Many of the words that were considered acceptable for describing kids’ behavior in the 1970s and ’80s are now recognized as judgmental or damaging to self-esteem. They teach our kids to be hard on themselves and cause anxiety rather than confidence. If we want to raise empathetic kids who remain open-hearted, we need to be …
How do you raise a resilient child when your sensitive child is anxious, easily discouraged, or not very motivated? I hear the following from many parents I work with: “I’m worried that if I let my child “get away” with behavior–such as being unmotivated, trying to get out of things, getting easily discouraged, or whining …
It’s normal to feel guilty after yelling at your child or losing your patience with them. That’s because you have a conscience and want to do right by your kids. But it’s also normal to lose patience and yell sometimes–because you’re human! It’s “human” and “real”. And what I mean by that is that all …
If you’re wondering if you’re failing because your child’s behavior isn’t what you’ve been aiming for, and you’ve been learning to use a connected parenting approach but you think maybe it’s not “working”–how can you feel confident in your connected parenting and know that you’re doing a good job? And how can you feel reassured …
Parents often try to teach their kids to say “sorry” by insisting they say it, but forcing your child to say sorry never teaches genuine remorse or regret–especially if your child is upset and doesn’t want to. Parents who take this approach may: I get it! And I agree that it’s important for kids to …
Parents who are committed to being the best parent they can be are often also hard on themselves and find it difficult to let go of parenting guilt. However, self-judgment or guilt never help us to be our best. Here’s a different approach to take in your parenting practice that can help you become the …
Parents of sensitive spirited kids who want to avoid undermining your parenting partner—As you’re learning to use a connected parenting approach, but maybe your co-parent or partner wants to focus more on behavior or rewards/consequences and feels undermined when you use a connecting approach ➡️ I’ve got connected strategies for you! ✨✨❣️❣️ 🔥 Here are …
Myth: When your child acts aggressively towards another child at a playdate and then runs back to you for comfort, comforting them rewards their behavior and encourages it. Truth: Your comfort and empathy help your child calm down and access the parts of their brain that can have empathy for others, and can think rationally …
It’s heartbreaking to watch kids who are too hard on themselves. Maybe your child compares themselves to others and feels they’re not good enough in some way (e.g., “I hate my curly hair!”, “I’m stupid”, “I’m terrible at math” or “nobody likes me”). Or perhaps they’re so anxious about performing poorly that they won’t try …
“I feel guilty after yelling at my child” is a common experience. Every parent has felt this way at some time or another. And it’s normal to feel bad, because you have a conscience and want to do right by your kids. But it’s also normal to lose patience and yell sometimes–because you’re human! Your …
I gratefully acknowledge that I live and work on the traditional territories of the Coast Salish people.
