How often do you hear yourself saying “I’m counting to three and this better get done!” or yelling “go to your room and think about what you’ve done!” or at worst, finding yourself hitting your child?
Many of us, myself included, come from a cultural background where our parents believe(d) that punishment is not only a way to improve their children’s behavior, but also a hallmark of being a good parent.
Imagine yourself in a magical wonderland where everything is open to you and nothing is off limits. You can touch, poke, prod without anyone stopping you. The one caveat here is that you never know if what you are doing is safe, or what the outcome will be, because there are no boundaries. Photo by … Continue reading How to set boundaries (respectfully) … and keep them!
Frustration. We have all been there. Explore some of the pressures we feel when managing our little kids and some sure-fire ways to feel better quickly!
Imagine driving a high-powered vehicle with the on-board computer not quite responding quickly enough. You know where you want to go, and how quickly you want to get there, but the warning lights, brake system and steering control are not quite up to scratch. Risky, right? It is not your fault, or the car’s. It … Continue reading Talking to Teens: How to discipline effectively
How often do you get a one-line response when trying to engage your teenager in a conversation? Most, if not all, parents of teens have a hard time getting their teenager to just talk to them. This is in part due to a learning history that we have developed with them. When they were younger, … Continue reading Talking to Teens: Opening up the channels of communication
In times of crisis, our children self-regulation is not the primary goal. Our children need us to co-regulate with them, to build a sense of trust and safety. This is a 6-step plan to co-regulate with your child to develop strong emotional self-regulation skills later.
Is your child frustrated? Giving up too quickly? Not even willing to try? Check their mindset! Carol Dweck, the first psychologist to identify two key mindsets that determine motivation and long term achievement, found in her research that those children who believed that ability is something that is developed (i.e. the children who displayed a … Continue reading How to cultivate a growth mindset for long term success
Last week we spoke about the first two pillars of mindfulness: Acceptance and Awareness. We also discovered that there might be more going on with our kids when we parent on “autopilot.” So, where do we go from here, now that we are paying attention and becoming aware of the other factors that might lead … Continue reading Calm Amid Corona: You Are Not a Bad Parent (A Crash Course in Mindful Parenting #4)
We could all use a little more consideration and acceptance, right? There is nothing like being truly seen and heard to make us feel valued. Today’s post is about how you can use awareness and acceptance to see and value yourself and your little one in your quest to become more mindful. Awareness in the … Continue reading Calm Amid Corona: Acceptance and Awareness (Crash Course in Mindful Parenting #3)
This time during lockdown can be especially challenging. We are not only dealing with the pressures of working from home while home-schooling or caring for our little ones full-time, but also with the health and economic worries. While we are with our younglings 24/7 over the next couple of weeks, let’s explore and change some … Continue reading Calm Amid Corona: A crash course in Mindful Parenting #2
ThinkerBlog 