Connection before correction: nurturing healthy relationships with our children

Tea & Chat 04/12/24

Led by Sara Adams

Bio

Sara Adam, born and raised in Kenya, is a dynamic and dedicated professional with a multifaceted skill set and an unwavering passion for empowering others. As a certified Conscious Parenting Coach and a Self-Defence Martial Arts Instructor, she brings a unique blend of empathy, resilience, and practical expertise to her work.

In addition to her coaching and martial arts qualifications, Sara is a specialist in team building and group dynamics. She has facilitated numerous spiritual retreats and team-building workshops, integrating mindfulness, breathwork, and fascial flow techniques to inspire personal growth, enhance communication, and promote effective collaboration within teams.

As a single mother, Sara’s life experiences profoundly shape her approach, allowing her to connect deeply with individuals and teams. Her work is anchored in faith and breathwork, fostering a holistic journey of personal and collective development—one breath at a time.

Sara’s mission is to empower individuals and teams to build stronger relationships, balance personal and professional aspirations, and achieve their goals through mindfulness and connection. Her innovative and compassionate approach makes her a transformative force in every endeavour she undertakes.

This session captures a profound exploration of parenting challenges and strategies for deeper connection with children. Here's a summary of the key themes and takeaways:

Key Themes:

1. Parenting Struggles:
   • Maintaining calmness in challenging situations.
   • Supporting children’s mental and physical health.
   • Managing the multifaceted roles of parenting, especially as single parents.

2. Conscious Parenting:

1. • Viewing parent and child as equals.
   • Recognizing and managing personal reactions, often shaped by tiredness or unresolved past experiences.
   • Understanding the impact of words, actions, and energy on children.

3. The Power of Listening:

1. • Reflecting on whether we truly listen to our children.
   • The need for connection and understanding over control and expectation.
   • Allowing children to express themselves without judgment.

4. Parental Projections:

1. • The tendency to push unfulfilled dreams onto children.
   • Comparing children to others or trying to live vicariously through them.
   • Balancing aspirations for children with their unique individuality and needs.

5. Breaking Generational Cycles:

1. • Avoiding the replication of negative experiences from one's own childhood.
   • Building healthier, more nurturing connections by pausing, listening, and responding thoughtfully.

Exercises and Symbolism:

1. Questioning Parenting Struggles:
   • Open discussions between partners on parenting challenges and conscious parenting principles.

2. Pen-Dropping Exercise:

1. • Demonstrating the impossibility of constant control over children, symbolizing the need for trust in their growth and autonomy.

3. Bubbles as Meditation:

1. • A playful, therapeutic activity teaching balance in effort and the value of releasing troubles.

4. Videos and Visualizations:

1. • Emphasizing the sensitivity of children, even in the womb, to parental emotions and interactions.

Practical Parenting Tips:

1. Building Connection:
   • Spend quality time doing activities children choose.
   • Listen actively to their feelings and experiences.

2. Fostering Growth:

1. • Allow children to face challenges and learn autonomy.
   • Provide healthy choices to encourage decision-making skills.

3. Self-Reflection and Growth:

1. • Address personal habits and energy to create a nurturing environment.
   • Avoid over-fixing; let children make mistakes and grow from them.

4. Relating Through Empathy:

1. • Understand children as their own beings with unique feelings.
   • Approach parenting with compassion and humility.

Powerful Insights:

• Parenting is about guiding rather than controlling.
• Connection is rooted in shared experiences and emotional atonement.
• Children thrive on love, support, and the freedom to explore their identities.

The session underscores that while parenting is challenging, it’s an evolving journey where self-awareness, empathy, and conscious effort can foster a loving, supportive environment for children to flourish.