Parenting is one of the most complex and rewarding roles we take on.
The challenges can feel overwhelming. There’s so much advice, so many perspectives, and yet at the heart of it all is a simple truth: to raise well-adjusted kids, we need clarity within ourselves. We need life skills that support resilience, calm, and thoughtful presence.
That’s where mindfulness comes in.
Mindfulness is the practice of training our attention. It helps us develop awareness, emotional regulation, focus, and the ability to respond — rather than react — in our relationships.
Mindfulness isn’t a parenting method. It’s not a style. It’s a way of being more present, more curious, and more aware of what’s happening within us and around us. From that place, we can use any parenting tools or approaches with more wisdom and ease.
The Harvard-Westlake Parents Mindfulness Club was created to give parents a calm and supportive space to learn and practice mindfulness together. We offer both Zoom and in-person sessions led by experienced teachers like Brian Shiers and Natalie Bell (from UCLA’s Mindfulness Awareness Research Center), teachers from local studios like Unplugged, or through highly rated platforms like Calm, Insight Timer, and Mindvalley.
We live in a world that constantly pulls us away from the present — toward the past or into the future. Mindfulness helps us come back to now, so we can be more present with our families, our children, and ourselves.
