A coaching session by The Joyful Mother

Sometimes I see something in my browsing travels (maybe it was on Facebook?) and I respond and forget where I got it from...

Having responded to Sigrid Kjeldsen of The Joyful Mother fame was such a blessing. I had to fill in her parenting questionnaire which she is going to use in her new book for 2015.

For that I got a 45 minute coaching session through Skype.
We exhausted all my parenting questions.

I had mostly questions about discipline, tantrums and my own impatience.
Our nearly 6-year old is very headstrong and she can get very angry. I still feel that we are not always handling her melt-downs in the best way.

I took away the following from the session:

The keyword is Loving Leader: 

- What would love do now?
- Where do love go? 

We as parents are in service of our children. It is our job to support them emotionally.
There is no need to understand the emotional outburst, but to make space for it.

- Accept it! There is no reason to resist it!
- Cultivate an energy to create a safe space.
- Only start talking when they have calmed down.
- To ask: how does that make you feel? - To help them feel validated in their emotions.

My energy impact my children's well-being:
"I am the loving leader of my home!"

About patience:

To be centered/feeling grounded.
Focus energy on the present moment!
Connects to inner wisdom/love!

Do not focus on what is not working, but focus on what is working! (We have a choice!)

To become curious!

How can you parent your children to be the best parent for them?
Drop the preconceived ideas of parenting.
Trust my child to show me the way!
Accept what is, and accept my child. (Do not expect them to react the way you would react!)

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Thanks Sigrid!

Thank you Sigrid @TheJoyfulMother for the great coaching session last night! Learnt much about #parenting #lovingleader #energy
— Karen du Toit (@karentoittoit) November 19, 2014