; enabling them to find their unique and special purpose, their contribution to the world. 

 

There are many ways in which we can help our children hold on to their spiritual affinity and in turn help ourselves too.  In my view there is no hard and fast rule to parenting, or spiritual parenting for that matter. It is about finding what works for your family.  Each child is unique and by being aware, incorporating and embracing our child’s inner experiences in our parenting approach we can connect better with our child.  This is at times a challenging task as it means that we to have to work on our own reactions and belief systems.  However, by bringing awareness to the needs and behavior of all those involved and by quieting our minds long enough to hear our own higher-selves we can find the solutions that will fit us and our children best. By being open to learning how to work with our children we can find a way forward. Active listening is a great tool in gaining insight and knowledge in helping us to teach and guide them through their lives. By finding some time to really listen and focus on our children we are invited to join their world and their experiences.  By aiming to be as open, relaxed and non-judgmental as possible, we allow our children to express themselves fully.