Parenting with the Pyramid

The foundation of the Parenting Pyramid is "Personal Way of Being."  This is very similar to one of the six principles of the The National Model Of Parenting Education (NEPEM): Care for Self.   This is how "care for self" can be described: "Care for self includes self-knowledge and management of life demands, as well as developing and using support systems. Parents who have learned to care for themselves effectively are more likely to provide a secure, supportive, and predictable environment for childrearing" (Parenting Education). Let's contrast this with the phrase we often hear: self care. There are certain connotations to the term "self care." You may picture anything from getting a massage, to meditating, to eating ice cream while watching a rom-com.  Some activities that have been labeled "self care" may be helpful in contributing to a parent's care for self, while others definitely don't.   The care for self we are ta...

Developed by the Arbinger Company, the pyramid is a concept that will get you thinking about where to dedicate your time and energy as a parent.  Oftentimes, parents feel like our number one priority needs to be correcting our child's behavior.  This is understandable.  For one thing, our child's behavior is right there, in our face, all the time . It's something we can see and hear (often quite loudly).  Correction is the low-hanging fruit of parenting - if a child is "acting up," it feels instinctual to correct that behavior and feel like our job is done.  What if I told you that correction is the aspect of parenting you should be focusing on the LEAST? Don't leave me yet - I'm not telling you to let your kids do whatever they feel like, or that you're doing it all wrong!  The principles addressed in The Parenting Pyramid will probably feel right to you when you hear them explained, especially if you are a seasoned parent. You've  probably experi...