Positive Parenting Blog

Do You Ever Hate Being a Mother? I recently counselled a mother who whispered to me "I feel so bad, because I hate being a mother. I resent it every single day" . This poor mom was struggling emotionally and physically with the pressures of motherhood.  Now, as a therapist when someone begins a counselling session by saying they hate being a parent, the first thing we need to do is check that she feels safe and that she is confident her child/ren are safe too. This is really important, because being exhausted, stressed out, anxious and angry can make us behave in ways we would never dream of! Well on this front, thank Goodness, it was all OK.  The mother was not suffering from clinical depression and was not thinking of harming her child. However, she was feeling guilty 24/7 for hating being a mom.  How to Deal with Hating Being a Mom The first thing we did together was talk about HER. Where was she in her life? Had her life become laser focussed on her child and the purs...

What Parenting Style is the Best? Have you ever wondered what parenting style is the best? If you walk into the parenting section of any bookstore you’re bound to find a multiple of books with authors claiming they have the answer to best parenting. From researchers to mums to famous people – everyone seems to be an expert in parenting. Parenting advice comes in all shapes and sizes. No-wonder parents are so confused about which parenting style is best to achieve peace and harmony at home. The developmental psychologist Diana Baumrind (and later Maccoby and Martin) spent years researching parenting styles. They found the most commonly used parenting styles and deciphered which parenting style is best. They categorized parenting into four broad parenting styles: The Four Parenting Styles Authoritarian parenting – placing demands, but low responsiveness The Authoritarian parent is likely to get angry and demand the child sit there until the meal is finished. Authoritative parenting – pl...