Parenting is Hard Work Archives - Nicole Schwarz, LMFT https://imperfectfamilies.com/category/parenting-is-hard-work/ Parent Coach for Imperfect Families Wed, 02 Mar 2022 18:41:34 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://imperfectfamilies.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Favicon-150x150.png Parenting is Hard Work Archives - Nicole Schwarz, LMFT https://imperfectfamilies.com/category/parenting-is-hard-work/ 32 32 43657206 13 Ways to Stay Calm When Your Child is Upset https://imperfectfamilies.com/13-ways-to-stay-calm-when-your-child-is-upset/ https://imperfectfamilies.com/13-ways-to-stay-calm-when-your-child-is-upset/#respond Mon, 06 Dec 2021 10:31:09 +0000 https://imperfectfamilies.com/?p=11665 It can be hard to stay calm when your child is upset, anxious, angry, or sad. Read through this list to find 13 ways to practice calm, confident parenting. I did not start out being an especially calm, patient parent. It took years of practice, therapy, and lots of deep breaths. And guess what? There are still times when I lose my cool, yell, or

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]]> https://imperfectfamilies.com/13-ways-to-stay-calm-when-your-child-is-upset/feed/ 0 11665 10 things I love about having older kids (Tweens and Teenagers) https://imperfectfamilies.com/10-things-i-love-about-having-older-kids-tweens-and-teenagers/ https://imperfectfamilies.com/10-things-i-love-about-having-older-kids-tweens-and-teenagers/#respond Mon, 08 Nov 2021 10:45:07 +0000 https://imperfectfamilies.com/?p=11605 Raising tweens and teenagers can be challenging, but there are a lot of amazing things about this stage too! Read this list and then create your own. If there’s one phrase I would like to eliminate from our vocabulary, it is “just wait until they’re older.” Being a mom of three girls, I hear this phrase often. But as my kids grow, I struggle to

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]]> https://imperfectfamilies.com/10-things-i-love-about-having-older-kids-tweens-and-teenagers/feed/ 0 11605 Three Things to do When Your Child is in the Middle of a Huge Meltdown https://imperfectfamilies.com/things-to-do-child-huge-meltdown/ https://imperfectfamilies.com/things-to-do-child-huge-meltdown/#respond Fri, 08 Oct 2021 19:15:10 +0000 https://imperfectfamilies.com/?p=11483 Big emotions can be scary, overwhelming, and stressful for parents (and for kids!). Use these three tips to parent with a calm confidence during your child’s next meltdown. She stands in the kitchen screaming. Hands clenched at her sides. Eyes focused and glaring. You try everything – offering a hug, yelling “settle down,” sending her to her room, taking away screen time – nothing helps.

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]]> https://imperfectfamilies.com/things-to-do-child-huge-meltdown/feed/ 0 11483 A Reintroduction: Nicole Schwarz, Parent Coach https://imperfectfamilies.com/nicole-schwarz-imperfect-families/ https://imperfectfamilies.com/nicole-schwarz-imperfect-families/#respond Tue, 21 Sep 2021 09:25:38 +0000 https://imperfectfamilies.com/?p=11502 Celebrating 10 years of positive, respectful parenting strategies at ImperfectFamilies.com and looking forward to the next adventure.  Welcome to Imperfect Families! I’m Nicole Schwarz, Parent Coach, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and mom to 3 girls. I did not start out using positive, respectful parenting strategies. My career as a therapist started in 2004, where I worked with children and teens who struggled with anxiety,

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]]> https://imperfectfamilies.com/nicole-schwarz-imperfect-families/feed/ 0 11502 How to banish the word “should” from your parenting vocabulary https://imperfectfamilies.com/how-to-banish-the-word-should-from-your-parenting-vocabulary/ https://imperfectfamilies.com/how-to-banish-the-word-should-from-your-parenting-vocabulary/#respond Thu, 02 Sep 2021 14:16:55 +0000 https://imperfectfamilies.com/?p=11459 The words “should” and “should not” add unnecessary guilt and shame to our parenting. Use these tips to parent in a way that moves you in a positive direction. Sitting on the couch, scrolling social media, you sigh. Thoughts swirl through your head as you peek into the carefully curated accounts online, “I should get organized.” And, “I should take the kids to the library.”

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]]> https://imperfectfamilies.com/how-to-banish-the-word-should-from-your-parenting-vocabulary/feed/ 0 11459 Try this “Magic Ratio” With Your Kids Today https://imperfectfamilies.com/try-this-magic-ratio-with-your-kids-today/ https://imperfectfamilies.com/try-this-magic-ratio-with-your-kids-today/#respond Wed, 30 Jun 2021 09:00:11 +0000 https://imperfectfamilies.com/?p=11288 Is the communication in your home full of complaints, arguments, and whining? Chances are the “magic ratio” is off. Use these tips to bring some peace and calm to your family. After another extremely frustrating day battling his son about everything from screentime to bedtime, a parent sat down with me for a parent coaching session. During our conversation, he noticed that he only called

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]]> https://imperfectfamilies.com/try-this-magic-ratio-with-your-kids-today/feed/ 0 11288 How to Cope with Parenting Burnout https://imperfectfamilies.com/how-to-cope-with-parenting-burnout/ https://imperfectfamilies.com/how-to-cope-with-parenting-burnout/#respond Wed, 23 Jun 2021 19:56:06 +0000 https://imperfectfamilies.com/?p=11278 If you’re feeling exhausted, tired, and overwhelmed, you’re not alone! Many parents experience burnout – especially after parenting through a pandemic. Use these tips to cope with burnout, and enjoy your kid again! Do you ever feel like you just cannot do it anymore? The lunchbox packing. The teeth brushing. The laundry. The pandemic pushed many of us to the brink of exhaustion, but feeling

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]]> https://imperfectfamilies.com/how-to-cope-with-parenting-burnout/feed/ 0 11278 Waiting for Emotional Maturity: A Reminder for Parents https://imperfectfamilies.com/emotional-maturity-kids-reminder/ https://imperfectfamilies.com/emotional-maturity-kids-reminder/#respond Tue, 01 Sep 2020 14:47:40 +0000 https://imperfectfamilies.com/?p=10723 Feeling frustrated because your child seems “too old” for certain behavior? This post will encourage you as you wait for them to mature emotionally. Thank you to April Finley for this guest post. Read more about her in the bio below! When my firstborn was between five and six years old, I felt pressured to teach him to read. We homeschool, so the pressure wasn’t

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]]> https://imperfectfamilies.com/emotional-maturity-kids-reminder/feed/ 0 10723 How to talk to kids about race and racism https://imperfectfamilies.com/how-to-talk-to-kids-about-race-and-racism/ https://imperfectfamilies.com/how-to-talk-to-kids-about-race-and-racism/#respond Fri, 12 Jun 2020 16:04:14 +0000 https://imperfectfamilies.com/?p=10456 It’s never too early to start talking to kids about race and racism. These tips will help you get the conversation started.   Saraa D. Lee, MSW, LCSW, shares her tips for talking about race with our kids. Check out her website Pacific Burnout Therapy or on Facebook. Conversations about race are always happening around us. Always. Every bit of media and every person participates

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]]> https://imperfectfamilies.com/how-to-talk-to-kids-about-race-and-racism/feed/ 0 10456 Overcoming the Pressure to Produce a Good Human https://imperfectfamilies.com/overcoming-the-pressure-to-produce-a-good-human/ https://imperfectfamilies.com/overcoming-the-pressure-to-produce-a-good-human/#respond Sun, 10 May 2020 10:46:33 +0000 https://imperfectfamilies.com/?p=10362 We all want to raise children who are well-behaved, thoughtful, and intelligent, but sometimes we miss the fact that we’re already raising a good human. All eyes are on you. The room is silent. Embarrassment floods your body. You want to grab your child and run out the door – hoping everyone will forget the rude thing he just shouted. This isn’t how you raised

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