Research on the Role of Mindful Parenting in Helping Children Manage Emotions and Thrive

A 2024 paper published in Frontiers in Psychology found that early parent-child interactions (or the way parents and children interact early in life) play an important role in teaching children how to manage their emotions. These early experiences are foundational to the child’s success in life.

The research paper also emphasizes that maternal mental health, practicing mindfulness, and having a supportive community, can all help in creating a strong emotional bond or secure attachment between the mother and baby.

Such strategies help children learn to manage their emotions better from a young age. This leads to stronger relationships, which helps create a more peaceful and friendly society.

Understanding the Research

The author’s goal for this paper is to deepen our understanding of the following:

• The foundational role of emotional regulation in early development
• Importance of caregiver interactions
• How these can benefit society as a whole

Here are the findings:

An infant’s engagement with their environment

Infants start interacting with their surroundings using their senses. At around 8 weeks, their ability to connect socially and emotionally starts to increase. During face-to-face interactions, the mother and infant respond to each other's emotions. For instance, the mother’s tone of voice, eye contact, and body language convey emotions, while the infant learns to interpret these cues.

Other attachment figures and shared care

While the mother is usually the main caregiver in the first year, the father and other community members (like older siblings, grandparents, and additional caregivers) also support the child's emotional development, especially in their second year.

As infants are being cared for by different individuals, they experience a range of caregiving styles. These individuals also help infants learn how to cope with stress. For example, if they find that turning to a caregiver for comfort works when they are upset, they are more likely to do the same in the future.

Prenatal influence and mindfulness

Another important aspect of the study is the impact of maternal emotional states. The paper mentions that infants tend to absorb their mother's emotional hormones, such as stress hormones and feel-good hormones, through the placenta during pregnancy.

This then affects their developing brains and stress responses. Moreover, the bond formed between mother and baby starts in pregnancy and continues to grow after birth.

Mothers who practice mindfulness can manage stress, anxiety, and depression during pregnancy and postpartum. This improves not only their well-being but also the infant’s emotional development.

The paper also mentions that mindful mothers are more attuned to their infants' needs.

Practical Strategies for Parents and Caregivers

Below are some actionable tips that can help you promote emotional regulation and build a strong bond with your child:

• Practice co-regulation. Help your child feel safe and understood so that they will learn how to calm themselves over time. You can do this by paying attention to their emotional state and responding. For example, if they cry, soothe them, hold them, and speak softly.
• Strive to be fully present in your interactions with your child. Parents and caregivers need to practice mindfulness to be a positive role model for emotional regulation. Simple mindfulness exercises like deep breathing and doing a body scan will help you stay calm and focused during stressful moments with your child.
• Create opportunities for your child to engage with others positively. If your child has siblings, cousins, or friends, encourage play and interaction. This can involve sharing toys or playing in the same space. Moreover, try modeling social skills. When you interact with them or others, show kindness, patience, and active listening.

The author of the paper also wrote, “Throughout history, mothers have been most successful in forming strong, emotionally attuned relationships with their children when they have received support from a caring community.”

For more resources, check out our parenting articles and feelings worksheets for children.