For many years, parents have asked me to help them with their children’s behavior. As parents, we’ve all had our own experiences when our children misbehave or act out, and we’re easily reminded how frustrated we become. As parents, I’m sure we’ve all felt our own emotions take over when our child is melting down. Yet when our child is emotionally out of control, we too feel at a loss…a sense of powerlessness. At times we’re left to wonder how to get our own emotions under control, especially when our child cannot!
As a child & adolescent therapist, parent coach and Mom, I too understand why parents are searching for answers and strategies. Parenting theories and techniques are great but not when you’re knee deep in the parenting trenches. The problem with parenting techniques and behavioral strategies, I believe, is that they are often a bandaid approach. If we apply this strategy in an effort to gain our child’s cooperation, then that takes care of the problem right? For the short-term, yes, however strategies don’t have a lasting affect and for the most part, are not relationship building.
As parents, don’t you wish sometimes you could figure out what’s going on in your child’s mind…what’s causing them to meltdown over something that you perceive as no big deal?
Today I’ve invited my guest, Dr. Daniel Siegel, to join my conversation. Dr. Siegel is a clinical professor of psychiatry at UCLA School of Medicine, the founding co-director of the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center, and executive director of the Mindsight Institute. A graduate of Harvard Medical school, he is the author of several books, including the New York Times bestsellers “Brainstorm” and “Mindsight”. He is co-author of “Parenting from the Inside Out” and “The Whole-Brain Child”. Dr. Siegel’s recently released book, co-authored by Tina Payne Bryson, is entitled “No-Drama Discipline…the Whole-Brain Way to Calm the Chaos and Nurture your Child’s Developing Mind”.
I hope you’ll join us!