Happy Parent, Happy Child
Case Studies
Corinne had taken a year off from work she loved after her first child was born. She was eager to return to work but as the date got closer, she was wracked with guilt and anxiety about leaving her child in the care of others. What if this was a bad decision? Her fears spiked and she was filled with doubt. But she missed her work and they could use the income. As her stress increased, she noticed that her child’s sleep began to suffer. Her baby had been sleeping well and through the night for several months. But now he slept fitfully, waking several times a night. During the day he was cranky and clingy and Corinne and her husband were completely exhausted.
When Corinne contacted me she didn’t know what to do! In one-on-one coaching sessions, Corinne was able to first get clear that she truly wanted to return to work and that she had wonderful childcare resources available that would be good for the whole family. At last she was able to relax and deal with her anxiety. After that her child started sleeping better and the entire family is now happier, more comfortable, and more confident. The Happy Parent – Happy Child! Workshop Support Group helped her see that she is not alone and gave her a group of mothers with whom to share her concerns and to learn new strategies for dealing with the many on-going demands of parenting.
Zoe:
Zoe, the stay at home parent of two children under 5 years of age, was overwhelmed with keeping up with everything that needed to be done and constantly pressuring herself to do more. She felt guilty about taking time for herself – so she didn’t. She was angry with and resentful of her partner who worked outside the home. The relationship was suffering and her self-esteem was crashing. She felt like a failure as a mom.
Individual client sessions helped her clarify specifically what she needed to do to take care of herself as well as her family. We worked together to build a sustainable action plan that was doable and reliable. As she grew gentler and kinder to herself, she was a gentler and kinder partner and parent. Her marriage improved, her attitude lightened, and her self-esteem strengthened.
The Happy Parent – Happy Child! Workshop Support Group helped her continue to give herself the time and attention she desired as well as having a supportive group of mothers who understood the challenges she faced.
Tiffany & David:
Tiffany and David were at their wits end with their older child who dawdled through at every step of her morning routine. Getting out the house on time to school and work was a huge struggle! Later, unfocused, she drifted through her homework and tarried at every step of her evening routine. They all rarely got to bed on time. Everyone in the family was exhausted. And then… her younger brother started having “mysterious” meltdowns! The kids were always upset and grew more and more dramatic as they competed with each other for their parents’ attention. Tiffany and David had no time for themselves and no time as a couple. They were mostly stressed and angry and felt like they were failing their children and blaming each other.
Doing individual and joint sessions with Tiffany and David helped them find a place of balance and focus on what was truly important for them as a family. They wanted to stop the fighting and yelling that ensued on an almost daily basis. Together we laid out a plan and they took it one step at a time. They have made leaps and bounds and continue to work on their mindsets and their attitudes so that the home is more peaceful no matter what.