Take a look at our latest blog posts Parenting Mojo Blog
Have you noticed that parenting is taking a turn toward compassion vs. "discipline" lately? Everywhere we look, we see experts extolling us to understand our children's motivation, developmental stages, inner needs, and special circumstances (trauma, ADHD, autism, sensory sensitivities, grief, loss, etc.)
What ever happened to "Letting them know who's boss," and "They can't get away with that disrespect!"
Are we about to raise kids who want to "be understood" in every environment. How's that gonna work? It's a tough world out there. Not everyone will understand them and they could get trampled.
The answer lies in "resilience." If children grow up feeling seen and heard by loving adults, they're better able to take on the "tough" world in ways that don't create more conflict and chaos. We know that authoritarian parenting (my way or the highway) results in rebellion, not compliance, so the tough world just gets tougher when consequences are employed. And then it gets tougher yet, as the cycle of rule-breaking, excuse making, defiance and failed relationships continues.
Here are the resilience factors published by the same people who created the 10-question Adverse Childhood Experiences survey. They realized that a high ACEs score doesn't have to predict a failed adulthood IF some resilience factors were in place.
Definitely true Probably true Not sure Probably Not True Definitely Not True
1. I believe that my mother loved me when I was little.
2. I believe that my father loved me when I was little.
3. When I was little, other people helped my mother and father take care of me and they seemed to love me.
4. I’ve heard that when I was an infant someone in my family enjoyed playing with me, and I enjoyed it, too.
5. When I was a child, there were relatives in my family who made me feel better if I was sad or worried.
6. When I was a child, neighbors or my friends’ parents seemed to like me.
7. When I was a child, teachers, coaches, youth leaders or ministers were there to help me.
8. Someone in my family cared about how I was doing in school.
9. My family, neighbors and friends talked often about making our lives better.
10. We had rules in our house and were expected to keep them.
11. When I felt really bad, I could almost always find someone I trusted to talk to.
12. As a youth, people noticed that I was capable and could get things done.
13. I was independent and a go-getter.
14. I believed that life is what you make it.
How many of these 14 protective factors did I have as a child and youth? (How many of the 14 were circled “Definitely True” or “Probably True”?) _______
Of these circled, how many are still true for me? _______
https://acestoohigh.com/got-your-ace-score/
What can we learn from this survey? That compassion builds strong people, that resilience comes from compassion, and that compassion works better than "being the boss."
In my world, that's a relief, because parents with whom I work really want to love their kids. Compassion frees us to be our best selves as adults.
For help with building compassion through parent coaching, click here.
For information on helping parents build compassion by becoming a parent coach, click here.
-
Anxiety and Our Kids
Posted:
Tina was a guest on the Mary Hanson Show, the longest-running cable TV program in the US. Mary is an advocate for families, children, and communities. Anxiety and Our Kids was the topic this time.
Send this blog post to someone:
SUBMIT -
How Well Are You Staying Mom and Dad?
Posted:
Parents sometimes neglect their own health and well-being. Here's how to make sure you're in it for the long haul with your kids.
Send this blog post to someone:
SUBMIT -
Do Consequences Work?
Posted:
Have you tried consequences and not gotten the results you want? Most of the time, you'll get an immediate response, but then the behaviors return. How about a better solution?
Send this blog post to someone:
SUBMIT -
Mom! Mom! Mom!
Posted:
egulating your inner response to this is even more important than getting the kids to stop it. The way you think about something has everything to do with how you receive it, so think of “Mom” as your child attempting to build a bridge to the safety of your attention.
Send this blog post to someone:
SUBMIT