The pressure we put on ourselves to produce this perfect... operatic... version of ourselves really puts an inordinate amount of stress and tension on us.

I think the main benefit is that much of the traditional parenting that's being carried out today is so fear based and while the parent thinks they're in control they're really being ruled by fear. Everything is connected to fear.

Now when you transfer into the conscious parenting paradigm, you have to release those pressures and those fears... you actually think into the very ordinary but profound moment to moment connection to your children and you do away with those extraneous attachments to achievement or beauty or wealth or success. And while those things have their place, they don't overwhelm or override the life of the parent and child. Your life is actually suddenly liberated.

I'm a conscious parent when I believe... a parent's presence in their child's life is of paramount value and provides the foundation for their sense of worth.

[I'm a conscious parent when I] believe that my child matters more than their relationship to academics or success.

I think we're seeing that the way we've done parenting cannot be sustainable in this generation, for sure.

The traditional paradigm of parenting has been very hierarchical, the parent knows best and very top down. Conscious parenting topples [this paradigm] on its head and creates this mutuality, this circularity where both parent and child serve each other and where in fact, perhaps, the child could be even more of a guru for the parent .... teaching the parent how the parent needs to grow, teaching the parent how to enter the present moment like only children know how to do.