Coach Nancy shares thoughts and ideas on the trials and tribulations of parenting as she works as a parent coach and parents her own children ages 11,9,and 7. She shares some insights she has gained as a parent/coach as well as some funny stories.
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Connections bring out the best in families. When family members feel more connected it serves as a buffer against ill will and power struggles. You can connect by filling your family members' buckets.
The little things we do on a daily basis really aren't so little. When we drop a stone onto a still body of water, we watch the ripples extend far beyond where the stone was dropped. Create a ripple effect with these small actions:
- Hug each child first thing every morning.
- Hug your child when you first see him after the school day.
- Kiss your spouse good-bye every morning.
- Kiss your spouse good-night every evening.
- Plan a family game night and stick to it.
- Put a love note in your child’s lunch bag once per week.
- Spend at least 10 minutes each day giving each family member your present, undivided attention
. If you have a large family, set up a rotation schedule.
Keep the ripple going:
- Slow down
. Cut out activities that are not important to allow more together time.
- Count the compliments
. It takes 5 positive comments to make up for one negative. Make it a point to keep those positive comments flowing.
- Write a list of strengths for each family member and post it where visible
. This will keep you focused on the positive and help you to remind your children of their strengths.
What do you do to keep your family connected?
About Coach Nancy
Parent Coach and mother of three
Beech Acres Parenting Center
Coach Nancy has a master’s degree in social work, and has been working with children and families for over 10 years. In the school setting, her experience includes conducting conflict resolution and anger management classes for first through seventh graders. Working together with school professionals, she strives to use all resources available to optimize each child’s school experience.
In the hospital setting, she has worked with children who have cancer and their families to help them manage their emotions, and to coordinate resources to deal with the challenges as effectively as possible.
When coaching parents, Nancy believes her most important experience comes from being a parent herself. Her parenting philosophy can be summed up with a quote from parenting expert Barbara Coloroso: “There is no one way to raise our children, but a path that we must find.” She believes in an approach that focuses on strengths while acknowledging and working through challenges. Often, the greatest learning experiences lie in the challenges.
