Aspire Magazine: Inspiration for a Woman's Soul.(TM) Dec/Jan 2019 Aspire Magazine Final | Page 72

they release them in destructive ways. Of
course, many children, like Marisa, have
challenges disconnecting from screens,
which we will discuss shortly.
As adults we also need to take responsibility
for our choices and for how we connect
with or disconnect from our children. Mike,
Marisa’s dad, took an authoritarian approach
with his daughter (think: My way or the
highway), and it backfired on him in the form
of a tantrum. I suspect if he had emotionally
attuned and connected to Marisa and
helped her feel seen, she may have moved
through her emotions easier. But maybe not
—sometimes things just go off the rails, and
we need to begin again. Eventually there’s a
day when instead of a breakdown, your child
has a breakthrough, and this is what we’re
aiming for.
Avoid this: Marisa’s dad lost his cool and
became very angry. When we lose it and
raise our voices, we give our children
permission to do the same. So the more
we learn how to stay sane, even in the
stressful moments of getting the children
out the door in the morning, the better we
model positive emotional health. Of course,
this doesn’t mean we need to be perfect but
simply honest, respectful, and authentic.
And if we mess up (as we’re bound to do), a
sincere apology helps repair the parent-child
relationship.
Excerpted from the book The Emotionally Healthy
Child. Copyright ©2018 by Maureen Healy. Printed
with permission from New World Library—www.
newworldlibrary.com.
Maureen Healy - Maureen Healy is the author of The Emotionally
Healthy Child and Growing Happy Kids, which won the Nautilus and
Readers’ Favorite book awards in 2014. A popular Psychology Today
blogger and sought-after public speaker, Maureen runs a global
mentoring program for elementary-aged children and works with
parents and their children in her busy private practice. Visit her
online at www.growinghappykids.com.
“As adults w
take respon e also need to
si
choices and bility for our
connect wi for how we
th or
from our c disconnect
hildren.”
Mauree
n Healy
72
www.AspireMAG.net | December 2018 / January 2019