Parenthood is an exhilarating journey filled with joys, challenges, and countless learning opportunities. Each child brings their unique personality, needs, and behaviors, and as parents, it's our responsibility to guide them with love, understanding, and patience. But what happens when the challenges feel overwhelming, and the traditional disciplinary approaches don’t seem to need to working? 

This is one of the common challenges I discuss with experts on my top rated podcast, The Motherhood Village. 

In one of my candid conversations, I chatted with seasoned parent and family coach, Coach Franny - founder of Be Mindful-ish.  We delved into her journey from being a middle school science teacher to finding her path as a parenting coach, offering insights into conscious parenting, non-punitive discipline, and self-regulation.

Franny's story began with her own experiences as a mother. When her first child started exhibiting challenging behaviors at 15 months, like most parents, she found herself overwhelmed, reactive, and struggling to effectively address the situation. During this stressful time, she sought the guidance of parent and family coach, Mindy Becker, who introduced her to the power of conscious discipline and the book: Easy to Love, Difficult to Discipline. 

In our conversation, Coach Franny shared with me the 5 keys to navigating discipline with mindfulness, empathy, and love.

1. Self-Regulation is Key: Parents need to regulate their emotions and reactions before attempting to discipline or guide a child. Conscious discipline emphasizes the importance of awareness of one's emotions and triggers before engaging with a child.
2. Seek Support: Parenthood can be overwhelming, and it's okay to seek support from professionals such as parent and family coaches or mental health counselors. Investing in ongoing parent education can also provide valuable tools and strategies.
3. Proactive Problem-Solving: Rather than reacting to behavior in the moment, proactive problem-solving allows parents to address recurring challenges collaboratively with their children. Parents can foster cooperation and understanding by listening to their concerns and perspectives.
4. Understanding Non-Punitive Discipline: Non-punitive discipline focuses on teaching and guiding rather than punishing. It involves understanding the underlying reasons behind a child's behavior and addressing the root causes through empathy, communication, and cooperation.
5. Building Strong Children: Children do well if they can, not if they want to. Recognizing that behavior often reflects underlying skill deficits rather than intentional disobedience can shift the focus toward building those skills and fostering positive development.

In our conversation, Coach Franny emphasized the importance of  continuous learning in navigating the complexities of parenthood. By embracing a mindful-ish approach, parents can cultivate deeper connections with their children, foster resilience, and create harmonious family dynamics. You can listen to the full episode on The Motherhood Village podcast.As we embark on this journey of parenthood, let's remember to approach each challenge with curiosity, compassion, and a willingness to learn and grow alongside our children. After all, the most significant lessons often come from the most unexpected moments of vulnerability and transformation. You can connect with Coach Franny on Instagram or by visiting her site. If you would like to learn more about The Motherhood Village Podcast and Community, please connect with me at the top of this page! I look forward to supporting you on your journey!