Name: Screamfree Parenting
Rating: 3.8 (125 reviews)
Author: Hal Edward Runkel

What’s in it for me? Become a screamfree parent.

Do you ever feel like children have been put on the planet just to test your patience? If so, you’re not alone. Once you’ve had children of your own you’ll know this. Sometimes they just make you want to scream. And although screaming at your children might make you feel good in the short term, it doesn’t do any good: for you or your children.

So what should you do instead?

One important thing is to realize is that parenting shouldn’t be all about your children. It should also be about you. By bringing yourself, your needs and your desires back into the game, you’ll not only feel better, but your relationships with your children will improve. This is just one of many tips the author provides on how to be a better parent. These blinks will give you many more.

You’ll also learn

the importance of giving your child space;
what oxygen masks can teach you about parenting; and
how to reach the fourth level of love.

Kick-start change in your parenting by becoming proactive.

Are you that parent that loses her temper too fast? We all have been from time to time. But being insecure about your ability to be a good parent is tough to deal with. Thankfully, there are solutions.

It starts with being proactive, rather than reactive. But what does this mean? Well, when you yell at your kid when she does something wrong, you’re reacting to her. If you want to be a screamfree parent, you’ll need to change your ways. By being proactive and guiding your child in the right direction before she starts causing trouble, you’re well on the way to a family with less stress.

A key part of proactive parenting is setting boundaries to ensure that both you and your child have the space you need. If your child sees that you know the difference between being supportive and being overbearing, she’ll already be far less likely to do those things that make you want to scream. This helps you keep your cool while remaining 100 percent engaged in your child’s upbringing.

But before you attempt to achieve this, there are a few things you’ll need to keep in mind. The first is that parenting is about parents, i.e. you! – not your children. Rather than attempting to control your kids’ behavior, it’s time to make a fresh start and start working toward a screamfree approach to parenting that suits your whole family.

Children need space to grow, to try, to fail and to learn.

Would you attempt to grow flowers inside an old shoebox with no sunlight or water? Of course not! Growth can only occur in an environment that is conducive to it. Which is to say: you and your children need the right space to grow.

Both physical and emotional space are necessary for growth. Children thrive when they have room to explore, discover, make mistakes, learn from them and try again. This is a gift you can give them by providing your child with privacy right from the outset. “No” is one of the very first words in a child’s vocabulary. When they say no, they mean it, and you should respect this. Why? Because it’s their way of creating space for themselves.

Use boundaries and consequences to give your children a sense of place they can rely on.

Today’s society encourages us to express our individuality and respect the uniqueness of others around us. It’s this balance of personal freedom and compassion for others that keeps things working, in parent-child relationships, too!

Paradoxically, the space that a child needs to grow cannot exist without boundaries and structure. Your child needs to know that she can have fun and be herself with you, but also that you’re the authority.

Be the best parent you can be by loving yourself.

Who’s the most important person to you? Your spouse? Your kids? Nope! It has to be you.

The reality is that you can’t take care of your family if you’re unable to take care of yourself first. Think about those oxygen masks in planes: you need to secure your own mask before you can help those around you.

Kernaussagen in Screamfree Parenting