Parenting is the hardest job in the world! It is a constant, lifelong process of trial and error. There is no “real” manual that teaches us everything we need to know. There are many parenting books that are very helpful. However, every child is born with their own unique personality. One style of parenting does not work for everyone.
Being a parent is like trying to fold a fitted bed sheet. No one really knows how.
How can therapy with a Mental Health Professional help?
An experienced Mental Health Provider, like Cassie Icenogle-Konnoly can assist you in identifying your concerns, figuring out the core root of them, and how to change and/ or improve your parenting skills. Having a support system feels much better than standing alone.
Some parenting tips will be more effective than others. The key is to practice what you know, explore new parenting methods as you go, communicate WITHOUT JUDGEMENT, LISTEN, REALLY LISTEN to your children, and never give up. Love, forgiveness, and understanding goes a lot further than we realize.
Your children will become who you are; so be who you want them to be. Our actions teach them more than our words do. Remember~ Children outgrow toys and clothes; they never outgrow time and love.
Discovering what works well and what does not is an ongoing journey. There will be bumps along the way, as well as successful milestones where great achievements occur.
Aim for progress, not perfection, or you will constantly be disappointed.
When you are at your wits end, give yourself a “timeout” and tend to your own self-care. We are not effective parents when we are angry or emotionally distraught. Logic and patience fly out the window, only to be replaced by emotional reactions instead of rational responses.
All to often, children are punished for being human. They are not aloud to have grumpy moods, disrespectful manners, or bad attitudes. Yet, adults feel and behave that way all the time. We need to stop holding children to higher standards of perfectionism than we could ever attain ourselves.
Before you get to the point where you want to throw your hands up in the air and walk away, give Krave Lyfe! Mental Health Counseling a call, to seek the support and guidance you are needing to improve your parenting skills, family relationships, and discover solutions to overcome your current parenting challenges.
“Be Happy with what you have, while working for what you want”.
~Hellen Keller