Working Mother editor-in-chief Suzanne Riss tells a fun and instructive story in her column this month:
After a particularly exhausting battle to get her five-year-old son to dress appropriately, Riss overhears a woman on the morning train talking about "Zen parenting." She considers the commuter guru's instructions: "Try to see what's going on through the child's eyes."
The next morning Riss gave it a shot, listening intently to
what her son had to say about super-hero T-shirts and boring pants. The
conversation may have been circuitous, but it was civilized. Even her son
acknowledged success: "I didn't yell."
Here's the lesson Riss draws, and it's one we can all use, whether we're tussling with kids, partners, or colleagues:
"I've found out it's hard to truly listen when I'm thinking about what I have to get done and what I wish I'd gotten done yesterday. Multitasking is clearly antithetical to being Zen. So this New Year's, I'm taking a vow to be completely present in the moment."
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