The Huddle Wisdom Blog: For Parents of Anxious & Sensitive Kids
Expert guidance and real-world reflections from a child psychiatrist who’s also a parent.
Apologising does not mean defeat
One of the questions that has been on my mind is, do we apologize enough? Personally, I don't think I say sorry as much as I should. Taking responsibility for our actions, whether good or bad, can be difficult. It means acknowledging our mistakes and the harm they may have caused, whether intentional or not. But apologizing is a crucial step towards healing and growth. It's not about justifying our actions, but rather about acknowledging them.
Forgiveness is also an important part of this process. It's easy to hold onto past hurts and resentments, but in the end, it only weighs us down. Letting go of things we can't control can be liberating. It's a chance to move forward with a lighter heart and a newfound sense of purpose.
With our children, we don't lose our credibilit...
How do I stop feeling like a victim in my parenting?
Not sure about you, but I am fairly confident that we all face challenges and difficulties in raising our children. Perhaps some of you might feel like you suffer more than the rest of us!
It is perfectly natural to feel overwhelmed, frustrated, or helpless. Modern life is full of pressures, demands and expectations bearing down on us in every direction. There's no let up!
Then, on top of that we can at times feel life is unfair, that our kids are ungrateful, or that we have no control over our circumstances. We may start to play the victim and blame others or the world for our problems and feel sorry for ourselves.Â
It's normal to indulge ourselves at times. Playing the victim may seem like a way to cope with stress and pain, but it does us more harm than good. It stops us from taking responsibility for our actions and choices, and from making positive changes in our lives. It affects the quality of our relationships with our children, who may learn to adopt the same attitude or
...Finding the Right Balance: Encouraging Kids to Push Themselves
 As parents, we often find it difficult to determine the appropriate amount of pressure to place on our children when we believe it will benefit them. If you're met with resistance, consider the following before deciding how much pressure to apply:
- Check your motivations - While it's great to witness your child experience the satisfaction of accomplishment, are you pushing them for selfish reasons?
- Assess their temperament, interests, and stage of development in relation to the activity. Understanding your child's personality and learning style is crucial to determining how much encouragement they can manage.
- Evaluate their skill set. Do they possess the necessary abilities to handle the challenges of the task at hand? Perhaps they need additional support to develop specific skills that will increase their enjoyment of the activity.
When you're ready to push your child, apply gentle pressure, much like when teaching them how to ride a bike.
We hope this advice is helpful...
