Welcome, friend. I'm Julia Cartwright, and I'm so glad you're here with me today. Whether you're stealing five minutes in the car, or you've managed to find a quiet corner while the kids are occupied, this is your space. Parenting is beautiful and messy and loud, and right now, right in this moment, you deserve to feel a little calmer. So take a breath. You're exactly where you need to be.

Let's settle in together. Find a comfortable seat, or stand if that feels better. Roll your shoulders back a couple times. Feel your feet on the ground. And when you're ready, let's just breathe. Inhale slowly through your nose for a count of four. Hold it for a moment. Now exhale through your mouth, longer and slower than the inhale. That exhale is where the magic happens. Do this two more times at your own pace. Good.

Now, here's what I want you to imagine. Think of your nervous system like a snow globe. When your kids are testing boundaries, when there's noise and chaos and everyone needs something at once, that snow globe gets shaken. Everything swirls. You can feel it, right? But here's the thing: eventually, if you don't shake it anymore, the snow settles. The clarity returns. That's what we're doing right now.

So I'm going to guide you through something I call the Settle and Witness practice. It takes about three minutes, and it's a game changer for the tense moments throughout your day.

Close your eyes if that feels comfortable. Notice where you're holding tension. Maybe it's your jaw, your shoulders, your chest. Don't judge it. Just notice. Now imagine that with each exhale, you're sending a tiny wave of permission to those tight places. Permission to release. Permission to soften. You might feel a shift immediately. You might not. Both are perfectly fine.

Now, think about the last moment with your child where you wished you'd stayed calmer. Maybe they spilled something. Maybe they talked back. Whatever it was, picture it gently. Don't relive the intensity. Just see it like you're watching a scene in a movie. And ask yourself: what was my child actually needing in that moment? Usually, underneath the behavior, there's a need. Tiredness. Attention. Connection. When we can name that, we remember they're not giving us a hard time. They're having a hard time.

Take one more deep breath, and when you're ready, slowly open your eyes.

Here's your practice for today: the next time tension rises, pause. Remember your snow globe. Breathe once. Ask yourself what your child needs. It won't be perfect, and that's the whole point.

Thank you so much for joining me on Mindful Parenting: Daily Tips for Raising Calm Kids. Please subscribe so you don't miss tomorrow's practice. You're doing better than you think.

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This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI