When I work with parents I always ask how often their child cries sad tears. And almost always they look off into the distance and admit they don’t recall or admit it’s a rare occurrence. Kids get really difficult to parent when they don’t express their sadness regularly.
So a natural question I get is, how do I help my child cry?
Read MoreI’ll admit, that’s a bit of a clickbait title. And yet, I mean it. Because most of the parents I work with have been in this scenario:
You have curated a pretty-near-perfect day
Your child has had a proper night's rest
You’ve provided regular balanced meals and snacks
You’ve engaged in quality 1:1 time and play
You’ve offered age-appropriate choices
You’ve ensured your child has had adequate movement and outside time
And yet…
Read MoreRemember when summer weekends meant sleeping in and late leisurely brunches? Or perhaps hopping in the car for an adventure without packing a thing?!
Now we have our natural alarm clock waking us up at the first light of day with their constant refrain, “Will you play with me? “
As much as we love our kids, it’s hard not to groan at times. It’s a struggle to feel playful when you’re tired and your mind is already racing with the unending list of to-dos.
Last month I had the pleasure of being a guest on the CHCH morning show where I chatted with the incredible host, Tim Bolen and answered the question, “How can I play when I’m exhausted?”
Read MoreMonday I came down with a cold. My husband is in the thick of a very challenging season at work. My 4-year-old has been so full of anger the past month it’s been like parenting a ticking time bomb. My seven-year-olds new thing is complaining about everything. The sun hasn’t shone in 6 days. There are toys and paper and crumbs everywhere. I lost my temper again this morning. My sinuses are pounding. I feel like a fraud.
It’s Wednesday and I have run out of silver linings.
And I know I’m not alone and yet it feels so isolating. It’s a heavy weight on our shoulders knowing there is no hero riding in to save the day. It’s just us. And we are tired.
*sigh*
So I’m writing this for me and for every parent out there: how to be a parent when things are really really really hard.
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