Parent With A Pro

Tell me I'm not alone. I can't be the only parent that feels like they're going head-to-head with their strong-willed child EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.  I thought parenthood would be a series of one Hallmark moment after another. Instead, it's one power struggle after another.  A battle of wills. I don't know about you, but I am tired of the power struggles.  I want peace and happiness in my home.  I want to be able to make it through a bedtime routine, homework, or chores without feeling like I have to suit up for battle. That's why I interviewed one of the best therapists around, Jeff Tesch.  Jeff has a proven strategy for quickly diffusing power struggles.  He teaches all his clients this strategy, uses it with his six kids, and has used it with the twenty-nine different foster kids who have come through his home.  This man knows what he's talking about! Go here if you'd like some ideas on how to AVOID power struggles! LISTEN ABOVE OR READ THE SUMMARY BELOW JEFF TESCH, LMFT What You Need to Know First I d

When I talk to parents of sassy, spirited, and strong-willed children they use one word to describe themselves: exhausted.  I can totally relate and I think you can, too.  It is a tiring to be a parent of a sassy, spirited, and strong-willed child.  First, you have their intense emotions to deal with, then you have the constant disciplining, most likely you also have power struggles, high energy, and button-pushing as well.  This can leave ANY parent feeling completely drained. In today's episode we talk about parent self-care, how critical it is, and the three most important things you need to do to stay sane while raising your sassy, spirited, or strong-willed child. LISTEN ABOVE OR READ THE SUMMARY BELOW Self-care In case you don't know what self care is, here is a quick definition for you: Self-care is any activity that you do voluntarily which helps you maintain your physical, mental or emotional health. It can help you feel healthy, relaxed and ready to take on your work and responsibilities. Why

If you've ever wondered what things you can do to improve your child's behavior, you need to listen to this episode. Therapist, Mike Fitch teaches the techniques that EVERY parent needs to know.  These tips work for strong-willed children. LISTEN ABOVE OR READ THE SUMMARY BELOW We want to share with you the "cornerstone tools" of effective parenting.  These cornerstones are the simplest, most proven ways to improve behavior. Cornerstone One: Consistency *Note: If you listened to or read the section on consistency in Episode 004, skip to the next cornerstone. Consistency from all who parent your child(ren) in YOUR home. Inconsistency among parents is EXTREMELY common. Parents often revert back to the way they were parented when they themselves become parents. Even if you didn’t like the way you were parented, it's what was modeled for you. Additionally, one parent will often be more lenient and one more strict. The longer this goes on, the more extreme each parent will be in an effort to compensate for

Today we get to learn more about why your child behaves the way they do. Last week, we learned that the factors that most affect your child’s behavior can be put into two categories: Nature and Nurture. LISTEN ABOVE OR READ THE SUMMARY BELOW Let’s review what the differences are between nature and nurture: Nature: Internal influences/factors Your child’s genetics (family history) or if they were born pre-maturely. These are issues you child will deal with their entire life If diagnosed early on, you can proactively give your child the tools they will need to be able to become happy, healthy adults Nurture: External influences/factors (further discussed in next week’s episode) The environmental factors that affect your child’s behavior: Events at school, trauma, parenting styles, etc. Note: some parents take too much ownership of their child’s behavior and some parents aren’t taking enough.  We hope to help you see if there is something you need to tweak as a parent or if you are doing great

Some kids are born sassy, spirited, and strong-willed while others become that way because of their external environment.  It is essential to better understand why your child behaves the way they do so you know what to do to help them.  I know that this understanding has been critical for me and I hope that it will be for you as well. Let’s get started: LISTEN ABOVE OR READ THE SUMMARY BELOW Nurture: External influences/factors (further discussed in next week’s episode) The environmental factors that affect your child’s behavior: Events at school, trauma, parenting styles, etc. Nature: Internal influences/factors Your child’s genetics (family history) or if they were born pre-maturely. These are issues you child will deal with their entire life If you diagnose early on, you can proactively give your child the tools they will need to be able to become happy, healthy adults Genetics Family history is a great tool to know if something is going on.  If someone in your family has a mental health

In today's episode of Parent with a Pro, we talk about understanding who the sassy, spirited, and strong-willed child is. Experts say there's different tools for different categories of children​. Knowing more about what category your child fits and will help you know which tools to use for your specific child. We have the tendency to lump all three categories into one but they are different kinds of kids. However, they all do fall under that umbrella category of difficult children.     LISTEN ABOVE OR READ THE SUMMARY BELOW The Sassy Child Has so much attitude Talks back a lot Wants to argue with you on everything They will eventually do what you’ve asked them to do. Just with an attitude. These kids want to be heard first before they will do something.  The Spirited Child Loud, energetic Oozing with emotion When they’re happy, they’re tons of fun When they’re upset, they throw really big tantrums The Strong-Willed Child Refuses to do what you ask them to do You literally h

Season 1 Episode 1 About Parent with a Pro Welcome to our first episode of Parent with a Pro! In this episode you will learn: About me, the founder of Parent with a Pro The purpose and mission of Parent with a Pro