“You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them.” -Michael Jordan, US Basketball star
Hal’s Take: Want to be a great parent? Want to be up to the challenge of raising your kids while keeping your cool? Then expect that you can. Stop telling yourself that you can’t do this. Stop beating yourself up for the times you’ve screwed up. Those two common thoughts that you have are the very things that are keeping you stuck.
Start your day today by telling yourself how capable you are of being a mature adult. Then rise to the occasion by slowing things down when you find yourself in the heat of the moment. That way, you’ll be giving yourself a chance to respond rather than react to a stressful situation. It will be hard, but each time you do it, you’ll be getting stronger and more equipped to handle whatever comes your way.
-Hal Runkel, LMFT author of ScreamFree Parenting
The Confident Mom’s Take: I find that moms are very “unforgiving” – to ourselves! When I was trying to change my bad habits and incorporate ScreamFree principles in my home, I often messed up. I would feel guilty, terrible – even horrible at the end of the day because I had yelled, nagged and just been crabby because no one would listen to me. But I kept pushing forward, because all I knew was what I had been doing for years was NOT working. I had to change, for me and for my kids’ sake. Otherwise you stay STUCK!
At the end of my ScreamFree Parenting series for Busy Moms, I cover this idea that we are on a journey of “practicing” being ScreamFree, we are never going to be perfect. It is impossible. So if you can grasp that idea and be okay with just doing the best you can do today, I can guarantee that your best in two weeks will be better than your best yesterday! That is just the kind of encouragement I needed to keep moving forward. How about you? Is the best you are today the same as the best you were two weeks ago? Maybe it is time to make some changes?
Join our group of moms as we cover ScreamFree Parenting in a 4 week series from the comfort of your own home. You’ll get the book, study guide and connection with other busy moms just like you! You won’t be the same at the end of the 4 weeks!
