Mindful parenting FTW

You're the boss, baby. No Images? Click here   Spring sports kicked off this weekend in my small New York town, which meant that Saturday morning saw hundreds of little kids colliding with each other as they tried to catch a T-ball. It was adorable, but for my son, the beginning at least was trying. He became increasingly frustrated that he couldn’t be the one to “catch” the ball every time. He would throw his mitt and burst into tears. He would run to me, sobbing. Repeatedly. Each time, I tried my best to calmly remind him that though his feelings of frustration were valid, it was just a game. And his friends were catching the balls instead of him, so he should also be happy for his friends for doing a good job. While the whole thing was adorable, I realized that it was also a parenting 101 moment. He needed me to reassure him, needed to process his feelings but also needed to get over it, which he eventually did. He needed a shoulder to cry on and a cheerleader. It was one of those moments where I realized that mindful parenting — even when it’s early, even when we haven’t had enough coffee and even when our kids are being pains — is really key. The importance of taking a beat can help avoid a major showdown Like every other parent on the planet, I’m a work in progress. I was proud of myself in that 30-minute window of time for staying calm, because if nothing else, it means I’m learning to get a handle on my own emotions (my default would be to say something along the lines of “come on!” in an annoyed tone). In the end, it’s all about taking baby steps toward a goal. Or in this case, toward home plate. Parents who run on coffee and wine Too cute     Everyone here who’s raising a girl wants her to understand she’s more than her looks. That’s why this adorable book called Beyond Pretty caught my eye. It’s an alphabet book but the words read like affirmations: “D is for pretty daring.”    . For when your kid is keeping you awake HuffPost’s Catherine Pearson often writes masterfully about maternal health in America. Her latest, NICU Moms Are Struggling With Mental Health Problems — And They Aren’t Getting Help, is just as stirring as the headline seems. READ MORE More stories from the trenches: What Does The Tooth Fairy Pay These Days, Anyway? How A Family Contract Helped Us End Gender Bias In Our Home These Were The Most Popular Baby Names In The 1980s     HuffPost is now a part of Oath and a part of Verizon.  On May 25th 2018 we will be introducing a new Oath Privacy Policy which will explain how your data is used and shared. Learn More. A guide to helping you raise the kind of person you'd like to know. Love what you see? Send it to a friend. Did someone forward this email? If so, subscribe here. Can't get enough? Check out (In)formation and The Good Life. ©2018 HuffPost | 770 Broadway, New York, NY 10003 You are receiving this email because you signed up for updates from HuffPost Feedback | Privacy Policy | Unsubscribe    . - - Preferences  |  Unsubscribe