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You’re a... Controller Parent (aka Authoritarian)
When it comes to your children, it’s your way or the highway... You push them to perform bigger and brighter than their peers. You want the best, and anything less is unacceptable.While your high behavioral expectations come from a place of genuine love and concern — after all, you only want your children to achieve their full potential — sometimes they might come off a bit strong.You lay down your household laws with an iron fist — ifs, ands, and buts are banned. On top of that, whether through time-outs or revoking their privileges, you aren’t afraid to punish your kids.Communication tends to be a bit one-sided. It’s mostly you, as the parent, talking to your children. You might feel it isn't necessary to explain certain rules to them or ask their perspectives on family matters.Here’s the thing though, children raised by overly authoritarian parents often end up with low self-esteem and high rates of anxiety, so consider softening your approach for long term success!Start with getting comfortable with your child sharing their feelings and thoughts. All feelings are valid, we want to focus on correcting the behaviour."Your kids require you most of all to love them for who they are, not to spend your whole time trying to correct them." — Bill AyersHow to make the most of your time as a Controller Parent...1. Teach your children tasksAt first, teaching your children how to complete household chores, might seem like a lot of work, but it’ll save you hours in the long run. On top of that, it’ll help build up their confidence and self-reliance. Sounds like a sweet deal, right?Start with small, easy to do tasks like getting dressed for school or making a tasty sandwich!2. Schedule in Self-CareOne of the kindest things you can do for your kids is regularly scheduling in self-care. Whether it’s a relaxing lavender-scented bath or a half an hour journaling, by giving yourself space to process and reflect, you’ll be able to show up 100%. 3. Set RoutinesMaking simple morning and evening routines for your children is another great time-saving hack. By teaching them what to do as soon as they roll out of bed, you spare yourself the trouble of getting them dressed, brushing their teeth, and packing their lunch for school.Try putting together a poster with their morning and evening routines spelled out step-by-step. Add a couple fun pictures for a bit of wow factor and hang it up in their rooms! I've got a simple template, message me if you would like a copy.Hold up — let me introduce myself!Hey there, I’m Jenn Abbatiello 👋 I’m the mother of two beautiful boys, nine-year-old Nathan and seven-year-old Adam and wife to Gord. When I'm not spending time being active outdoors with my family, I’m changing lives as a certified parenting coach!Yep, you heard right — whether it’s sibling conflict or meltdowns, I give parents the guidance they need to raise happy, resilient, confident and connected families. Think you could use a little extra support? Book a free 20 minute consultation with me today! Together, we’ve got this 🙌Looking for a few more resources? Fill up on these...1. Follow me on Instagram or TikTok to stay in the loop with my workshop schedule. Plus you’ll find a backlog of need-to-know kid-raising hacks!2. Download my FREEBIE: 5 Tips to Cooperation. It will end power struggles, anger and confusion in your home.3. Schedule a FREE 20 minute consultation with yours truly. You can fill me in on your family’s deets and decide if we’d make a good fit. You’ve got nothing to lose!P.S Expect to see me in your inbox 2x a month with more parenting type tips 🙌