Following the Movement Control Order (MCO), families are finding themselves with more time at home and having to rely on technology for work, as well as classes. Technology is as the centre of our lives – now more than ever – due to the pandemic as we have to adhere to guidelines, such as social distancing, to keep ourselves safe.
With this, online learning tools and free classes have taken the limelight of home activities, especially for those with children. Although technology has become an effective tool in keeping your little ones entertained, it is also our portal to information and he key to a vast library of knowledge – let’s think of this precious time as the perfect opportunity to reflect on our marriages, our family relationships, and to focus on ourselves through important lessons!
Hence, new platforms such as Little Humans by Mindvalley has launched to offer parents talks that walk you through key tools and practices that have changed the lives of parents worldwide. These classes, which focus on topics such as breaking unhealthy habits, fostering healthy technology usage and homeschooling, are curated by 12 transformational parenting experts – essential tools to be the best parents you can be, according to Mindvalley Founder Vishen Lakhiani.
Additionally, Mindvalley has launched a free online self development programme for teens amidst the coronavirus pandemic titled “Be Extraordinary for Teens“, which aims to helps teenagers in taking a deep dive into life lessons including meditation, goal setting and life planning – something to look at for your big kids, who may be in need of a pick-me-up during this difficult time.
Being a parent himself, Vishen Lakhiani, understands the challenges parents faces and here, he talks about his own parenting experience while sharing some of his top tips.
What are the toughest challenges, in your opinion, that parents face during this difficult time?
With more than half-a-billion kids (including yours) out of school right now, parenting is one of the most important jobs in our lives. It’s 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, and right now we are being challenged like never before. Every day comes with a new set of challenges, but I believe the biggest ones we face are keeping the right mindset as parents, staying positive for ourselves and our children, while maintaining good eating habits, creating boundaries with healthy entertainment as well as adopting daily routines (for us too!)
What parenting methods do you practice at home? Are you facing any personal challenges?
One of the most important methods I practice at home is to debunk the three big lies we are taught as parents:
- In order to be a good parent, we have to discipline our children;
- We need to make our children happy and give them everything we never got in life;
- We need to impose or traditions, our cultures and religious beliefs on our children.
These are the three big lies we are told that can help us build the right mindset as a parents:
A funny challenge I am facing is that my daughter has interrupted some of my Zoom calls and distracted me while having important meetings, but it turns into a humorous topic and makes us all more personable as humans.
What are the key pieces of advice would you give to parents?
The advice I would give focuses on solutions to the challenges I mentioned above.
The mindset of a parent
I’m passionate about helping parents raise conscious children and now is a great time to take a look at your own parenting methodology. In fact, our role as parents is not to mould our children. Instead, our role is to ensure our kids blossom into their truest and most authentic selves.
Staying positive amidst a pandemic
Anxieties won’t just affect you, they’ll affect your relationships and how you communicate with your kids. Positive instructions work better than negative and will likely get your children to listen more. Additionally, giving them the power to make certain decisions on their own builds character and helps them understand simple concepts in accountability, plus responsibility. Our job is to support and guide them, so, the best way to do that is by getting in the habit of spreading positive thinking and clear communication that is filled with praise as well as love.
Better eating habits
Beyond just washing your hands and quarantining, there is a lot more that can be done to guarantee the good health and safety of your kids. It starts with the right kind of nutrition—planting the seeds to ensure they understand why certain foods are better than others; and ultimately, helping their immune systems stay strong at all times, which will come in handy even after the storm passes.
Creating healthy entertainment habits
Part of our job as parents is to run our households with balance and efficiency– so, try to be flexible when it comes to screen time, especially right now as the burden of reducing screen time should be lighter. It can also be a very positive experience if you suggest the type of content to watch together, whether it’s a nature documentary or an animated history tour. Watching content together can boost empathy, bring humour to the relationship and overall strengthen bonds. You can periodically schedule FaceTime video chats or Zoom calls with family and friends, giving everyone a chance to connect and interact, and experience a sense of togetherness. As for some fun off-screen activities, think about improving reading habits together, being resourceful while doing arts and crafts and getting into baking, which seems only natural seeing as we’re spending more time cooking at home.
Creating daily routines
Routines aren’t just for your kids – they’re also for you. A routine can really help you stay on top of your responsibilities, in the very same way that routines can help your kids thrive, and level up their ability to juggle tasks, or switch from one area of focus to another smoothly. Balance is important. Don’t feel compelled to reinvent the wheel. You can easily use the traditional school routine as inspiration. Block time slots for breakfast and lunch, recess, and time for doing homework. Breaking down the day into small chunks of time will make it easier to address your kids’ needs. Playtime of course is very important. If you’ve properly segmented work and play, let them take the lead with their playtime. This can boost their creativity and play a role in overall development.
4. What do you hope parents take away from attending these Little Humans sessions?
I hope parents take away the following:
- How to support anxious children and how parents can manage their own personal anxieties;
- How to break unhealthy food habits and show parents how to take care of their kid’s bodies & immune systems;
- How to foster healthy tech habits and balance screen time in a digital first world;
- How parents can homeschool children and ensure their educational needs are met;
- How to create a winning daily routine at home that will give your days a new sense of stability and maintain order.
Check out the trailer to Little Humans below: