When Gentle Parenting Backfires (Lacey’s Story)

Lacey spent years practicing an empathy-first approach to parenting.  She understands the importance of social emotional skills so she modeled being calm and gentle.

Her intention was for her two sons to have space to express themselves and “feel seen and heard.”

The truth was it back-fired.

She found herself constantly waiting out tantrums, walking on eggshells, and feeling helpless in the face of sibling rivalry.  When Lacey tried setting boundaries, it created so much push-back that she found herself backing off and becoming permissive to prevent being at odds with her strong-willed son.

I hear this a lot from parents of kids with “big feelings.”  Empathy is an essential tool for helping kids feel seen and heard, but empathy alone is not enough.

If you have prioritized being a gentle/ kind/ empathetic parent, yet feel like a failure because you have to keep digging deeper and deeper to get through tantrums, you’re not alone.  

In this conversation, Lacey shares the additional tool that is critical for shifting your child’s big emotions.  

Listen to Lacey share about the missing tool here. [runtime 10 minutes] 

You will hear Lacey share how this tool SHIFTED her son out of big emotions, and helped motherhood feel what she imagined it to be -- less draining and more fun.  

There’s one final opportunity to attend my free online ENCORE class on “Parenting an Intense Child: How to Make it Better.”  

I’m teaching TOMORROW, Wednesday, May 3rd at 4pm CT | 5pm ET.  Sign up here.  

I would LOVE to see you there!

Warmly,

Samantha