Simple Philosophies of Parenting and Life with Michelle Gambs
Calling all parents! You’ve probably realized by now that this parenting gig is tough, but today’s guest will help put an end to all that parental suffering! Welcome to the show our guest, Michelle Gambs, who is a parent coach and psychotherapist with a degree from The University of Notre Dame. After 20 years of coaching parents, a simple philosophy emerged which she turned into the book, titled Stay Away from Option D. It gives parents permission to be imperfect, while still bringing peace to your home. In this episode, she outlines what options A to D are and why you should avoid option D. Tuning in, you’ll learn about the importance of allowing your children (and yourself) to make mistakes, filling your own cup up first, and responding rather than reacting, and Michelle explains the five basic psychological needs of children, why you shouldn’t take it personally when they misbehave, and why it’s okay to celebrate not resorting to option D. It’s easy to parents poorly, and much harder to parent well, so tune in today for some helpful advice!
Key Points From This Episode:
How much of Michelle’s own experience as a parent went into her book.
Hear what options A to D are and why you should avoid D.
What you can do when you do D, starting with showing remorse.
The importance of allowing your children (and yourself!) to make mistakes.
A reminder that you’re not alone: whatever you have been through, other parents have too.
The role of yoga and mindfulness in grounding you and helping you make better decisions.
Filling your cup up is key to being a good parent; you can’t exhale if you don’t inhale.
Reacting versus responding: reactions take no thought, responses are thought out.
What Michelle means when she says children will have their five basic psychological needs met no matter what.
Why you shouldn’t take it personally when your children misbehave; you can’t take credit for their successes and failures.
Michelle speaks about comparison and why she believes it is the thief of joy.
What options A through D look like during the morning and evening routines.
Michelle uses the ‘broken record’ analogy to point out when to find an alternative solution.
Hear a bit more about how Michelle strives to keep adapting her parenting strategies.
Final advice from Michelle: celebrate not doing D, because it’s hard to parent well!
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