In honor of Mothers Day (and the women who bring life into this world), I spoke with Amanda and Selena to talk about how they are actively working towards raising conscious children.
Not having children of my own, but fascinated and inspired by the people around me doing their part to parent with intention, honesty, and emotional resiliency, I sat down with two of our very own employees to hear more about how they parent their children
What has been a big “aha” moment for you as a mother?
Selena:
My daughter Akasha was not planned, yet she was one of the most centering and grounding aspects of my life. I no longer had an excuse for so many things. Her coming into this world meant I needed to shift into a different role and the way I showed up.
I’ve always been a mindful person since a young age. And since becoming a mother I’ve added this idea of mindfulness to parenting. It’s helped me show up more balanced in my role as a mother and raising the next generation. My big “aha” I guess is keeping up with my practices like Yoga, meditation, and especially floating. They've become tools to process my emotions and show up better and more honestly with my daughter.
What’s been the biggest lesson you’ve learned through parenting?
Amanda:
I wanted a baby and to be married and to be the whole 1950s stay-at-home mom, housewife thing… woke up and had it all and was extremely miserable so I left that life and found my happiness. Now I’m trying to be a role model for my daughter and show her to find happiness each day. Floating is my self-care, alone time, and quiet time which in turn helps me be more present with my daughter. She’s my greatest teacher for everything. It’s insane to have a piece of my heart out in the world - I don’t know how to put into words what parenting is.
Do you think you being in this world of health, wellness, and spirituality has a positive impact on your child?
Amanda:
Absolutely. My daughter pops in the soma dome and loves the way she feels after sitting in it.
I teach her that we are humans and have a large range of emotions and not all emotions are good. It’s not a big deal and doesn’t need to be a big whole thing, and I teach her how when she’s in a mood or sitting with her “bad” emotions she has the power to shift the way she feels by doing things like sitting silently in the soma dome, or taking a few deep breaths. I think letting our children feel those emotions versus trying to shift them to “good” is what helps build their toolbox and equip them for real-life situations where things get hard, like this time we’re in. I came from a family that never talked about emotions and stuffed them down. I’m actively breaking that cycle and teaching her how to express herself, however, it may come out. It’s been fascinating to watch her feel her power through allowing her to feel her emotions.
Can you share an experience with your child that has taught you something really valuable?
Selena:
I’ve learned so much as a parent. The 4 Agreements has shown me a lot of lessons in parenting - specifically not to take things personally. And that’s what parenting is. I always think, what if? What if everyone is doing their best? What if my daughter is doing her best? And that helps me lean into letting her be her own person versus who I think she needs to be. My daughter is her own person and I want to nurture that and allow space for her to experience that.
What are some tools you use to help teach your daughter how to self-care?
Amanda:
I’m equipping her with a bunch of different tools - being outside in nature, going to the river, etc. I recently bought a TV and I know this might seem controversial in the “spiritual world” as this being a self-care tool - but having a TV and not being so rigid with it has allowed us to cuddle up and watch shows together and eat popcorn - and that's something we haven’t done before. I want to teach her that balance between things like TV or Ipads can be possible and I think in this spiritual community we live in, we tend to label things as bad and good. And the truth is it’s 2021, and we live in a world with electronics, premade food, and more. So I’m teaching her how to balance living in a world run by electronics and how to stay conscious.
What are you doing this Mothers Day to celebrate?
Amanda:
This probably sounds funny, but I’m spending it by myself! Phone off, no responsibility, just me being with me. This is always the gift I ask for.
Selena:
The Capitol Floats trifecta! Massage, Sauna, and Float. No better way to celebrate the day and honor me than being at the center.
*If you’re looking for something special to gift your mom, click here and book a Mothers Day float for her. Or click here to purchase a gift card.