If you are tired of parenting from a place of default, one that leaves you feeling guilty or causes you to show up in ways you never intended to, NOW is the time for you to take that next step in your parenting journey. Here are 3 things you can do TODAY to work towards becoming the parent you want to be.

In its essence, these parenting styles encourage us to humanize our children by validating their emotions and experiences through understanding, empathy, and respect, while also validating that the adult also has their own emotions and experiences. The practice of parenting with intention empowers us to pause, acknowledge that we too struggle as adults during challenging moments that feel uncomfortable, so that we can better show up for ourselves and our kids.

We’ve all been there. At the store, park, or other public location when our little one has a full blown meltdown or our older one is just refusing to comply with our requests. Your heart is racing, you’re doing the best you can, but you’re frustrated and you’re starting to feel the not-so-subtle glances of strangers who you just know are judging you and your parenting capabilities. Your tone changes as your jaw tightens and all of a sudden, just like your little one, you’ve lost it.

No judgement here—it happens to us all!