Resources for Parents
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Discpline
Children need a combination of firm, communicated boundaries and emotional responsiveness, being present and connected. So, connect before you redirect.
Resilience when the World seems to be turning upside-down
What your kids need most to be resilient in challenging times, is you.
Help your kids feel safe (be a safe harbor from which children can explore and to which they can return), seen (attend to what is going on inside of them- emotions, thoughts, etc.) and soothed. Strengthening secure attachment relationships builds resilience.
Focus on being really present to them, no matter how put together / how falling apart you may feel, at least 15-20 minutes a day.
Be honest with them about how hard it is right now to handle the challenges of their life and those around everything that is going on in the World.
Listening to them without distraction, playing, tuning in, sharing moments of silliness all build resilience by making the World events stress tolerable.
Have your resources in place for helping you feel safe, seen and soothed, so you can show up for your kids.
Do not back away from your discipline boundaries during the rough times. Those boundaries help your kids to feel safe.
From my parent-child attachment research and from “The Power of Showing Up”, by Tina Payne Bryson