True North Tips
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The days full of anger and frustration seemed to be outweighing the days full of joy and satisfaction. My kids and I were locking horns over screen time every single day. I was struggling to get them following any limits, completing chores or finishing homework before getting on their devices. I was at my wit’s end and worried that our relationships were deteriorating into dangerously negative territory. Seeing my desperation a friend of mine recommended that I “talk to someone”. Therapy didn’t seem like the right fit. I didn’t need emotional healing, I needed a practical solution in the here and now. But my friend corrected me, she meant a parent coach, not a therapist. I was puzzled. I had heard of life coaches and executive coaches, but not parent coaches. She told me that like other coaches, parent coaching could help support me to make the positive changes I so badly needed.
I was ill at ease enough to look into it. After doing some research I decided to contact a parent coach. From the very first call I felt relieved that I had someone to help me. Coaching, I learned, was going to help me get in touch with my parenting priorities and values around screen time. It was time to block out the noise of the internet searches, parenting books and advice from family and friends and tune into what I really wanted for my kids and my family, and not just about screen time. Combined with her expertise about child development we would get me to a better place. I wasn’t sure I could fit coaching into my busy schedule but I set aside one hour each week for 10 weeks and it was worth it. For the first time, in a long time, I felt hopeful. With the guidance FROM of my coach I was able to see that some things were actually working for screen time at my house, even in spite of the challenges. While they were on the screen more than I wanted, they were using it to learn new skills, connect with friends playing games that were interactive and collaborative. We spent one session formulating my dream. The ideal family life that I was longing for without all of the tension and struggle. We spent a session talking about my strengths as a parent and my children’s strengths. I am really good at talking with my kids about things and making sure they know how I feel. They do well when rules are clear and they have a voice in decision making. Then we used the strengths to design the steps I would take to make my present day to day match my dream. I engaged my boys in conversation when I wasn’t feeling charged or anxious and we were able to come up with some screen time parameters that worked for everyone. I had homework and there were times that I had to step out of my comfort zone. But each week I took a small step towards creating limits and boundaries around screen time at our house making sure my kids were part of the process. It wasn't perfect and it didn’t resolve everything, but it made life easier and I felt the joy return to our household and in my relationships with my kids. Coaching is also about engaging in self care because it is an essential part generating the high energy and focus that is required to be a parent. It is so easy to let it go when there is barely enough time in the day to maintain balance between work and family. I came up with the self care that works for me. It felt doable, just 10 minutes a day to take a walk, meditate or write in my journal. On days when I followed through (most of the time) I was more patient with the kids. While having a better screen time balance in my household was the reason I sought out a parent coach, I came away with so much more:
I am grateful to my friend for introducing me to parent coaching. In this day and age when so many people are raising kids without the help of extended family around, and now so many of us are isolated from our regular communities due to COVID, it is nice to know that there is a resource out there to help. If you want to learn more about parent coaching and how it can support you please visit www.truenorthparentcoaching.com.
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Everyone agrees that in-person learning is best for most kids. Being in school provides not only the best academic learning opportunities but is essential for the social-emotional development of all children. In addition, some kids depend on school for meals and other important services. For many parents having kids at home is an economic stressor which makes it impossible for them to go to work or even work at home. In California, where I live, most schools have started with distance learning as mandated by the governor. As the counties in my area see cases decreasing, schools are making plans to reopen. While all parents have the option to continue with distance learning, many are faced with the decision of whether or not to let their child return in person. We all want our kids to go back to school, but we all want them to be safe too. It feels like an impossible decision. Here are 8 questions to ask yourself while you weigh the pros and cons:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/community/schools-childcare/back-to-school-decision-checklist.pdf Remember to breathe, stay grounded and trust that you know what is best for your child and your family. If you need more support and would like some coaching in making this decision please contact truenorthparentcoaching@gmail.com. True north is offering individual and group coaching sessions to help you. |
AuthorJenny Michaelson is a PCI, Archives
May 2023
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