This is a loaded question and one that has to be asked and answered each day. Are we meeting our kids’ needs? Are we EACH AND EVERY DAY meeting their attention and power quota that as humans they truly need. Often times as parents we have good days and bad days with our kids. This is totally normal for all of us, myself included. Even the best parents have bad days and their kids have bad days. It’s not that we won’t have bad days or issues that arise, but it’s how we deal with these bad days and issues that truly matter as parents. We need to take the time EACH AND EVERY DAY to ask ourselves “have I met my kids’ needs?” “Did they get enough attention and power to feel satisfied?”
As parents its’ sometimes hard to know what it is that our kids need or want. We feel sort of lost and scrambling from time to time. When these moments present themselves from here on out I want you to stop and ask yourself has my child had enough ATTENTION and POWER TODAY?Yesterday won’t matter today and today won’t matter tomorrow. They need these needs met EVERYDAY! So now you’re asking: What and how do I meet these needs? As human beings our kids need X-amount of ATTENTION and POWER EVERYDAY in order to have their needs met. If they don’t get their needed power and attention they will find a way to get it. More times than not this will be done in a negative form; Back-talking, screaming, throwing tantrums, hitting, refusal to cooperate and so on. We have all seen these behaviours in our kids and it drives us bonkers. No one wants to deal with these types of negative behaviours and I can also tell you that your children don’t want to act this way either. They are only doing so because WE have NOT met their needs. We are the parents and we need to make this happen!
So, how do we ensure their needs for power and attention are met EVERYDAY? This will be a work in progress but there are many, many tools and strategies to help you successfully accomplish this goal. I can tell you change can be made in a few short days by simply taking 10 minutes each morning and night to connect. Working with clients to help them establish routines and preventative measures in their home is one of the best parts of my job. Seeing how families move from the cyclical pattern of fighting and poor behaviours into a smoother, happier and more pleasant parent-child relationship and household makes my day!!
The number of parenting tools available to help change your negative patterns are numerous. It starts by recognizing that you want to make change, accepting that change is possible and being willing to put in the time and effort to make positive changes in your home. IT CAN BE DONE! If you begin to meet your kids’ needs each and everyday you will be able to enjoy what parenting is all about. Those smiles, laughs and happy moments, instead of passing each day by with constant struggles.
Contact Tia Slightham today for Parent Coaching to begin filling your parenting toolbox with tools to help you meet your child’s needs and help them be the happiest and most capable they can be! Find out more about how 10 minutes twice a day can help you meet your child’s needs!!!