December 2018 - The Parenting Cafe

Thank you!

December 24, 2018/by Sonja Preston

As 2018 draws to a close I’d like to thank you all for your continued support of The Parenting Cafe. The fact that there are so many parents doing a great job of parenting is encouraging. The fact that you want to continue to learn and grow as parents is heart-warming, as well as extremely beneficial for your children!

Let’s talk again in 2019 over a cuppa.

Have a wonderful Christmas, a pleasant family time, and fit in some relaxing time to help re-charge your energy – you deserve it! If you are alone at Christmas, please reach out to someone – family, friends, neighbours to say hello. And if you enjoy the ‘alone-ness’ then do it in style!

Remember The Parenting Cafe’s mantra of ‘Calm and Consistent’ as the keys to successful parenting.

We’re having a bit of a holiday too, so will see you at the end of January.

Happy Parenting!

Going Home

December 17, 2018/by Sonja Preston

I hadn’t been interstate to visit my Step-Dad for a while, and I finally made it last weekend. It was so good to catch up with him, and to be back in the family home, sleeping in my old bedroom.

It’s funny how when you go home after a long time that you both notice the changes and the familiar. By changes I mean things like furniture that’s been moved, new china or freshly painted walls – they stand out, and make the place feel somewhat different, a little less familiar.

You also notice the things which are the same – your teenage bedcovers, the board games in the cupboard and the ticking clock… they all remind you that this is ‘home’.

The Parental Crown – Are you Wearing it or is Your Child?

December 3, 2018/by Sonja Preston

When parents approach me regarding difficulties with their child/ children, I listen to their stories of what’s going on. Stories about what the child does (yells, demands, whines, ignores, defies, hurts) and what they don’t do (don’t help when asked, don’t get ready for bed, don’t do their chores). The parents are presenting the idea to me that their child is the problem – that they are difficult and non-compliant and often parents believe that there’s something ‘wrong’ with the child.

I then ask: “How do you manage these situations?” “What do you do/ say?”

This is where it gets interesting….. Read more

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