Then & Now - Every Moment is an Opportunity to Choose
It’s in those times that peaceful parenting is the hardest…And it is in those impossible times that we most need to lean on the Lord.
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Let Peace Begin With Me
In John 14:27, Jesus tells his disciples (and us), "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid."*
When my sons were young, my home did not have peace.
My heart did not have peace.
My heart was troubled by the mom I had become,
and I was afraid of who my children would grow up to be if something didn't change.
By the grace of God,
I discovered peaceful parenting;
and I began parenting this way in earnest when my sons were 9 and 5 years old.
And my relationship with my children was transformed.
Peace needed to begin with me.
The purpose of this blog is to help peaceful parenting be accessible to other Catholic parents who are striving to raise their children with the same love and compassion with which our dear Lord shows us.
Welcome.
I am glad you are here.
May Christ's Peace be with you.
"Let Peace Begin With Me" is taken from:
LET THERE BE PEACE ON EARTH
by Sy Miller and Jill Jackson
Copyright © 1955, Renewed 1983, by Jan-Lee Music (ASCAP)
All Rights Reserved. Reprinted by permission. International copyright secured.
Catholic Peaceful Parent
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About Me
Hi! I'm Meg, and I'm glad that you're here.
The seed for this blog was planted years ago, as my dear mom neared the end of her earthly days and began spontaneously singing, 'Let There Be Peace on Earth.' God put on my heart to write a blog with the theme 'Let Peace Begin with Me' because peace was beginning with me in my home.
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Then & Now - Frustration to Compassion
It could have been a bad night if I had chosen to act differently in that moment. Thankfully I chose compassion over frustration.
Then & Now - Listening and Empathy
He really wanted to help. He was given a task and wanted to be helpful. His brother took that away from him, and that was disappointing.
Then & Now - From Lecturing and Shaming to Listening and Problem Solving
The peaceful parenting groundwork I had been laying over the previous 5 years paved the way for my 14 yo to be self-aware…
Then & Now - From Yelling to Listening
But the truth is, I ended up saving time by supporting my boy as he worked through his feelings rather than trying to get him to get over it
Then & Now - Sassy Tone
This was a breakthrough - I was able to correct him without making him feel bad even though I was exhausted!
Then & Now - Frustration and Triggers
I said that I wasn’t much help, and he remarked that just listening to him and being there was helpful.
Listening is Essential
It is worth it to stop and to listen to our children. It is respect. It is connection. It is an investment.
Then & Now - Dealing with Big Feelings Through Play
The second part of the reflection examines how effective play is for helping our children with their big feelings.
Then & Now - Connecting through humor when making requests
…approaching the situation with grace and humor allowed us to remain connected…
Then & Now - Blame
Taking blame out of my interactions with my oldest has made a world of difference when it comes to conflicts or potential conflicts.
Then & Now - Connection Helps with Conflict Resolution
Connection (and reconnection) is a big part of resolving conflicts in families.
Then & Now - Meltdowns upon return from vacation
The key to not yelling for me was to be conscious and aware of where we all were and to make reasonable accommodations. I had to be gentle..
What about tantrums/meltdowns?
When we hold loving limits or when disappointments happen or when our kiddos are exhausted/hungry/frustrated… tears and tantrums can occur
Crying over being given the ‘wrong’ cup? It’s not about the cup.
It doesn't matter what that thing is that caused the kiddo to lose it because... it isn't about that thing.
How we raise our children is our gift to God.
How blessed we are to live at a time when we have parenting tools that address the heart of the child rather than just reacting to...
Then & Now - Misbehavior and Regret
I came to peaceful parenting a bit later in my parenting journey (when my boys were about 9 and 5), so I sometimes like to share...
Too busy to connect!!
I hate busy. I resent busy. I am not who I want to be when I am busy. I am short. I am rushed. I am stressed and not relaxed. I am not...
What about natural consequences?
Sometimes people will ask things like, “What should be the natural consequence for xyz?” The natural consequence is what happens without...
How did I get here? Prequel
How did I get here? By the Grace of God. Earlier I wrote about how this blog came to be. But, what about peaceful parenting? How did I...
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Please feel free to connect with me through email or on Facebook. I look forward to hearing from you. -Meg
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