A little more irritable over the holidays? Today I have a short note that I hope inspires you, especially if you find that the holiday season tries your patience. (You’ll need to read right to the end for the inspiration). It’s a busy time of year for many, and a time when parents sometimes have …
Like many parents, having a child was life changing for me, and I aspired to use a peaceful parenting approach. I felt deeply blessed and wanted to honor that by connecting with my child and preventing emotionally wounding him. I had my own childhood wounds, and I was determined to have a close relationship with …
Parents often want to know how they can raise a confident child who has a healthy self-esteem and self-worth, and prevent toxic shame. For instance, “When my child makes a mistake, how can I help them stay self-confident rather than feeling ashamed? How can I ensure they’re feeling *guilt* rather than *shame*–so that I can …
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 …
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 …
You can watch the video here, or read the transcript below Today I want to talk with you about one of the ways that you can raise a confident child, and this is especially true if they have anxiety. We often think (subconsciously) that we can help our children become more confident if we help …
It’s distressing when your child is hard on themselves or is reluctant to try a new activity because they’re worried they can’t do it even before trying. We want our kids to be accepting of themselves, and to “cut themselves some slack” when they feel they’ve fallen short. We also want them to have the …
(Recovering) perfectionist parents may have difficulty teaching their kids to set boundaries because of their own tendency to people-please. But teaching boundaries is essential for your child’s safety, so that they gain the confidence to say, “No”. An important strategy you can use, starting when your child is very young, is to say “no” on …
I gratefully acknowledge that I live and work on the traditional territories of the Coast Salish people.
