Joyful Parenting Tool: The "And" Will Set You Free

Joyful Parenting Tool: The "And" Will Set You Free

Caroline Thomas
Parenting, DBT

Parents practice the first step in Dialectic Behavior Therapy (DBT) every day. We explore the world of dialectics: seemingly opposing forces that co-exist, rather than exclude one another. The secret is the "and": I love my son in a deeper way than I can describe and if he doesn’t stop whining immediately I might lose my mind. In DBT, we allow that every perspective is accurate in its own way and holds a kernel of truth. Freedom exists in this grey area; I am free to acknowledge that parenting needn’t be either joyful or challenging. The truth is all of the above. 

Joyful Parenting Tool: Cognitive Coping

Joyful Parenting Tool: Cognitive Coping

Caroline Thomas
Parenting, CBT

Our perspective shapes our reality. Our kids don’t need perfect parents who beat themselves up about parenting. They need loving parents who practice the same patience and compassion for themselves as they do their friends and family.  You can challenge any thoughts creating emotional distress and embrace a more joyful and compassionate approach to parenting

The Case for Joyful Parenting

The Case for Joyful Parenting

Caroline Thomas
Parenting

It’s so easy to be stressed, to fall into a near-constant state of overwhelm, to be too busy to enjoy the little moments, to live in the anxious echo-chamber of our heads. When this is our daily state, we communicate to our kids that parenting is not a joyful task. I find joy in comforting parents who not only struggle, but compound this struggle with self-judgement and shame. Parenting is possibly the most important thing any of us will ever do. And we all need support, dialogue, and tools to become the parents we want our children to have. In the following series, I will share tools from an evidence-based models (PCIT and CBT) with the hope that you can use them to reclaim the joy in your role as a parent.