By KVC West Virginia Staff — 2020
For parents, children can take up every waking thought and every ounce of energy outside of work. This is especially true for foster parents.
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CLEAR ALL
My husband and I grope each other constantly. I don’t think a day goes by without at least one of us copping a feel. I say this proudly because after almost 20 years of being together, we are still hot for each other. And I don’t see any reason to hide this from our kids.
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The pandemic has stripped our emotional reserves even further, laying bare our unique physical, social, and emotional vulnerabilities.
New research demonstrates parental burnout has serious consequences. As defined by the study, burnout is an exhaustion syndrome, characterized by feeling overwhelmed, physical and emotional exhaustion, emotional distancing from one’s children, and a sense of being an ineffective parent.
As a marriage dissolves, some parents find themselves asking questions like, “Should we stay together for the kids?” Other parents find divorce is their only option.
It’s hard to see a child unhappy. Whether a child is crying over the death of a pet or the popping of a balloon, our instinct is to make it better, fast. That’s where too many parents get it wrong, says the psychologist Susan David, author of the book “Emotional Agility.
The different ways your child behaves actually stems from a list of four complex emotions. Here’s how explain them to your child in a way they’ll understand so they can learn to manage them.
Wander any playground or mall, and at some point you are likely to observe a parent coaching her child to take deep breaths in and out to calm herself, or directing her to “use her words” versus hitting, kicking or grabbing.
Emotion coaching is the practice of talking with children about their feelings, and offering kids strategies for coping with emotionally difficult situations. The goal is to empathize, reassure, and teach. Does it make a difference? Yes.
Ask any physician and they will tell you rest is essential for physical health. When the body is deprived of sleep, it is unable to rebuild and recharge itself adequately. Your body requires rest.
A mental health day is a great time to indulge in self-care. Nevertheless, only practicing self-care once in a while isn’t always enough.