Families Forward Parenting

"Reacting with frustration puts the focus on how you feel rather than on what’s happening with your child, who may be struggling to get ready. Showing empathy c...an change the dynamic. It lets you acknowledge not only what you see and feel but also what your child is feeling. It helps you stop and think about what you may not be seeing. Learn more about empathy and why it’s important."

Great ways to help regulate and express emotions

How awesome are the royals at showing up in a genuine and authentic way and advocating for mental health awareness?!

Deep breathing as a coping strategy for sensory, self-regulation, or worries. Use this picture to trace the ridges or hold a real pumpkin and kids can feel the ...weight of the pumpkin as they trace and breathe. Read on for more on coping strategies and deep breath exercises: https://www.theottoolbox.com/pumpkin-deep-breathing-exerci/

A fantastic resource!!

Sesame Street is continuing its effort to help kids navigate more complex life issues.

When you make no time for yourself you will be less patient, more frustrated, more irritable and quickly find yourself at your limit. Go to therapy, exercise, m...editate, pray, see your friends, foster your community, got to therapy, go to therapy, go to therapy, did I say go to therapy? Your wellness is a priority. Periodt. See more

The choice becomes very clear. Implementing this will be more difficult for some parents. If it is, that means that healing your own emotional trauma will great...ly benefit you in your efforts to raise emotionally intelligent and compassionate humans. It will no longer feel forced, you’ll feel less triggered by your child, AND you’ll learn to be unconditionally present for yourself! #CompletionProcessCertifiedPractitioner See more

"Parents may mean well when they strive to keep their children from experiencing uncomfortable feelings, but learning to tolerate those feelings is essential."

"Parents are afraid to hit their children", " Dare to Discipline", "If you don't punish your child now the state will later", " Banning corporal punishment will... rip family apart" are just a few ignorant misleading comments I saw yesterday in response to the upholding of the ban on corporal punishment against children in South Africa. Freedom of Religion South Africa says it is fuming after the Constitutional Court upheld a ruling on Wednesday that declared corporal punishment at home unconstitutional. This mentality after weeks of protests as the country mourns the ongoing violence against women, children, and immigrants. It appears that many adults who were raised with corporal punishment cannot see the correlation. It’s very hard to believe that people who love us would intentionally hurt us, so we excuse and justify their behavior. Repressing the pain of punishment makes people more likely to hit their own children or justify toxic strategies to control others. Most parents would agree that their role in their child's life is to provide love, protection, nutrition, education and set an example of how to treat others. Corporal punishment and chastisement do not fulfill any of these roles. Although to the parents stuck in a power-pattern, it may feel like it is, it clearly isn't if we keep churning out adults who don't know any other way to parent without punishment and chastisement. For as long as adults justify their abuse of power over children by calling it "discipline", "tough love" or " parenting", abuse of power in all relationships will continue. Statistically, children who are exposed to spanking or verbal abuse are more likely to tolerate or perpetuate physical and verbal abuse. The first and perhaps most difficult hurdle in breaking the cycle of familial abuse is recognizing it. Raise your skills, not your hands and voices. Almost all Gentle Parents treat children differently than the society they grew up in. Gentle Parents courageously choose daily to break the cycle through empathy, understanding and a burning desire to learn and practice unconditional love and leadership. Lelia Schott #breakthecycle #enoughisenough #saynotochildabuse #saynotogenderbasedviolence #femicide #saynotoxenophobia #learnbetter #loveknowsnofear #parentingformentalhealth #parentingforsocialchange #gentleparenting #changetheworld

This is my all-time favorite visual to share with families in my therapy practice . Your mindset as a parent is EVERYTHING when it comes to responding to yo...ur child's challenging behaviors. You can print this graphic for free here thanks to Kristin Wiens at North Star Paths! http://northstarpaths.com//Reframe-Behaviour-Growth-Mindse