What it Really Takes to Raise Emotionally Healthy Families Series- Day 26

Changing Behaviors Through Connection
We all parent from a place of fear when we’re worried or stressed, especially because it is the paradigm in which most of us were raised. It is through connecting with ourselves, becoming compassionate with and for ourselves, that we can learn to parent from a place of love and connection. When we are coming from that place, our actions will naturally reflect our connection.
From the book Consciously Parenting: What it Really Takes to Raise Emotionally Healthy Families
Learning this really turned what I thought I knew about parenting on its head. I didn’t know there was any other way to change behaviors.
And once I really got it in my bones, I knew I could never see things the same way again. But when I understood how important my children’s needs for connection were and started putting my attention there, things started to shift in ways I couldn’t have foreseen.
The best part is that this idea literally grew as my children grew. When our children are little, it’s easier to inflict punishments because they are smaller than we are. But once they’re bigger, the best tool we can have in our parenting tool belt is our connection and understanding that connection is critically important for them. When we can begin doing that when they’re small, it makes the inevitable bumps in the road with our children much easier.
Be gentle with yourself if this is a new idea. It took me at least a year to fully grasp what this meant and be able to apply it in a meaningful way. So if you can’t do it tomorrow, be gentle with yourself. That love and connection with yourself really matters here.
Get the book Consciously Parenting book on Amazon