Pushing your buttons

“Yes, children always seem to know how to drive their parents crazy. But the craziness is still ours. After all, if you didn’t already have a button there, your child wouldn’t be able to push it — and you would be able to set limits without losing your temper.” – Dr. Laura Markham.

I love this quote because I can relate to it on 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘩 a deep level. It has taken time and patience – and then some really intentional behaviour and impluse control – to be mindful of the way in which I interact with my kids. So if you find yourself getting triggered by certain behaviours, here are 4️⃣ tips to follow:

✨ Take time when heads are cool to evaluate and acknowledge which behaviors are triggering to you

✨ When you feel triggered, take a break. Don’t say “I can’t be around you”, say “I need to get a drink of water” or something that allows you to temporarily remove yourself from the conversation without your child feeling like you are creating intentional separation

✨Ask for support when you need it – this can mean in the moment, from a partner, or it can mean big picture, by speaking with someone who can help you learn to regulate your emotions and delve deeper into where the trigger is coming from

✨ Make time for self care – we are only as good to our children as we are to ourselves, and if we are feeling depleted, it is much more difficult to parent intentionally