Kerry here. I keep thinking I’m just about to feel inspired to eat cleaner and get up early enough to work out more often. Heck, maybe if I wait long enough, I’ll FEEL like doing cold plunges, or at least cold showers, because they’re supposed to be good for me. I’m sure that if I wait long enough, I’ll get into the groove again because I feel so good when I’m in that mode. (Excuse me just a minute while I nibble on my homemade Chex mix made with extra butter.)
Am I alone? Am I the only one hoping that inspiration and discipline to live my best life will show up at my front door? Please, someone, tell me that I’m not the only one.
Don’t you think the same thing happens when it comes to family life? These are some real words I’ve heard from parents over the past four days:
“My dad wasn’t a good example. He got angry a lot, didn’t have patience. He’d unload on me. I didn’t like him as a teen. I want to be better.”
“When my family is together (college kids home for break), we can be pretty quiet. We don’t talk or laugh a whole lot. I wish there was more talking and having fun together.”
“I felt like I was a good parent until my kids turned into teenagers. Now I don’t know how I’m supposed to parent them. My son doesn’t like me.”
Happily, these comments came from parents seeking family therapy or parent coaching. I think if we’re really honest, so many of us keep hoping our family is going to become more loving, closer, or more fun any day now.
Truth is, we don’t FIND a close, connected family; we MAKE one. My son Palmer and I know, trust me. He used to hate me. (Ugh, writing those words still makes tears roll down my cheeks! ???? ????) Oh, the pain of having a beloved child-turned-teen feel so far away that we don’t know how to reach them. Oh, the heartache of watching our kids not be close to their siblings. Ugh, the guilt and frustration of not getting along well with our spouse and knowing we are creating a stressful home environment for our kids.
Time to put an end to that. 😉
Not only do Palmer and I want you to have the CONFIDENCE to double down on a consistent parenting mindset for creating a close family that you feel good about, but we also want to get you fully up to speed on strategies to create the best version of your family…. Instead of slipping into overwhelm and hoping that “one day” your family will be all that you long for it to be.
