Are you having a hard time setting boundaries for your child in a way that feels good?
Are you wondering if there is a more enjoyable and effective way to parent your teenager--one that supports both their autonomy and their need to be responsible?
Is your family going through a difficult time and feeling out of control?
Parenting is one of the most important and challenging roles that we play in our lives. Most of us can see the mistakes our parents made but we aren't as sure how to parent in a way that gives our children what they need while also nurturing ourselves and our couple relationship. Often things seem out of balance.
But you don't have to reinvent the wheel. It turns out that our cultural norms are at odds with what actually serves children. Taking an anthropological view of childrearing, we know that young children need rhythm, consistency, responsiveness, enough sleep, as little media as possible, lots of natural play outdoors and a diet with very little sugar. But instead the natural flow of our culture is hurried, overstimulating, inundated with media and sweets, too little sleep and often parenting styles that swing from permissive to authoritarian.
The good news is that there are simple and effective ways of parenting young children that produce joyful results. I have worked with many families who report at the end of our time together that they feel empowered and able to give their child/children what they need. They also report how much happier the whole family is. Their enjoyment of each other is often palpable.
When it comes to adolescents, parents will find that whatever wasn't worked out in the past comes back to haunt them five-fold in their parent-teenager dynamic. Believe it or not, the teenage years can be very enjoyable--the key is getting clear on the balance between your teenager's need for more autonomy and their continuing need for guidance. I like to say that you get fired as your child's manager but rehired as their consultant.
Whether you're coming in because one of your children is struggling or because you feel out of balance and overwhelmed with the task of parenting, I am here to help you assess what needs to change and to work with you to implement those changes. I have many years of experiencing doing Parent Child Interactive Therapy and have worked at middle and high schools with adolescents. Please give me a call if you would like a free consultation.
