Did you ever wonder why you feel so much better after belting out a few tunes in the car? Or singing along with the music in the supermarket? (Or, is that just me?) Singing is a form of controlled breathing due to the way it lengthens our exhalations (breath out). It slows down our breathing, … Continue reading How singing can help us to feel calm and connect with our kids
Autonomic state
Stress-busting ideas to curb coronavirus stress
đ°Â Chronic stress occurs when our body detects a threat and doesnât return to a sense of safety. đ°Â It means our âFight or Flightâ response stays switched on. đ°Â This results in our body being constantly flooded with stress hormones. đ°Â Over the longer term, this can suppress our immune system. đ°Â Which can result in us being more … Continue reading Stress-busting ideas to curb coronavirus stress
Playful ways to help kids with coronavirus fears
I have started hearing about kids who have developed fears surrounding the coronavirus. It isnât surprising. They have no doubt heard about the illness by now. They might not understand the specifics, but they can sense the vibe around them. Things that are a part of kidsâ normal everyday lives are suddenly changing. And that … Continue reading Playful ways to help kids with coronavirus fears
Are coronavirus fears leaking out in your parenting?
Driving home from the supermarket today, I noticed myself being a bit snappy with my son. It took me a second to realise that the shopping trip had left me a bit rattled. I noticed my breathing was shallow, my heart was beating faster, and I felt a bit tense around my shoulders. Iâd gone … Continue reading Are coronavirus fears leaking out in your parenting?
What to do when you’re feeling overwhelmed by kids’ noise!
Does your child sometimes make noise that drives you crazy? Perhaps itâs singing the same song over and over ⌠maybe the latest ear worm (Baby Shark anyone?) Repeating a favourite meme, or scene from a movie? Blowing a toy trumpet, or just making random noise! Iâve got to admit that I sometimes find these … Continue reading What to do when you’re feeling overwhelmed by kids’ noise!
How can we help when kids suck their thumb or have other self-focused repetitive behaviours?
I wonder if your child sucks their thumb, bites their nails, picks their skin or does some other repetitive behaviour? Â Â These are behaviours that kids (and adults) sometimes (unconsciously) use to manage the level of sympathetic activation or stress in their bodies when it gets too much. You might notice that at the … Continue reading How can we help when kids suck their thumb or have other self-focused repetitive behaviours?
Sometimes our kids’ âstickyâ behaviours reflect something within us that needs to shift
Has your child ever had a puzzling behaviour that just wonât go away? A behaviour that keeps sticking around, no matter what strategies you try? One they keep repeating over and over, making you increasingly uncomfortable or perplexed? I call these âstickyâ behaviours. Sometimes they can be an indication that something inside of US needs … Continue reading Sometimes our kids’ âstickyâ behaviours reflect something within us that needs to shift
We’re on the move!
We are preparing for an(other) international move. There's a lot to do, with planning, preparations, etc. Itâs taking up a lot of my time, energy and head space, and it's been a bit stressful at times. My boyâs been a bit âhighâ himself at times in the last few days. Acting generally hyped up, repeating … Continue reading We’re on the move!
Why it’s easy for our nervous system to get “stuck” in an unsafe state
Did you know that the state of our autonomic nervous system is âself-reinforcingâ. đ˘ This means that, if our nervous system is sensing safety, and our "social engagement" system is dominant, then we will continue to perceive more safety cues, keeping us in a âSafe & Socialâ state. đ´ But, if our nervous system is … Continue reading Why it’s easy for our nervous system to get “stuck” in an unsafe state
How can we shift from “Fight or Flight” back to a peaceful and loving state?
As parents, there are lots of situations that might trigger us into âFight or Flightâ, ranging from feeling powerless to get our childâs cooperation, to feeling shocked when our child does something that hurts us physically. But we know that interacting with our kids in that state is not going to be helpful. It will … Continue reading How can we shift from “Fight or Flight” back to a peaceful and loving state?
Here With You Parenting 