Fostering Connection and Independence in Adolescents
Handing Back the Opportunity Parenting adolescents comes with its challenges, but one of the most powerful strategies you can adopt is handing back the opportunity for them to own their problems. Whether the issue is yours or theirs, this approach fosters connection, independence, confidence, and resilience. Identifying the Problem Problems that impact you as a parent may include: Disrespectful comments Avoidance or refusal to contribute (chores) and fulfil personal responsibilities. A pattern...
Kids who are Resistant
Giving Kids Choices Within Your Value System to Reduce Anxiety and Power Struggles Are You Using Choices but Still Facing Resistance? Giving kids choices within your value system can significantly decrease anxiety and minimise constant power struggles. However, if you’ve been implementing choices and still experiencing pushback, protests, and dismissals, it may be time to refine your approach. Here are some key strategies to try from a calm, non-anxious perspective: 1. Offer Choices Before...
Growing Parent Confidence
Navigating the Realities of Parenting The Joys of Parenting The Joys of Parenting: the connection, the many milestones of growth, the adventures, the closeness, and the enjoyment of being and doing things together. Appreciating your child’s/adolescent’s resiliency, capability, responsibility, and growth. The Challenges of Parenting - the reality is that parenting is hard! None of us are perfect parents, and none of us had perfect parenting. We are navigating a course we haven’t done before...
The Adolescent Years: The Push and Pull
Navigating the Challenges of Teenage Independence Parents, it can shock the system if you have experienced a close connection with your kids and then suddenly feel an abrupt disconnect. Sometimes, it can feel like a pull toward connection, followed by a push for space. You might hear, "I need my space. I don't need you. I don't want to be anything like you." This can be a tricky and awkward period. This push for autonomy and pull towards connection is both healthy and necessary for...
Reducing Anxiety and Power Struggles Through Choices
Giving kids choices within your value system decreases anxiety and constant power struggles. Have you been using choices and still finding that your kids are resisting—leading to power struggles caused by protest, pushback, or dismissal? Here are some great tips to remember and experiment with, all from a calm, non-anxious presence: Key Strategies 1. Give Choices Before Resistance Choices can be incorporated into most situations, including: Morning routines After-school activities Evening...
Building steps towards staying Grounded
What is your non-negotiable? It is helpful to know what stresses you, being self-aware in knowing your vulnerabilities. What are the top 3 things that stress you? kids school work morning or bedtime routines teenagers: group of friends, sense of entitlement, technology battles, mood altering substances, school refusal/disengagement, kids poor choices, swearing, lying, disrespect, ignoring requests or not following through. finances marriage, relationships boss, colleagues, peers work Zero...
The Power of Holding Space for Ourselves -Enables us to hold space with empathy for our children.
Today, let's look at something that's often overlooked in the demands and busyness of our lives – holding space for ourselves. It's an intimate practice to be seen, heard, known, and understood. Instead of looking or waiting to have this from someone else, we’re doing it for ourselves, Now, what does it mean to hold space for yourself? Well, it's all about creating a safe and judgment-free zone where you can fully be yourself. It's like giving your own heart a big, warm hug. Here's how you...
The Power Within: Understanding and Recognising My Energy Levels
I've been reminded lately about something we often overlook in our fast-paced lives: our energy levels. It's interesting how they impact our daily experiences and overall well-being. Let me share my thoughts on why it's so crucial to understand and recognise our energy levels. You know, when I'm in tune with my energy levels, it's like having a personal energy gauge. I've noticed that it makes a massive difference in how I navigate my day-to-day routines. When my energy is high, I'm more...
Small Things Daily To Build Hope
Cultivating hope is not exempt from feeling overwhelmed, fearful, anxious, or triggered. It’s amid life ‘s challenging circumstances, that we develop hope. Sometimes it’s working with a belief that keeps us stuck, or a barrier that keeps us confined that can undermine hope. Hope takes courage and guts to persevere through hard stuff especially in our families. Through my own journey and research with clients and resources, hope has mainly been cultivated through intentional daily self-care...
Draining Energy Levels
I love the relaxed pace of School holidays, slowing down to enjoy greater connection, creativity, adventure, and exercise with my kids. This time also allows me to explore and thoughtfully reflect on tricky conversations that may be needed in their particular season. Life with children has a combination of the good, the happy, the tricky, and the messy times. Sometimes parenting can be a roller-coaster ride, and for that reason, it's vitally important that we look after ourselves, attend to...
Connecting with your child’s heart
A fortnight ago, we planned to go to the Viking exhibition at the Melbourne Museum, and after reading the reviews and chatting with 2 families we decided to alter our course. As we entered the fringes of the city, my son spotted an eagle painted on a wall, and this led him to express his interest in street art and inquired if we could go around Melbourne and explore the varied impressions and creativity of the city's street art. As we googled street art locations, it was interesting to...
What are you needing as a parent?
What are you needing as parents? What are you wanting or hoping to see change or develop or enhanced for you and your family. What are the challenges in the year ahead? I am navigating through a son repeating year 4 and supporting him to own and solve his problems and challenges in order to continue to grow in resilience and responsibility. My teenage girl is starting year 7, and I know the year will be filled with many challenges, in upgrading my skills to be more consultative through the...
Whose Problem is it?
Whose Problem, Is it? Confession As a mother, I was well entrenched in doing the thinking, (instructing/lecturing) for and on behalf of my kids, especially when there was a problem. On many occasions, I would jump in and rescue them at school, home or anywhere else. This made life tricky and drained my energy levels as I navigated through the tedious task of solving my kid’s problems. The narrative sounded like: What did they say, what did you say? I think you should……., or You shouldn't…. I’m...
Building connection with your kids
A fortnight ago, we planned to go to the Viking exhibition at the Melbourne Museum, after reading the reviews and chatting with 2 families we decided to alter our course. As we entered the fringes of the city, my son spotted an eagle painted on a wall, which led him to express his interest in street art and inquired if we could go around Melbourne and explore the varied impressions and creativity of the city's street art. As we googled street art locations, it was interesting to discover that...
Having Your Kids Restore your Energy Levels when they are Drained
Draining Energy Levels I love the relaxed pace of School holidays, slowing down to enjoy greater connection, creativity, adventure, and exercise with my kids. This time also allows me to explore and thoughtfully reflect on tricky conversations that may be needed in their particular season. Life with children has a combination of the good, the happy, the tricky and the messy times. Sometimes parenting can be a roller-coaster ride, and for that reason it's vitally important that we look after...
