Cor Domum: Parenting with Joy

In today's episode, Katie explores the secret to family happiness according to a 4 year old.

Highlights from the show include:

• What is a child's favorite thing about family life?
• Strengthen family bonds through experiences
• Make each moment count: go big or go home
• Quality vs quantity time

Homework:

• Think about a way to spend more quality and quantity time with your family

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In this episode, Katie introduces the 8 principles of Attachment Parenting. She'll cover:

• Is Attachment Parenting new?
• What is the foundation of Attachment Parenting?
• Is Attachment Parenting right for your family?
• How A.P. can help strengthen any relationship EVEN if you're not parents yet

Resources mentioned in the podcast:

• A Natural History of the Senses by Diane Ackerman (aff link)
• Blog post mentioned: 5 Principles for Romancing Your Wife

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In this episode, Katie talks about why kids save their worst behavior for their parents and what you can do in those situations.

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My oldest son had just come home from a playdate with his Memaw. As my mom dropped him off, she beamed at how good he was. He was polite and chipper and chatty. They played, did arts and crafts, and went out for lunch. It was the perfect day and my boy had been angelic. So you can imagine my surprise when he started running and screaming and having a meltdown. My mom stared in disbelief and said, "Wow. He was so good today." I knew what was happening, though. I had seen it before. The dreaded I-was-good-for-other-people-but-now-I'm-gonna-meltdown-for-Mommy syndrome. What gives? I want to be greeted with kisses and hugs - not meltdowns! But here's the thing: being good is exhausting Being good and following the rules and listening to the adults is hard work. Exhausting work. It takes so much energy for young kids to be "on their best behavior" that when they come home, they are just over it. And my son hit the nail on the head. I set him on his bed, thinking that some quiet time with a book or a cuddle could recharge his mood. I asked him, "What's wrong? Why did you spiral out of control?" His answer made my jaw drop: "I'm all behaved out. Being good was hard work and I'm really tired." Of course, it was. So I tucked my little guy in and he got some very needed rest. Three things to know about why kids reserve their worst behavior for us If, at first, it hurts yours feelings that your son or daughter saves all their best behavior for others and then unleashes the dragon on you, fear not. Here's some helpful info to remember.

• It's normal! Simply knowing you are not alone can help to alleviate the frustration (even just a little bit).
• Your child trusts you: Child psychologists are quick to note that a child who feels secure enough to reveal his true self feels unconditionally loved by that parent. It's as if a child is thinking, "Well, I know Daddy loves me no matter what. I need to vent, I need to just let it all out and I know Daddy loves me anyway." Think of it as a compliment.
• Make the adjustment easier for your child. Maybe some alone time in his/her room is what your child would like as he works through his emotions. Other children may desire a parent's company. Sometimes just physically sitting next to each other is enough. Let your child lead.

Does your child behave well for others and save the crazy stuff for you? What do you do? How do you make the transition easier for your child? Subscribe to this feed or read more at www.katietrudeau.com.

In this episode, Katie talks about the benefits of using meditation. It's not always easy to carve out large chunks of time for yourself, so Katie offers tips to bring peace to your mind even when you are short on time. ____________________________________________________ Meditation is one of the oldest ways to center yourself, regulate your emotions, and de-stress. However, it's hard to squeeze in a yoga and/or meditation session in between diaper changes, work commitments, errands, driving here and there, cooking dinner, washing laundry, rewashing laundry, folding laundry, sweeping, and... the list goes on. What's a mama (or papa) to do? Meditation doesn't have to take place in a studio led by a yogi master. Meditation is a lot simpler. At its simplest, meditation refers to peace that comes from calming the mind. Here are three ways to meditate even when you are short on time. Use meditation to de-stress, calm the mind, and experience peace Fix your gaze If you went to a traditional meditation class, you would learn about Drishti, which is a term for focusing your eyes on one spot. Sometimes, as we feel the stresses of life intensify, our roving eyes can add to the sensory overload. Want to try it? Pick an object (a spot on the wall, a picture frame, the corner of a rug) and fix your gaze on the object for at least 30 seconds. This dramatically reduces the "overload" sensations in your brain, allowing the motion to give way to stillness. Deep breathing As any laboring mother can tell you, deep breathing is a helpful meditation tool - not because it relieves pain, but because it helps calm the body. Shallow breathing can contribute to panic, while deeper breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system. The parasympathetic nervous system controls the actions of a body at rest. Deep breathing is easy to do no matter how busy you are. You have to breath anyway, so make it count. :) Share the moment While we're on the topic of brain activity, when you make yourself vulnerable and share with another human, oxytocin is released. Oxytocin is nicknamed the "feel-good hormone." When you share your stresses and feelings with another, you make yourself vulnerable and can experience a boost in mood thanks to oxytocin. Try deep breathing with a friend, spouse, or even your child. It's never too early to teach the healing powers of meditation to your little ones. What is your favorite way to meditate? Subscribe to this feed or go to www.katietrudeau.com for more information.

Welcome to the Cor Domum podcast! Your host, parenting author Katie Trudeau, navigates families through life, guided by gentle parenting and natural living practices.

In this episode, meet Katie! Learn about who she is and how she started her journey towards peaceful parenting and natural living.

If you're interested in a happier home and more joyful family life, then this podcast is for you. We all have our parenting struggles, but together we can find the joy in family life.

For more information, go to www.katietrudeau.com