
Exercises

One way to introduce mindfulness in your life is to practice the STOP technique. STOP is an easy way to learn how to observe your reactions to stressors and give yourself space to choose how to respond. When you notice yourself getting upset, angry, or worried, do the following:
Many caregivers have found the STOP technique to be helpful when responding to their distressed child, managing complicated healthcare choices, and learning unexpected news about their child’s condition.
As always, it helps to be kind to yourself. Be open to new possibilities for reacting, and forgive yourself if you have already lashed out. There will always be an opportunity to STOP again.
When parenting a child with a serious illness, you learn that there will be many bumps in the road. There may be treatments that don’t have the outcome you wished for, difficult procedures that cause your child pain or fear, and days when you feel you don’t have the capacity to meet your child’s needs in addition to life’s other demands. Or you may get stuck in a cycle of worry, even if it seems nothing has happened to trigger it.
In these cases, you may find that the STOP technique feels too difficult in the moment. Instead, try the HEAL method. Here’s how it works:
Setting an intention to be mindful is easy, but remembering to stick with it isn’t always so simple. Most of us have reactive patterns, and changing those patterns doesn’t happen overnight. Being mindful is, at its core, a way of being that requires lots of reminders. Here are some ways that you can help yourself remember to stick to your intention: