10대 아이의 초대
10대 아이들은 참 바쁘다. 도서관으로 공부하러 가기 바쁘고, 친구들과 시간을 보내기 바쁘고, 자신들의 외양을 꾸미거나 다이어트하기에도 바쁘고, 운동하러 다니기에 바쁘고, 클럽이나 학원에 다니느라 바쁘다, 또 자느라 바쁘다. 그렇기에 부모교육에 있어서 아이와의 소통과 관계를 개선하기 위한 가장 기본적인 전략인 퀄러티 타임을 발견하는 것이 어려울 지경이다. 그러다보니 10대 아이는 더 이상 부모하고…
What is Heart connection?
The heart connection is the loving, supportive, emotional connection in the heart of the child for their parent and the same feelings in the heart of the parent for their child. This is an aspect of what is called bonding or attachment. However, the loving heart connection is what is…
The Value of a Hug
A well know family therapist, Virginia Satir, goes as far as to say that, “Hugging is healthy. It helps the body’s immune system, keeps you healthier, cures depression, reduces stress, and induces sleep. It is invigorating and rejuvenating. Hugging significantly increases your body’s production of endorphins.” She simplifies it in…
The trait of adaptability and parenting
One of the most important skills we teach in Whanau Marama Parenting is the skill of being able to stop what we are doing, turn towards our child or teen and then and focus 100% on what they are either asking us, showing us or telling us. This could be…
The Power of Words
Words can be creative. They can build, restore, liberate, soothe, heal, teach, instruct, empower and bring into being what was not there before. Words can be destructive, rip down, hurt, upset, and cause despair and damage to relationships as well as a whole lot more. As parents, what we say…
The Importance of Creating Positive Memories
One of the most valuable things we can do for our tamariki is to engage them in activities that will create wonderful memories for them. It is not just the memories of those times but their feelings experienced during those times that are so precious. It is the wonder of…
The Advantages of Repeating a Parenting Course
It may not be widely known that some parents like to attend multiple parenting courses or even return to the same parenting course. It is not uncommon for parents to return again to exactly the same course they attended a previous term or even a previous year. Approximately 75% of…
Six ideas for managing tantrums
Prevent them if we can We can look out for tantrum triggers and head them off before they happen. Be alert. Are they tired? Hungry? Bored? Or is it certain situations or places? eg. Taking our child to the supermarket when they are already tired and hungry after being at…
Quality Conversation
One activity that teenagers like to do is to communicate. Mostly with their friends. On Television One recently a teenager was interviewed about a proposed ban on mobile phones in movie theatres while the movie was screening. He stated most emphatically he would not be able to turn his phone…
Parenting an adolescent
Parenting can sometimes be stressful for many of us. Each developmental stage of our children brings new challenges and new learning for us as parents. Perhaps at no stage is this truer than when our child enters the adolescent years. It often seems that what worked well previously all of…