Take a moment to go down memory lane with me.Remember when your child was just about to crawl? He was cranky, didn’t sleep, and then he scooted across the floor.The same can be said about your older child as she goes through a developmental phase. She’s argumentative, teary, clingy and resentful all at the same time.Development
Development is a huge contributing factor that many parents dismiss when misbehavior appears.Let me ask you this, when your child was learning to crawl did you ignore, yell, or punish her as she collapsed on the floor, fully exhausted and crying after trying to master a new skill? No, you didn’t. You remained connected and helped her learn.
So why then do you yell and punish, instead of teach, when your child is attempting to master a new, more emotionally complex life skill?Let me be clear. Every parent gets to decide how they want to correct behavior.Parenting is a multi-layered process containing lessons for both parent and child.I’m not suggesting that you give your child’s behavior a pass because her behavior is being motivated by development.What I am suggesting is toacceptthe enormous role development plays in behavior. Acceptance brings you a sense of inner calm and provides insight allowing you to clearly see what has previously been blocked by reacting.Parenting, by its very nature, is a multi-layered experience. That’s why I created Mindful Ways to Correct Behavior packages to support you.Each package has7-hand-pickedproducts to support each stage of parenting.One package is for preschoolers, one is for the elementary ages, and one is for tweens.Each package guides you with new concepts and sample conversations, all of which creates a “Big Picture†perspective that inspires teaching, not punishing.Take action today and Stop Reacting and Start Responding, which just happens to be the name of my book.Go to the Proactive Parenting Store to get your package and begin shifting from yelling, reacting and punishing, to mindfully teach what needs to be taught in order to be successful next time.These concepts will not create the perfect life, or stamp out all misbehavior. Misbehavior is how kids express the need to learn something, and that’s a fact that needs to be accepted.
These concepts allow you to remain connected and empathetic as you deliver the teaching that needs to occur. And that creates a child who feels safe, who listens and cooperates far more of the time. I’m excited to bring this work to you.
Now, go hug your kids!
Sharon