Stress-Free Parenting

raise your children, not your blood pressure

April 19th, 2012

part of our Healthy Relationships Series

Are you tired of constantly ordering your kids around? Of screaming, yelling, and dishing out consequences that don't work? Would you like to come home each day to peace and quiet, not constant conflict and aggravation?

Imagine having a joyful, loving, and meaningful relationship with your children. Imagine your adolescent son or daughter coming to you for advice: a teenager who actually enjoys talking to you!

There are families like this. Child-rearing does not have to consist entirely of “discipline” and “behavior management.” There really is more to family life than not killing each other. You can enjoy rewarding, lifelong relationships with your kids, starting now. Wouldn’t you rather make the most of your limited time together?

Nonviolent Communication, also known as Compassionate Connection, is a way of interacting that quickly and easily transforms antagonism into understanding (see examples here). It works with people of all ages, especially children. Long-standing stalemates are dissolved in minutes, making space for what life could be.

It is possible to parent without force. You can have a relationship based on love, not fear. It just takes positive, open communication. The choice to work together happens naturally in an environment based on emotional safety and trust.

With Nonviolent Communication (NVC), you teach your kids teamwork — not domination — by example. Instead of trying hopelessly to control your children, you finally hear what they have to say. You put connection before correction.

If you are looking for new, more satisfying ways of relating with your loved ones, NVC is a godsend. This course will give you the tools, strategies, and resources you need to turn your family life around and get it back on track. You will learn how to:

You can gain the skills to navigate through child-raising’s challenges, remember what’s important, and build a happier, healthier home life.

Your children are your greatest teachers. Find the gift in their resistance, the "beauty in the beast," and start creating the loving family you’ve always dreamed of. You’ll never want to strangle them again!