Take a break from parenting
Everyone who is a parent will understand just how brutally relentless it can be. We could even refer to parenting as: the constant doing for another outside of ourselves for 18 years, and then some! Now, that’s not to say that parenting isn’t beautifully majestic in its own right as well, it most certainly is, in fact, it can be both of these things simultaneously.
Anyone who has a child will know just how much of a juggling act all of the doing is. The constant demands that our children bestow on us, leaving us no choice but to live in a state of hyper-vigilance, ready to respond to their many needs and wants, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. These don’t officially tail off until they leave the family unit to embark on their own life quests, and these days, our children are sometimes still at home well into their 30’s! Can you feel the pressure mounting?
So what can we do as parents, to ensure we are carving out devoted moments of time just for ourselves? Just imagine a possibility where you have no one else to think about or consider other than YOURSELF for one whole hour (or three if you prefer)! A place where the only thing that awaits you is peace, tranquillity and stillness. I know it sounds too good to be true, but floatation provides such a sanctuary for you.
If I think about my own floating journey since becoming a parent, one of the things that floating provides that nothing else can, is the opportunity to detach from the many roles and masks we wear each day. These can be societal, job related, family related, even friendship related and let’s be honest, these in themselves can be rather exhausting! As a parent we also play many roles, some of which include; a chef, a cleaner, a teacher, a doctor, an entertainer, a librarian, an artist, a chauffeur, a negotiator or a referee, and that’s just in one hour of the day! But when do we ever get the chance to just be?
It is incredibly liberating to surrender to the pod and let all frustrations, worries and anxieties dissolve into nothingness.
It can take you to a place where you realise, everything that you thought mattered, doesn’t really matter at all because you are whole, and complete exactly as you are!
As someone who is fortunate enough to float twice a month, I have been able to observe a noticeable difference in my responses as a parent and to the world around me.
For example, I find that my patience levels are much higher, contributing towards my ability to accept the never ending chaos that my child often presents to me. Responding to the varying intense and overwhelming emotions a small human fluctuates between, seems more like a breezy walk in the park, as opposed to a tornado completely ripping the park apart.
Frequent floating has also really helped me to learn to be more present with my child, creating a sacred space to honour and respect him for the incredible being that he already is, versus what my fantasy mind would like to mould and condition him to be.
I believe that every parent deserves the opportunity to pause; by pausing we allow time for reflection, and by allowing time for reflection we are able to restore our equilibrium.
If all parents were able to restore their equilibrium regularly, then surely our relationships and connections with our children, no matter how old they are, would be significantly enhanced. Children absorb our emotions, moods and stresses, even if we don’t intend for them to.
So wouldn’t it be delightful for both parent and child to absorb balance, harmony and restoration too?
Like anything worthwhile, it takes practice to become familiar with the pod and submit fully; allowing it to transport you exactly where you need it to, each and every time. In addition, the positive calming effects can be drawn upon days afterwards, rippling outwards into all aspects of your life.
– by a floating parent
