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FACE TO FACE | EASTERN HORIZON 51

My husband has been very supportive of what I do My son, I dragged him from children retreat to teens retreat, Plum
Village Tradition. Everytime he said "NO" but always ended up enjoying
the retreat and had new friends and learnt something new.

practice mindfulness at home, Training themselves until it Or when he argues with me, he will
their children will feel the positive becomes inherent in their nature be angry with me and retreat to his
energy flowing in their home, and before they can be role models for room quietly, without raising his
that may have a calming effect on their own children. voice at me, or banging his door
their children. shut. Sometimes, he will say he
What do you see as the key needs some time on his own. If he
At our school, we organize an benefits of children learning is in the wrong, he will apologize
annual Teens Retreat for our mindfulness? afterwards. Of course, it works both
students. Our school is affiliated ways, I would not hesitate to say
with the Ekayana Buddhist Temple Being an only child, my son was used sorry if I were in the wrong. It just
which owns a retreat center in to getting things his way. And as his goes to show that mindfulness has
the Jakarta Highland area. During mother, I sometimes let him have his helped our family to communicate
the retreats, the children not only way because I didn’t want the hassle better with each other.
do sitting, walking and eating of arguing with him. I took him to
meditation, but fun activities are Plum Village Retreat during 3 phases Can you share your happiest
also incorporated into the program of his life - pre-teen, early teen, and moments with mindful
to make the retreats stimulating late teen. I found each time he came parenting?
and joyful as well. back from Plum Village, he became
easier to deal with emotionally and I think mindfulness has made me
How can parents be a role model was less moody. sharper, more focused and aware
for children in the practice of of my surroundings. I have become,
mindfulness? He is competitive and often overall, a much happier person. I
represents his school in accept and live with the fact that
Parents want the best things for Mathematics competitions. He things don’t always run smoothly
their children. They are determined doesn’t always win, and losing can or turn out the way I want them to.
to take care of all their needs. generate negative emotions, as it Mindfulness heals our emotional
Meanwhile, they boss their isn’t easy to admit that there are wounds. It gives us clarity when we
children around and control their others who are better than him. are dealing with issues affecting our
movements, forgetting that their However, over time, he appears to peace of mind. And, when times are
children also need space. be handling losing well. When he tough, I always have a place to go
Parents need to loosen our grip a loses, he is quiet for a while, and home to, to myself. EH
little and learn to let go. They need after an ice cream treat, he smiles
to practice the Five Mindfulness and is his usual self again.

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