Fear to Freedom in 3 Steps: What To Do In the Middle of Your Child's Emotional Storm

Have you or your child ever been caught in the funnel of fear?

This is where --

• your perspective is limited
• your stress level is rising
• and it feels like the calm is being sucked right out of you

What's That Behavior Really Saying?

I recently had to take the time to step back from work, the holiday scramble, and all those things that had me hurrying around leaving little time for quality interaction with those I love.

Busy parents can be quick to dismiss behavior at face value, taking it personally or ignoring the force driving the behavior especially when they are feeling stressed or pulled in too many directions.

Model Child: What Happens When You Replace Punishment with Empathy & Skill Building

[Update: I wrote this when my daughter was 3. She's 12 now (2018), and she is still kind, compassionate, and even more emotionally intelligent, responsible, hardworking, and self-regulated (her teacher's words - not mine). She's experienced many consequences in her life, but she's never been punished. I say all this not to brag about my kid, but because our kids don't need punishment to understand right from wrong. They don't need to feel punitive adult-imposed pain to learn. In fact, they learn better when we stick with limits and natural consequences.

Being a conscious parent can be frustrating. Using empathy instead of punishment isn't a magical fix, and there is no simple path to growth. 

We must remain present in the moment while also staying thoughtful, compassionate, and creative to get everyone through the moment.