11:20

Parenting And Regretful Words

by Jennifer Whiteside

Type
guided
Activity
Meditation
Suitable for
Everyone
Plays
19

Sometimes, as a parent, you say something that you regret. This guided mindfulness meditation is for those moments when your words came out in ways you didn’t mean. Through breath and presence, it invites you to gently turn toward regret and offer yourself forgiveness. This is a space to pause, reflect, and begin again with care. Contributor: Music of Wisdom

ParentingRegretMindfulnessSelf CompassionEmotional AwarenessForgivenessIntentionBody AwarenessBreath AwarenessLoving KindnessGroundingEmotional HealingForgiveness PracticeIntention SettingGrounding Technique

Transcript

Take a moment to find a comfortable seated position Allow your spine to be tall but not tense Let your hands rest gently in your lap or on your thighs Close your eyes gently if you feel safe doing so or soften your gaze Take three deep breaths,

Inhale slowly through your nose,

Exhale through your mouth Let your shoulders drop with each out In and gently out Begin to notice your breath just as it is,

No need to change it,

Just follow the natural inhale and exhale Allow yourself to arrive fully in this moment Let's take a moment and listen to three sounds of the bell while you connect to your breathing Notice the contact between your body and the ground or chair Notice any sounds in the background Notice any sensations in your body Now gently bring to mind the moment or words you regret See if you can observe the memory without judgment,

Like watching a scene from a movie What emotion do you notice?

Shame?

Guilt?

Embarrassment?

Sadness?

Now,

Name it silently,

Regret is here or I'm feeling guilty Breathing in,

Allow feelings to be present Breathing out,

Acknowledging them with gentleness Now,

Place a hand on your heart or wherever it feels comforting Now,

Offer yourself some kindness,

Some compassionate words,

Such as I said something I regret that's part of being human Or I acknowledge my mistake and I choose to meet it with compassion Or I am learning,

I am growing,

I am not defined by one moment Notice how your body responds to this gentle reassurance Now,

Reflect for a moment,

What were your intentions at the time?

Were you tired?

Stressed?

Overwhelmed?

Can you see that part of you now,

Not to excuse the behavior,

But to understand it?

While holding this awareness,

Breathing in,

Allow yourself to take responsibility without self-punishment Now,

Breathing out,

Offering forgiveness to yourself In,

Allowing,

Responsibility Out,

Forgiveness Breathing in,

Offering the intention of amends if needed Out,

Sending peace to the one you spoke to Now,

Let go of the memory and come back to your breath Now,

Feel your body in the present,

Feel the ground supporting you You are here now,

Not in the past,

Not in the story,

Just here Breathing in,

Seeing the seeds of awareness within me Now,

Breathing out,

I vow to speak with more love,

Awareness,

Loving speech In,

Touching the desire to repair what was hurt Out,

Releasing what I cannot control In,

Healing Out,

Letting go Now,

You may bring to mind the person you spoke to With each breath,

Silently send them peace With these words,

May you be safe,

May you be free from suffering May we both find understanding You may enjoy some more time here if you would like Or,

When you're ready,

Slowly wiggle your fingers and toes,

Gently open your eyes Take one more deep breath and carry this compassion forward into the rest of your day

Meet your Teacher

Jennifer WhitesidePittsburgh, PA, USA

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© 2026 Jennifer Whiteside. All rights reserved. All copyright in this work remains with the original creator. No part of this material may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.

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