Just the basic tenant of “crying” being a good thing, and upsets as a pathway to remedy psychological hurts is enough to throw any of us into pure skepticism. Couple that with cutting out punishments and rejecting rewards and the approach does not have a fighting chance with those of us who were raised with conventional parenting.
Speak Your Truth
I believe there is freedom in speaking our truth about our challenging parenting experiences—almost a liberation. Making these moments part of the narrative is essential for our generation to move forward in a better way. Why? Two reasons. First, we mustn’t let others believe they are alone in their struggles. Every parent out there has days they feel defeated and alone.
How do I get my kids to listen to me?
10 Things to Cultivate a Deeper Bond with Your Kids
2. Use empathy, even when you think you can’t...it’s you're saving grace. If we can see things from our child’s point of view, even when you may not agree or feel that they “need” to be upset…they are having feelings and all feelings are valid and important. Conveying the idea that we understand will garner much goodwill with our children.
The Magic Pill
There is much talk about teaching our kids to self-regulate, use impulse control and learn to react calmly to adversity. This is all well and good but merely talking about it and wanting it to happen certainly doesn't ensure that our children will move through adverse situations with ease because we merely want them to.
Big Messy Feelings
The Parent Trap
My New Normal
Sibling Rivalry
Empathy: The Silver Bullet to Parenting
Sometimes I just can’t be empathetic to my kids. In fact I find their meltdowns and upset beyond annoying. All I want to say to them is; “You have got to be kidding me. I don’t have time to listen to your feelings. I am busy. Mommy has things to do!” It is in those moments where I can’t find the empathy; it’s buried in a world of me, me, me!