Bottomless MOMosa
I’m so excited to be on the Bottomless MOMosa podcast! This episode is all about empowering parents to feel confident in their expertise, open to new ways of seeing their children and engaging in play, and letting go of the guilt to reach their goals. Here’s the wisdom and how it can change your life:
The myth of modern parenting is that in the time it takes to gestate or adopt a child, parents magically become experts in education, psychology, health, nutrition, sports, arts, and more. It’s totally unrealistic and inhuman! Coaching and collaborating with parents has taught me the importance of honoring their expertise both in their child and in their respective fields and building on their strengths. We all learn from a place of strength! Investing in this relationship builds trust and supports parents in being open to new ideas and practices that can help them support their children and achieve their parenting goals.
There’s a lot of focus on developmental checklists, and while those have their place, I work with families and teachers on developmental progressions. Children are whole beings, and they can’t be categorically checked off a list. When we appreciate the child’s relative strengths and challenges, then we can maximize learning opportunities across domains.
Play is the way children learn. Children learn through play, and they learn how to learn through play. Parents (and teachers) can support learning through play by slowing down, observing their child’s interests, and following the child’s lead. Building on the child’s interests validates the child and expands learning and motivation. It’s all about wonder, not control. Wonder is positively contagious. It draws out curiosity and creativity. Trying to control play ruins connection and squashes curiosity and creativity. Slowing down, observing the child’s interests, and following the child’s lead support connection, which builds confidence, which supports learning. It’s all connected!
One of the biggest pieces of wisdom shared is about parents honoring their needs. Unmet needs show up in ways we are not proud of such as yelling or threatening or taking things away. An important part of parent coaching is helping parents honor their needs, let go of guilt, and do what they need to do for them so they can show up as the parents they want to be.
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