It can also be quite wondrous and gratifying to see the most enjoyable aspects of ourselves mirrored in our children.
If you are a perfect parent, you can stop reading. If you’re as messy and inconsistent as my wife and I, welcome to the struggle.
There is never a perfect time to have children, so for the most part, we can never truly be prepared for the boundless love and wide array of difficult challenges we are soon faced with almost daily.
To be the very best parents we can be, it’s crucial that we find productive ways to manage our stress.
After all, our kids learn best by watching our behavior (this is called “modeling”) and if we don’t handle stress well, neither will they.
I'll never forget my eye-opening moment when my son watched me yell, out of control, at my five-year-old daughter, and in the most innocent sad voice said "daddy, I no like it when you get mad like that."
I was heartbroken and knew I could figure out how to be better, for them and me...and that's what I set out to do...
You're a parent who would love to have a little bit more patience so you don't get frustrated, stressed, or upset often.
You’re a parent who dreams of having a child that will forever feel safe coming to talk to you about anything.
You're a parent longing for a better presence with your child because you’d like to have a strong bond and deep connection with them.
So, let me ask you a question...
Would you be ecstatic if you could learn how to be present more in order to connect deeper with your child?
Would you love to have more patience with your child’s behavior, in order to handle your stress better?
And would you like to feel that you’re doing a great job no matter what?
Because if you could be those things, ultimately...that would mean you could get some relief you deserve and develop the best relationship possible with your child.
As a result, your child will feel safe talking to you about anything as they grow and you’ll all live a life full of love, joy, peace, and meaning. (Which would be amazing!)
Unfortunately, I also get the sense there are some roadblocks for you here, including: