Meditation For Parents Of Teenagers

This meditation is about being a parent to teenagers. This is an area where I do have a bit of experience. I had two daughters who are both now in their forties. And I've helped my oldest daughter raise eight children. Of those eight there's only one who's not a teenager. Raising teenagers can be challenging and meditation can help. Music by Chris Collins. #76

Transcript

Welcome,

And I hope that each one of you will come to find peace within yourself.

Today,

I'm going to talk a little bit about being a parent to teenagers.

This is an area where I do have some experience and expertise.

I had two daughters who are both now in their 40s.

And I've helped my oldest daughter raise eight children.

Of those eight,

There's only one who's not a teenager,

And he's going to be 12 in November.

And of those eight,

All have graduated from high school except the youngest two,

And one,

My oldest granddaughter,

Has gotten married.

So believe me when I tell you that I have experience dealing with teenagers.

Teenagers and the teenage years are often filled with problems,

Both big and small,

Because it's an age when young people want to explore.

It's an age when they want to experiment.

It's an age when they're longing to find out about things that are mysterious to them,

Like what beer tastes like or what sex is like.

And each teenager is going to experience a different level of longing to understand these various things.

Each one is going to try different things to step out of the box and out of their parents' control.

And as parents,

All we can do is be there for them and be calm.

And I know that's often easier said than done.

Close your eyes now,

And let's start to get in touch with our breath.

It doesn't matter if you're sitting,

Standing,

Or lying down.

The only thing that matters when you meditate is that you're comfortable and alert.

First,

Let's scan our body and begin to relax.

Relax your face.

Unfurl your brow and unclench your jaw.

Relax your neck and your shoulders,

Places where many people have tension in today's world.

Relax your arms and your hands,

And let go of any tension in your chest and belly.

And feel yourself getting heavier with each breath.

Relax your legs and your feet.

And as you begin to relax,

Let's focus even more on our breath.

I've said it many times,

But our breath is like a river as it flows in and flows out.

Just inhale slowly and gently exhale.

Notice your breath as it flows in.

Notice where you feel it in your body.

Maybe a cool sensation in your nose as the breath comes in.

Or the movement of your chest and belly as the breath flows in and flows out.

All the while,

We're just breathing in and breathing out,

One breath at a time.

Just continue to breathe and listen to my voice.

As a parent,

You have to encourage open and honest communication.

Let your teenager know that they can talk to you about anything without fear of judgment.

I've found that it often helps if you listen more than you speak.

And you have to show genuine interest in their thoughts and feelings.

But at the same time,

You have to set boundaries and expectations.

And it helps to establish clear rules and consequences.

And constancy and consistency helps a teenager understand what is expected of them.

And at the same time,

You have to be willing to adjust the rules as they grow and demonstrate responsibility.

And all the while,

You're just breathing in and breathing out,

One breath at a time.

I'm going to pause here for a minute so you can think about what I've said and just breathe.

And then I'll be back.

Another thing that helps when dealing with teenagers is if you encourage them to pursue their passions and their hobbies,

Even if they differ from your own.

For example,

I play guitar and I carve wood,

And all of my grandchildren know that.

So I offered to each one of them that if they wanted to learn either of those skills,

I was there for them.

But once I said it,

I never brought it up again because I wanted it to be their idea to pursue those things and not them trying to please me.

We have to give our teenagers opportunities to make decisions and learn from their mistakes.

Probably one of the most important things is to acknowledge their struggles and challenges and not make light of them.

Think back to when you were a teenager.

The teenage years can be tough,

So you have to acknowledge their struggles and offer support.

One thing I can tell you for sure is that it helps to be patient.

Teenagers are known for their mood swings.

It's all part of their development.

Now here,

I'm going to take another pause so you can breathe and think,

And I'll be back in a minute.

Another key thing is being present.

You need to attend their events,

Know their friends,

And be involved in their school life.

Attend football games and soccer games and band concerts because your actions show your children how much you care.

I found that it helps if you share quality time together.

For example,

I used to schedule daddy-daughter dates where I would just take one child and go shopping and to lunch.

Or even just to sit at a table and have a conversation about something they want to talk about.

Teenagers are trying to grow and expand their knowledge and their responsibilities.

So include them in decisions and teach them things.

Teach them how to cook.

Teach them how to build a fire.

Teach them about banking and budgets and things that you see they see you doing.

And you can also teach them healthy habits like eating healthy,

Getting enough exercise,

And the benefit of good nutrition.

As with most things in life,

It helps if you can stay adaptable.

Stay up with the latest trends and the issues that your teenagers are facing today.

And you have to be willing to adapt your parenting style as your teenager grows and changes.

Parenting teenagers is a journey filled with ups and downs.

But with patience and empathy and open communication,

You can build a strong and supportive relationship with your teenager.

Now as we continue to breathe,

Breathing in and breathing out,

One breath at a time,

I want you to imagine a warm,

Golden,

Glowing light.

And with each breath,

Let this light grow,

Filling your entire body with warmth and peace and calm.

And just allow yourself to be present in this moment and embrace this moment of calm.

Now,

Bring to mind your child,

Bring to mind your teenager,

And picture them.

Look at them in your mind's eye and then reflect on the love and the care you have for them,

Even during challenging times.

Now while you're engulfed by this glowing light,

Silently repeat the following affirmations with me,

Either silently or out loud.

May I be patient and understanding.

May I be patient and understanding.

May I always offer support and love.

May I always offer support and love.

And may I find joy in our connection.

May I find joy in our connection.

Now imagine sending this warm,

Glowing light right from your heart to your teenager,

Enveloping them in love and compassion.

Take a moment to appreciate the time you've taken for yourself.

Parenting teenagers can be challenging,

But moments of mindfulness and self-care can make a big difference.

Now,

As we come to a close,

Open your eyes and come back into the room.

Wiggle your fingers and toes and stretch and feel how good it is to be alive.

I want to thank each and every one of you for taking this time to join me in this moment.

I hope this has been a beneficial and calming session.

Remember,

You got this!

Reviews

I’m struggling to remain calm with my eldest teenager who has ADHD. Our relationship is so important to me and I listened to this meditation to help improve it. I found the pauses helpful and rejoice in your exuberance and love for teenagers. I journaled about what this meditation brought up for me and it helped me visualize how I want to act in the future and make a plan. Thank you so much!

Such a brilliant meditation, Michael. Loved that you reoeated affirmations twice, and that there were breaks between your thoughts, allowing the time to ponder on them. Thank you, applicable to many life situations, too 🙏🏽💚💕✨️