A Tale of Two New Moms I’ve been thinking recently about two types of moms I encounter in my work as a parent educator and parent coach. The first is well-aware that she has been lucky in life. She has been raised by loving, supportive (though, of course, imperfect) parents who continue to support her as she herself becomes a…
Imagine you have just received really bad news. Maybe it’s a job loss, a best friend moving away, or a tragic news story from across the world. Now imagine your boss, your friend, or your partner saying, “Don’t cry.” If you are like most people, you now add on to your feelings about the bad news with more negative emotions,…
When this mama drama infests these sites, it’s like a car wreck on the side of the road. Many people will anonymously drive by and observe what’s going on, say a little “glad it’s not me” prayer, and move along with their day. Very few will pull over and decide to get involved.
Kids whine for many reasons. They may whine because they are tired, because they are hungry, or because they are not yet skilled at regulating their emotions. But there’s one big reason why they do it over and over: because it works!
I am so close I can almost taste it. To having a baby with three (somewhat predictable) naps. A baby who can sometimes nap without being on me. A baby who can sit up on her own but can’t yet get away from me. A baby I can wear on my back, leave on her tummy for a minute, sit next to me on the carpet…
There is no perfect. There is no magic wand. There is no fool-proof guide book for baby-raising and if there were you’d go broke buying the next edition and the newest revision tomorrow and the next day, and the next. Your gut feelings exist for a reason.
We all want to be the best parents we can be, and in the early months and years of parenting, we are bombarded by developmental studies, books by experts, and advice from strangers about what is best for our children. The desire to get it right can breed anxiety, fear, and self-doubt.
Finally we have the true roller coaster that is parenting. It can lift you, windswept, to breathtaking heights you never knew existed, and then drop you so fast it leaves you spinning and wanting to throw up.
Get your parenting questions answered by parent educator Sarina Behar Natkin, LICSW. This month, Sarina gives tips on how to handle aggressive behavior.
Every parent dreads the nights where bedtime seems to last forever. We go through our bedtime routine, read books, snuggle, and say goodnight and within minutes they are back up.