Courageous Parenting

I’ve been enjoying a great read this past week. You know how some books (some messages, really) come at just the right time? I’ve felt nourished by this book like water nourishes my thirsty body. And, what’s really exciting about all of this is that you can read the book too. For free. You can find the details to order at the bottom of this post.

Courageous Parents Confident Kids

In this provocative anthology (compiled and edited by Amy Tiemann of MojoMom.com), 14 highly regarded experts share the practical skills and inspiration every family needs to grow up together.

First let me just say that Amy had me at “hello”. The Introduction is intriguing and thought-provoking. Amy cleverly associates the decade labeled the “Aughts” with the “ought” mindset of parents today – a bombardment of shoulds and oughts from experts, peers, and media. Amy suggests this results in the overparenting epidemic. She continues,

To shed our overprotective parenting ways, we have to become conscious of what truly serves our kids’ needs and develop the courage to put aside some of the things that may feel good to us as parents but don’t serve our children well in the long run.

So true. Children are constantly striving toward independence and parents can either help or hinder this. It takes real courage to navigate this path and let go at the appropriate times. These experts have pulled from their specializations to address the task of being a courageous parent.

The first part of the book tackles personal and professional development. Author Renee Trudeau states, “Self-care is the foundation for becoming a courageous parent.” This expert, writing primarily to moms, acknowledges that many mothers feel guilty, selfish or not-worthy of prioritizing themselves.

But get this, child development experts assert that modeling self-care, self-love and self-acceptance is the best way to influence your own child’s self esteem and self respect. So, if you can’t do it for yourself yet, do it for your kids!

It’s akin to the oxygen mask on the airplane. The flight attendant urges parents to put their own oxygen mask on before they tend to their children. But in this sort of emergency we don’t think of prioritizing ourselves as selfish. It’s just good common sense. You cannot take care of your child if you are compromised.

The same is true in day to day life. You can not take care of your child if you are compromised. You will be a much more effective parent when you are at your best. A few of the stated benefits of self-care:

• feel less resentment
• be calmer and more present
• better able to handle unexpected challenges

Courageous Parents Confident Kids is organized into four sections:

1. The Courage to Invest in Your Own Development
2. Developing Your Courageous Parenting Style
3. Real-World Safety Skills for All
4. Finding Your Voice and Raising it for the Community

This is your guide to sustainable parenting that makes letting go a safer and happier process, every step of the way. You can sign-up today at MojoMom.com to receive the free download. But don’t wait because the download will only be available for 48 hours (April 19-21).