by Susie Windle | Apr 19, 2017 | Parenting Playbook, Parents: Practice Self Care
As a parent, it takes some awareness to recognize when you feel emotionally low and need to refuel with the company of other adults. Because children count on grown-ups to provide emotional regulation for them as they learn to manage their feelings, this regulation is...
by Susie Windle | Dec 7, 2016 | Parenting Playbook, Parents: Practice Self Care, The Importance of Emotions
One of the most important skills you can develop as a parent is recognizing when you are frazzled. When you realize that you are at the end of your rope, it is time to be with some emotionally replenishing people. Adult company is very important for maintaining...
by Susie Windle | Apr 21, 2016 | Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, The Importance of Emotions, The Power of Play
Every child experiences stress in a variety of forms. As your child grows and develops, predictable types of stress might include being afraid of the dark, transitions inherent in going to school, peer pressure, and struggling with how to fit in. When ordinary stress...
by Susie Windle | Dec 16, 2015 | Discipline and Trying Times, Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, The Importance of Emotions, Your Child's Brain
This is a good time to remember that joy can be stressful! Joy is a high-arousal state of being for kids. So, enjoy the “joy” and manage the stress. Here are a few ideas for managing the excitement of the holiday season: Know your child’s personality and limits. If...
by Susie Windle | Nov 18, 2015 | Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, Parents: Practice Self Care
Just a reminder . . . When your stress level is rising, take a few minutes for a stress-reduction break! When you have one minute: Breathe in slowly and pause for a count of three. Exhale. Pause for a count of three. Repeat for one minute, pausing for a count of three...
by Susie Windle | Sep 9, 2015 | Parenting Playbook, Parents: Practice Self Care
Parenting is a stressful job. To be a calm, loving, empathetic parent, you need to make time to take good care of yourself. Recharging your emotional battery is required when your job includes broken sleep patterns and tests of patience. If you keep going without a...
by Susie Windle | Apr 22, 2015 | Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, Parents: Practice Self Care
Imagine our ancestors moving to the rhythm of the seasons and the sunrise and sunset of each day. Though life for them was tough in some ways, they did have more downtime. Our bodies and minds evolved accustomed to taking some breaks. Now we are in the twenty-first...
by Susie Windle | Jan 21, 2015 | Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, The Power of Play
As a parent, you can’t prevent stressful events from entering your child’s life. You can, however, teach your child what to do to control reactions to stress. Here are a few quick tips that you can teach your child to use in the face of stressful situations. Talk it...
by Susie Windle | Jan 14, 2015 | Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, The Importance of Emotions, The Power of Play
When children and parents spend time apart during the day, adjustments are necessary when reconnection takes place. This reentry into each others’ lives can create some missteps because everyone is full of feelings remaining from their time apart. Everyone also has...
by Susie Windle | Dec 3, 2014 | Parenting Playbook, Parenting Skills, Sensory Information
The holiday season is here, and it is often during this time that one personality trait stands out—perfectionism. The holidays are the time of year that seems to bring out the desire for everything to be “perfect”—creating the perfect meal, planning the perfect family...