Group walking offers numerous benefits, backed by research evidence:
Social Support: Walking in a group fosters a sense of belonging and social support, which can improve mood and reduce stress. Research published in the Journal of Aging and Physical Activity found that group walking interventions led to significant improvements in social support and mental well-being among older adults.
Accountability: Group walking provides accountability, increasing the likelihood of sticking to an exercise routine. A study published in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine found that participants in a walking group were more likely to adhere to their exercise program compared to those who exercised alone.
Motivation: Group dynamics can enhance motivation levels, encouraging individuals to push themselves further. A study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine showed that group walking interventions led to greater improvements in physical activity levels and fitness compared to individual interventions.
Variety and Enjoyment: Walking with others can make the activity more enjoyable and diverse, leading to increased participation. Research published in the American Journal of Health Promotion demonstrated that group walking programs resulted in higher levels of enjoyment and satisfaction compared to exercising alone.
Improved Health Outcomes: Group walking has been associated with various health benefits, including improved cardiovascular health, weight management, and reduced risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. A systematic review published in the American Journal of Health Promotion concluded that group-based walking interventions have positive effects on physical health outcomes.
Overall, group walking not only promotes physical activity but also enhances social connectedness and psychological well-being, making it a valuable strategy for improving overall health and quality of life.
Welcome to the incredible and amazing month of May. Join us here at intentionalparenting as we celebrate maternal mental health month.
We have a few programs and events lined up for you as below:
1-Walk and Meditation
In a bid to encourage better mental health, we are encouraging MIGRANT parents to participate in the 10k steps a day challenge. You can add this up through jogging, skipping etc. As parents the struggles of raising children in diaspora can impact greatly on your overall well being. For those of us who are migrants, the challenges with our mental health is even greater. The stresses of travel and living in a different culture and society cannot be under estimated. World Health Organisation advocates for good mental well being for migrants and refugees, WHO.
Walking as a form of exercise is well researched to aid good mental wellness. We have chosen walking as its low impact and we want to incorporate meditation into that walking space. More details on the benefits of walking are here
There is an opportunity to connect virtually via whatsapp group call every Monday- Friday 7-7:30pm. GMT. This is a space for encouragement, meditation and connecting with each other. During that time we will be meditating on the things we are doing well, celebrating and amplifying these. We also want to take time exploration the parenting issues we can do better. Furthermore we want to come together in a safe space to share some of our struggles and the stuff that keep us awake at night. In the last couple of years, May has been an incredible month here at Intentional Parenting UK.
If you have any questions, requests , you can send these to the whatsapp group admin and will make sure that we stand in faith with you for your request. To join the group, click here
You can join the walking challenge from anywhere. We encourage you to find times that suit you and share your step count with us for motivation and encouragement. You can also join our Facebook page if you prefer something not too intimate as a whatsapp group.
On the last Saturday of the month which is 25th, we are going to a local mountain here in Buckinghamshire to celebrate and give thanks for all that we would have accomplished in us this month and beyond! Remember faith celebrates before seeing because faith in itself is a confident assurance that God is a man of His word! Paul said this in the book of Hebrews chapter 11 :
“This is what it means to trust God: We will be sure about the things that we hope for. We will be sure in our minds about things that we cannot even see.” Hebrews 11:1 EASY
2- Meditation Journal
Yes we have taken to journaling this month as well as part of mental health first aid. We are really excited to be embarking on this remarkable journey in May as we look at maternal mental health. Click here to download the 31day journal that we will be using throughout this month.
The journal is there to prompt you to take 5mins and jot down how the day went for you. Please use this as part of self care. It’s key to CREATE that 5mins to write down how your day has been.
We want to demonstrate to our children how we take care of ourselves and that we take mental wellness seriously. Identifying and naming your feelings and emotions is paramount in taking care of your mental health.
3- MEET UPS
The community and village is key to our overall well being. We have cluster meet ups to share and encourage one another. These meet ups are an opportunity to meet like minded parents and if you join the Whatsapp group this will be a great way to put a face to a name. Virtual meetings are great however in person meet ups are the best.
We are kicking off with the Buckinghamshire cluster, being the home of Intentional Parenting 😍
We are meeting up at this incredible gathering of wise women in Milton Keynes. It’s going to be a refreshing time of learning, empowerment and growing. You don’t want to miss this. Be sure to join our whatsapp group so we can connect and coordinate. Do invite your mom friends too.
We have clusters all around the world primarily;
Africa:
-Zimbabwe, South Africa, Tanzania ,
Middle East:
-Kuwait
USA
-Texas, Atlanta
Europe
-UK, Scotland, Ireland, Poland
4- Prayer Mountain
Join us on the 25th of May at the Coombe hill here in Buckinghamshire as we take our prayers and petitions to the Mountain.
Why on the mountain, you may ask:
Matthew 14:23, “And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.”
Exodus 24: 12 The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain. Stay there, and I will give you the stone tablets with the teachings and the commandments I have written for the people’s instruction.”
We are excited to be embarking on this and our cluster groups will be undertaking their activities in those respective areas.
Intentional Parenting is home to BOLD and courageous parents. Women who are awakened to the call of God in raising Kingdom children. Women who love to walk in the TRUTH. Our 6am club is a place of growing and drawing strength from the giver of all that is good is perfect. We believe in creating SAFE spaces for mothers to flourish and that takes intentionality and a willingness to WORK! We welcome women and mothers with a heart of service, open minded and who DARE to live unapologetic in their convictions and beliefs. General blessers. We are not a platform for people who want to watch/ observe or just sit, be prepared to put in the work and this means engaging with other sisters, contributing to this growing community. For majority of mothers, our facebook page or blog is the best place for you where you can engage with the content at your own pace and time.
Check out the rest of our blog on all thing intentional Parenting.
📌For 2025 it promises to be amazing. The challenge is loading and more details will be available this Friday 25th. Do express interest here
At intentional parenting we run a 6am club where we share the WORD and encourage one another to walk in its TRUTH, demonstrating the love of God to those near and dear to us. One of the ways we do this is through studying the books of the Bible. This October, November and December we are in the book of Colossians.
We are continuing reading and praying through the book of colossians. As Christian parents we are encouraged to live a life that honours God, in our conduct and actions with our children.
Below is an inventory I have drafted taken from the fruits of the spirit scripture in Galatians 5:22. These fruits demonstrate to us as Christian parents that we are in union with the Spirit.
I am inviting you to take stock/ inventory. Of these fruits which ones are you strong in? Which ones do you need to develop some stamina?
You may find that there are seasons and moments when you are able to demonstrate these. Reflect on those seasons, what is happening? Why do you think you are able to be kind, patient and loving to your children sometimes and struggle in others? Jot these down under notes section.
Below are tips/ways to develop and cultivate these qualities in your life:
Prayer and Reflection: Regularly pray for the Holy Spirit’s guidance in developing these virtues. Reflect on your actions and attitudes in light of the fruit of the Spirit. Have someone hold you accountable to your growth.
Study Scripture: Delve into the Bible to understand the teachings and examples that embody the fruit of the Spirit. Seek wisdom from scripture to apply these principles in your daily life. The Intentional Parenting monthly bible study through the 6am club will help you with this. You can join the whatsapp group via this link
Embrace Love: Actively practice love by showing kindness, forgiveness, and empathy toward others especially your children. Love is foundational to the other fruits of the Spirit. Demonstrate this with your children. Let the sisterhood of faith hold you accountable in walking in love. Love compels us to look out for each other in prayer, sharing of tips/ knowledge and ideas. Join our facebook community via think facebook page
Cultivate Joy: Focus on gratitude and find joy in your relationship with God. Choose to rejoice in both good and challenging circumstances, trusting in God’s plan. The gratitude jar is also a wonderful concept. Have you tried it before?
Pursue Peace: Strive to be a peacemaker in your relationships with your children. Seek resolution rather than conflict and trust God’s peace to guide your decisions. Apologise to your children when you have gotten things wrong.
Exercise Patience: Develop patience by understanding that God’s timing may differ from your own. Exercise restraint in difficult situations and trust God’s plan to unfold.
Practice Kindness and Goodness: Actively look for opportunities to be kind and do good to others. Let your actions reflect the kindness and goodness that God has shown you. Extend this to your children. Our whatsapp and networking community offers opportunity to interact and grow with other mothers, giving you a safe space to grow.
Be Faithful: Demonstrate faithfulness by staying committed to your relationship with God, your promises, and your responsibilities. Trust in God’s faithfulness as your example. I cannot over emphasise this. There is such a rise in social isolation in our generation as people develop mis-trusting relationships. As parents of faith, loving and fellowshipping with other believers is highly commended. We believe and strive to do that in our pursuit of intentionalparenting.Why don’t you join us at the next networking event. Join our Facebook page to kept up to date
Cultivate Gentleness: Approach others with gentleness and humility. Avoid harsh judgment and strive to understand different perspectives.
Exercise Self-Control: Practice self-discipline in your thoughts, actions, and emotions. Seek the Holy Spirit’s help to overcome temptations and cultivate self-control.
Remember that developing the fruit of the Spirit is a lifelong process. Continually seek God’s guidance and rely on His strength to grow in these virtues, knowing that it’s through a relationship with Him that these qualities can flourish in your life.
In todays challenge we are reminding our children that ‘You mean a lot to our family’. It’s important these words are meaningful and substantiated by actions. Would your children agree that they feel special and mean a lot? What are the things and actions that demonstrate that?
Below are tips that you can apply to demonstrate to your child that s/he is important.
Active Listening: Pay full attention when your child speaks. Show that their thoughts and feelings matter by actively engaging in conversations. Make an effort not to use the phone or screens.
Quality Time: Dedicate focused, quality time to spend with your child regularly. This reinforces the importance of your relationship in their life. This could be dinner time, school run time. Normalise having connecting time with no distractions. Some parents enjoy having 1:1 dates and it does not have to be expensive.. coffee dates, etc
Celebrating Achievements: Acknowledge and celebrate your child’s achievements, whether big or small. This reinforces their value and accomplishments. You can cook their favourite meal if they have been helpful in the week. Be clear what you are celebrating and refrain from celebrating academic achievement ONLY. Celebrate other virtues such as being kind, helpful, thoughtful etc.
Personalized Attention: Provide individualized attention, addressing their unique needs and interests. This demonstrates that you understand and appreciate their individuality. Spend 1:1 time with your child doing the things they love.
Express Affection: Regularly express affection through hugs, kisses, and verbal affirmations. Physical and verbal expressions of love emphasize their importance to you. You may not be comfortable with this if you did not grow up doing this, I would encourage you to lean onto your discomfort. You can start by hugging your child on specific times, eg when they leave home for school, when they come home, when you meet after a period of separation. You then build it up by cuddling them when on the couch together watching tv and so forth. Hugs and physical touch are good for us, they lower heart rate and blood pressure.
Attend Events: Attend your child’s school events, performances, and activities. Your presence at these events communicates your active involvement and support. Negotiate with your employer so that you can attend key events and if you cannot, explain to your child in a way that they understand.
Encourage Communication: Create an open and encouraging environment for your child to share their thoughts and concerns. Make it clear that their voice is heard and respected.
Prioritise Safety: Ensuring your child’s safety is a tangible way of demonstrating their importance. Establishing a secure environment fosters trust and a sense of significance.
Routine Check-Ins: Regularly check in with your child about their day, experiences, and feelings. It shows that you are genuinely interested in their well-being. Again the kitchen/ dining table is key for these discussions. For working parents, you can schedule a face time or video/ phone call to check on.
Involve Them in Decision-Making: Include your child in age-appropriate decision-making processes. It empowers them and emphasizes that their input matters.
Celebrate Special Days: Make a big deal out of their birthdays and other special occasions. Creating memorable experiences on these days reinforces their significance in your life.
Create Traditions: Establish family traditions that involve your child. These can be simple routines or special activities that contribute to a sense of belonging.
Display Their Artwork: Proudly showcase your child’s artwork or creations. This demonstrates that their efforts and creativity are valued. Let them know how proud you are of their creativity.
Share Stories: Share stories about their childhood or family history. It fosters a sense of identity and importance in the family narrative. How about a family tree event. Talk about your own childhood. What did you enjoy the most? Who were the important people in your life . Why did you migrate?
Encourage Individual Goals: Support and encourage your child in pursuing their personal goals and interests. It communicates that you believe in their potential.
Celebrate Uniqueness: Embrace and celebrate the unique qualities and talents of your child. This reinforces that they are valued for who they are.
Be Reliable: Be a reliable and consistent presence in your child’s life. Dependability creates a sense of security and importance.
Apologize When Necessary: Acknowledge and apologize if you make a mistake. This teaches your child that their feelings and perspectives are respected.
Listen Without Judgment: Create a non-judgmental space where your child feels comfortable sharing their thoughts and experiences without fear of criticism.
Offer Encouragement: Provide regular words of encouragement. Positive reinforcement reinforces their self-worth and importance. The affirmations challenge is key here to support those. More details on this
Remember, it’s the combination of these actions that truly conveys to your child that they are cherished and important in your life.
For more information, on upcoming masterclass and vision board workshop, do join the facebook page to be kept up to date.
For parenting support, contact Fadzai via this link
When you’re feeling like you’re not enough, it’s important to practice self-compassion and employ strategies that help build your self-worth. Here are some strategies you can try:
Practice self-care: Take time for activities that make you feel good, whether it’s exercise, meditation, or engaging in hobbies you enjoy.
Focus on your strengths: Remind yourself of your accomplishments and the unique qualities that make you who you are.
Set realistic goals: Break down big tasks into smaller, achievable steps, and celebrate each milestone you reach along the way.
Surround yourself with supportive people: Spend time with those who appreciate and value you for who you are, and who encourage your personal growth. We have an intentional parenting whatsapp group or facebook you can join here
Challenge negative thoughts: Replace self-doubt with positive affirmations and remind yourself that everyone has moments of self-doubt.
Help others: Volunteering or supporting others in need can help shift your focus away from self-doubt and boost your sense of purpose.
Seek professional help if needed: Consider speaking with a therapist, parenting coach or counselor who can provide guidance and support for improving your self-esteem and self-worth.
Remember, building self-worth is a gradual process, so be patient and kind to yourself as you work through these strategies.
If you want to discuss some of this further with Fadzai, do contact via this link
To all mums, are you checking in with your #momfriends?
Let’s normalise having these deep conversations. If this is your first time seeing our #intentionalcheckin, is this something you will be able to do with your community/ support network/ village?
One of the challenges of modern day parenting is social isolation. Yes we may have so many followers/ fans, be in so many social media groups be it whatsapp/ facebook, threads, you name it.
Yet we feel so alone!
Developing those meaningful relationships becomes key as we seek to thrive in this parenting game. You may argue that ‘me I do not need anyone apart from my children or husband’
What about your children? How are you teaching/ showing them the power of community and positive network?
‘Your children are watching and learning from you on how to live. Inspire them’
Wilferd Peterson
My observations and personal experiences is that you only need 2 or 3 people that you connect with at this level of doing this proper check in. People you can HONESTLY tell about the exciting and challenging things in your life.
If you have 1 or 2 people you trust, invest in those relationships. Diarise those catch ups and honour them because life is very busy especially as parents.
Depending with the ages of your children , you can use this as family check in as well. Why don’t you give it ago. Try at dinner time to check in with everyone..
Number 4 is also very important, that questions is often underplayed yet a game changer.
If you are not able to find practical help, in so many other ways, PRAY, Listen, signpost.
We all can help.
If you would like to discuss #momfriendship, need some ideas, support, signpostage,… book a confidential 1:1 consultation here
May be you need someone to pray with you over this issue… do reach out via the consultation line on link here
Intentional parenting stands with Child Q. As a community of black African parents, we will work with our community at large to heal on the trauma that we have faced.
What makes Child Q a very distressing and complex case is the layers of abuse, discrimination, injustice the community faces. To rectify these issues requires a system wise approach. For instance, why didn’t Child Q refuse to be undressed without her parents there??
As I write it’s difficult to imagine what must have been going through her mind when all this was happening. I want to take a minute and applaud the relationship Child Q has with her mother that she was able to share the horrors of what happened to her.
Thank you to the Hackney Safeguarding who took this forward to the panel.
We are holding a series of webinars to discuss about this trauma, led by qualified practitioners from education, health, safeguarding, parenting,faith, youth work and many others.
Intentional Parenting invites those with expertise in those areas, are willing to work with our community to get in touch via our contact page below via email/ phone/ whatsapp.
We are open and willing to work with both statutory and voluntary organisations in forging a way forward.
We understand that this is not an isolated incident. We will speak to our children and LISTEN to their experiences. We will LEARN from their experiences and stand with them.
We promise to make time and read the SCHOOL policies so we are familiar with them.
As a community we will seek opportunities to be part of the change both in schools and our local areas. These will include volunteering and participating in events that involve our children’s education such as school governorship, PTA (parent teacher association), youth work etc.
We pledge to continue working within our community and other partner agencies in making sure ALL children thrive and reach their potential.
To Child Q and many others, we see you. we hear you. As your parents forgive us for times we didn’t believe you, we are willing to do the work.
Parenting is the most challenging and yet incredibly rewarding role that one will ever take. If you are a parent you will probably agree with me. Here i’m sharing 5tips from my upcoming book
“Raising Fa: Surviving parenting in Diaspora”
In this book I share on what has worked for me as a mom and I what I have learnt through my role as a public health nurse working with families in UK community as well as a safeguarding children’s nurse. Both roles have fundamental understanding of child development theories, family dynamics and the impact of environmental/societal factors on the development of a child.
PARENTING TIPS:
1– Partnering with God. For me this remains the best decision I made as a mom. In all circumstances, I have turned to God to help me as a mom and also help my children at whatever stage they are. By partnering with Him, it lessened the burden as when challenging times came, I looked and literally took my burden to His feet. I will share more on my next blog on how to lay at feet in prayer, interceding for our children. In that blog I will share tips such as praying for your child in their bedroom, playing worship songs continuously in their rooms etc
2— Pray, pray, pray. Pray in faith concerning your children. Dare to believe God for the promises He says concerning your children. My favourite is “All our children shall be taught of the lord and great shall be their peace” Isaiah 54:13 O the price of peace!! That’s the greatest gift I could give my children. That they may know His peace that transcends all understanding. The bible says pray at all times and in all manner. If it bothers you, pray about it, philipians 4:6
3—- Time is money, valuable and is precious! How true with our children! Give them the gift of your time. Let them know how much they mean to you. Drop everything and be with them. It’s the best investment one could ever make, it gives in returns. Imagine a romantic relationship with someone who can never prioritise you but gives you the leftovers all the time. It is the same with our children. Try to set aside time on a regular basis to do something fun with your children.
Rather than tell them what not to do, teach and show them what they should do.
4—Be equipped, learn how to be a parent. A lot of us feel we can just do it, maybe. My personal experience by not being equipped I made a lot of mistakes and now I am trying to rectify these especially with our first. Both my pregnancies were unplanned. Back home, when the community helped to raise a child, it was easier and doable. A lot of the older women were great teachers in informal education. Fast forward in the diaspora, that community is not there. Older women are around but busy and scarce.
Parenting classes then become fundamental for a parent who wants to get it right. Local children centres offer bite size parenting courses, churches and charities as well as independent consultants offer parenting courses. Online courses are also available that are affordable and easily accessible. Society will not let you get on the road without a licence but it is ok to raise a human being on trial and error. Think about it.
5—-In managing behaviours, use descriptive praise when they do something well. Say, “I like how you ____ when you ____.” Be specific.
Help your child learn to express how s/he feels. Say: “You seem frustrated.” “How are you feeling?” “Are you upset?” “You look like you are angry about that.” “It’s O.K. to feel that way.”
Try to see a situation the way your children do. Listen carefully to them.
Above all remember to be kind to your yourself and remain hopeful. Some days are harder and some seasons are even challenging. The truth of the matter is that, it WILL come to pass. Take deep breaths, drink your water and try and get some rest. Sleep enough hours to build resilience so you can continue on the journey.
Would love to hear how you are getting on in your parenting journey. Drop us a comment, like. Share the message of hope and let other parents know we can do it.
Stumbled upon this verse and I have to admit, I was astounded!
Astounded maybe because of my inadequacies, my flawed inability to stand long enough together with fellow bethren to see their prayers answered. Yet the Lord commands us to ‘stand together UNTIL”.
When was the last time you stood in faith with someone for those things that He answered in your own life?
Intentional parenting 