Inspiration from this Episode

“As babies they need to learn to trust us humans."

“We then build on the way to build healthy attachments with other people around us.”

“Give them a little more affirmation when they try things. Give them room to try it and achieve.”

059 | Us & Kids: ID and Personality Development

Intro 

On today’s show, we are talking about how to parent healthy children - emotionally healthy children. This is not so much about the food that we feed them, although we know what we feed them impacts their moods and behaviours. And, it’s not about your marriage relationship, although we know that the healthier the marriage in general, the healthier the kiddos. 

There are emotional stages that a child goes through - well into adulthood too, that we can impact and as we do, our kiddos develop the skills that impact their character development and the way their personality plays out.

What...

Inspiration from this Episode 

“You are the best buffer in terms of absorbing stress so that they can continue to develop the best way that they can.”

“We forget that we can quickly and easily overstimulate them.”

“Lower your voice, lower the speed of the interactions."

053 | Us & Kids: Parenting Refresher

Intro  

On today’s show, we are going to talk about our kiddos and come at it from the angle of parenting. We have to make sure we understand what is happening as our kiddos make this adjustment into school.

The kids might be a few weeks into school and this might be a time where things start to crumble. So I am here to give you a bit of encouragement that you can pass on to them. We talked a little bit about this in previous episodes and now we are going to do a little refresher.

What You’ll Learn in Today’s Episode

• Kids react how they know how.
• How to absorb the stress for the kids.
• ...

Here

Inspiration from this Episode

“This can happen by the stacking up of one small fear after another, and feeling intimidated over and over again.” 

“So, help your child get this storyline right and understand that even when they don't get what they want, they still are valued, and important to you into the household.”

“You have gained understanding about your kiddo’s thoughts and worries - acknowledging that this is hard, scary, and weird.”

049 | Us & Kids: Regression & Stress with Kids

Intro 

On today’s show, we are talking all about regression and stress. These can be really scary and overwhelming words. Knowing the why, the where and the what-to-do can really help settle down the worry that comes with regressing.

Regression is usually when someone or something goes back(wards) to something that used to be. A kiddo might regress to fighting bedtime, or bathroom use, or baby talk. We usually regress...

Inspiration from this Episode

“Sometimes characters from books or shows can help a kiddo validate or explain their feelings.  And then you can watch how the character resolves his “too big emotion” situation and see what applies in your home.”

“So, helping them learn how to self-sooth, and calm down, or tone down their emotions is wise.”  

“I am important, I am valued, I am not a failure, I can help, be included, and play an important role in my family.”

045 | Us & Kids: Big Emotions and Kids

Intro 

On today’s show, we're talking about big emotions in our kids. Last week, in episode 44, we talked about the adult brain and big emotions. There we split the brain into spaces where the emotions develop and where the feelings develop. 

Today we are focusing more on the emotional space because our kiddos are still developing their brains and so, where we can impact, for better mental health,...

Inspiration from this Episode

“The boat has a structure around it to help it float, even in stormy weather. Our relationships also need some structure around it to help it float - even in stormy weather.”

“As they grow in understanding your language and grow in their own language be patient.”

“Remember to be in control of yourself. Because as you lead, they will follow.”

043 | Us & Kids: Boundaries

Intro 

On today’s show, we are talking all about boundaries. It’s hard to believe that half of 2020 is done! Do you just feel overrun? The kids do what they want, don’t want to do what you want them to do...and cooperation is at someone else’s house...certainly not yours! So, what to do?  

Do you just give up - Oh my and oh well….maybe we’ll reset next year? I am not sure it’s worth the argument and fight and tension. The easy way out is their way, even if it’s not a good...

Inspiration from this Episode

“They have less emotional knowledge, and less emotional awareness. Not necessarily less emotional experience.”

“I want them to be able to absorb pain and use pain in a healthy and okay way.“

“Because I wanted her to be empowered by talking about it out loud on her own, forming her own thoughts, gathering her own courage to say her own experience and letting me just be the listener.”

038 | Us & Kids: Grief in a Child

Intro 

On today’s show, the topic we're talking about today isn't necessarily a really happy one. But it's a rather common one. And the topic is about grief or loss for a child and how they experience it, but also how we can help them develop skills to get through it. We usually think we know what grief means to us or other adults we know, but it might look a lot different to the kids in our life. 

To children, the loss or grief happens because someone or something...

Inspiration from this Episode

 “From the minute they're born, we begin to influence their brain.”

 “Sadly, because this need to connect deeply is so significant that if it is not filled nicely with mom and dad then that need can carry over to other spaces.”

 “Demonstrate and live with intentional good behavior so that they can copy you. This is when bonding happens.”

035 | Us & Kids: How Velcro Helps Us Be Better Parents

Intro  

On today’s show, we're moving on to part two of this two part series. In the last podcast, we were talking about Velcro. We talked about how to be connected with your spouse, and about how to clean up those connections in case being velcro’d together isn't working very well. Sometimes there are too many fuzzies and other things that are blocking the good connections. 

We're going to continue that today, but today we're going to talk about bonding or Velcro...

Inspiration from this Episode

“We can feel like deer in the headlights. We're not making that adjustment so quickly.”

“It can become very tempting for us to take on the blame for things gone wrong.”

“How did your parents handle change? How did people that you admire handle change?”

029 | Us & Kids: Perspective, Childhood Beliefs, and Generating Change: Adults

Intro 

On today’s show, we talk about all the changes that we have to make. How do we make them and stay an adult? Sometimes there are so many changes. They come at us so fast that just even the change of what's for supper can tip us over. We wonder how that can happen? Why can't I just stay self-composed for that little thing?

This shouldn't be such a big deal. Well, sometimes we have these thoughts, right that everything goes wrong. Even when we're adults, and it can be a fairly common thought when there are lots of big changes and we're not really sure about...

Inspiration from this Episode

“Their brains are much like ours in terms of, always gathering information, always trying to figure things out.”

“They have ways to act it, but no ways to say it.”

“Anything that's different for you, they probably are picking up in some ways.”

028 | Us & Kids: Helping Kids Adjust to Life Changes

Intro 

On today’s show, we're going to talk about adjusting to life changes and what happens to our kids. We all know, life changes and usually not when we want it to. And, if we have littles, then life changes for them too. And, what might be a good change for mom and dad might seem like chaos and disconnections for our little ones.  

Every little milestone that our kiddos acheive or strive for often comes with a lot of hard times in their little minds. All of the things that come simply and easily to us are huge challenges that they face constantly. It takes about 3 months for a change...

 Inspiration from this Episode

“When we encourage, we help our kiddos gain courage.”

“It’s easy to be nice when somebody is being nice to you.”

“Encouragement also brings calmness because the encouragement says, I believe in you.”

024 | Us & Kids: P is for Parent (or How to Encourage our Kids to Gain Courage)

Intro 

On today’s show, we are going to talk about what it means to be a parent. We all have different things come to mind when we think about what it’s like to be a parent. Some people think exhaustion, others might think encouraging, challenging, or funny. 

There are so many different approaches to parenting because we all have different personalities. Parenting also might look different for people because of the kiddo’s they are parenting. As we work our way into through the letters in PARENT we will find some many reminders that being a good parent is mostly about us.

...