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How Mindful Parenting Builds Stronger Connections with Your Child

A new 2024 study shows that when parents slow down, listen, and stay calm, children communicate better and feel more understood. This simple shift in communication helps reduce behaviour problems and strengthens parent–child bonds in everyday life.

PSYCHOLOGY INSIGHTS

7/26/20231 min read

1. What the Study Looked At

Mindful parenting and child behaviour problems: A chain mediating role of parental and child communicating performance (Fu et al., 2024) investigated how mindful parenting affects how parents and children communicate — and how that then affects children’s behaviour. BPS Psych Hub
They measured:

Parents’ level of mindful parenting (being present, non-judgmental, emotionally aware)
How parents communicate with their children, and how children communicate in return
Child behaviour problems (such as acting out, attention issues)
They grouped families by levels of mindful parenting: high vs lower.

2. What They Found

Better mindful parenting → better communication
Families where parents had higher mindful parenting showed stronger parent-child conversations and better child expression. BPS Psych Hub
Better communication → fewer behaviour problems
When children felt listened to and understood, behaviour issues were lower.
Communication mediated the link
The key link: mindful parenting helps communication, which then helps reduce behavioural problems. The effect wasn’t just direct.
Meaning for parents and children
Mindful engagement matters. It’s not enough to just “tell children what to do” — it’s how you engage, listen, respond that affects outcomes.

3. What This Means for Everyday Life

If you’re a parent looking to create deeper connections and support your child emotionally:

Be truly present in conversations: put away distractions when your child talks.
Listen actively: try to understand what your child feels, not just the words they say.
Communicate calmly and respectfully: avoid judgment when your child shares.
Let your child express themselves, then reflect back what you heard (“I hear you’re upset because…”).
These practices build trust, and that trust leads to better emotional-health for your child and smoother interactions for you.

Reference

Fu, C., et al. (2024). Mindful parenting and child behaviour problems: A chain mediating role of parental and child communicating performance. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice. https://doi.org/10.1111/papt.12507