• ShouldStorm - Culture of perfectionism and criticism
• We as parents want to do what is best for our kids, but we are bombarded by everyone telling us what we should and should not do. 
• Finding the “right” answer.
• Defining “expert”
• How the ShouldStorm impacts our kids
• We like to blame social media, but it really comes from what we talk about in our communities. 
• What matters is not the college but the student.
• If you play someone else’s game, you will always lose, if you’re playing your own game, you can’t lose. 
• Sigh, See, Start: transitions you from the anxiety of the ShouldStorm, to connection with your kids. 
• The sigh is a built-in mechanism in our bodies, breathe out long and slow - sends a message to our body that we are OK. 
• Vagus nerve turns on prefrontal cortex. 
• See - moment of mindfulness - see your child. Noticing, not doing. 
• Start - run an experiment about how to help the situation. 
• Built on a faith that is scientifically grounded, you (and your kids) are more capable than you think (and than the world will tell you are). 
• Emphasizing repair

Alison Escalante, M.D., is a pediatrician, speaker, and author of Sigh, See, Start: How to Be the Parent Your Child Needs in a World That Won’t Stop Pushing. In a perfectionistic parenting culture that tells you that you are never enough no matter how much you do for your kids, this unique approach empowers you with a simple parenting technique to gain confidence, remain grounded, and connect positively with your children.

Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks and IXL:

We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.

If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. 

These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. 

We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. 

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:

• Simplify and streamline technology
• Save teachers’ time
• Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
• Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.