Is it Groundhog Day Yet?


“Parents don’t owe their kids a subsidised life, an easy ride or a shortcut to success.”

Yvonne Godfrey

Welcome to Connections

Your weekly pānui for tips, tricks, and strategies to deepen your connection with your tween, teen, or adolescent.

Kia ora Reader

Our role as a parent is to grow our young people into being self responsible adults. It takes time and guidance to strengthen and condition our children so they can make the most useful choices in every aspect of their lives.

Sometimes this doesn’t look like fun.

It is hard work. It’s repetitive. It’s boring.

It can be frustrating. Overwhelming. Exhausting.

When you find yourself in groundhog day, wondering why your kid hasn’t picked up the challenge of (insert current self-responsibility you think they ‘should’ just do and they’re not!), TAKE A DEEP BREATH.

AND ANOTHER DEEP BREATH.

THEN … ONE MORE.

Three deep breaths are all it takes to regulate your system.

When your system is regulated

  • You think better
  • You’re calmer
  • You get more clarity

Which means you’re way more likely to be

  1. Kinder to yourself
  2. Reflective of what your role in this ‘drama’ is

And when you know better, you can try a new approach.

This is important because growth and progress takes time. Nobody is perfect, including us, and perfection isn’t the aim. What’s more important is keeping your relationship with your teen intact as you guide them.

Rescuing, yelling, sarcasm, interrogation and judgements are not long term strategies. And, have you noticed they rarely work consistently in the short term?

Long term, what works is listening, empathy and boundaries.

Frame up your challenges as life skills and put your efforts into growing together.

What could be better?

If this has you wondering where to start, use this link to investigate ‘Powerful Parenting.’ A one year intimate group coaching container. We work from July 2024 to June 2025 - growing, reflecting, changing. Book your spot here.

Kia pai tō wiki ... have a great week

Melanie

Melanie Medland is a communication coach, an author, and a course creator.

More at www.beautifulconversations.co.nz

Click here for your complimentary connection call.

Melanie Medland

Coaching individuals, families, and management teams to change the patterns of their communication. Magic happens when we connect to ourselves and others with clarity and kindness. www.beautifulconversations.co.nz

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