How to support the emotional health of your family

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By Kaeli

Balancing the emotional health of your self, your children and your family go hand in hand. Thinking about the techniques that you will need to learn and the time this will take may leave you feeling overwhelmed. How on earth is they’re enough time to become skilled in this area, and wait for your child while they do the same.

What if their emotions show up when you’re going to be late for school? What if you have to get to work? There are plans, schedules and responsibilities that make the move towards emotional health difficult to start.

Luckily there are some principles to keep in mind when you are beginning any journey. You don’t have to be a master all of a sudden. Taking small steps is already bringing you benefits and setting a strong intention so all you have to do is continue to move forward.

Looking at where you place priority in your life is a good practice and ensures that you are living a life that can bring your family fulfillment. Having the ability to honour each person will bring your family the feelings of success and give you the momentum to continue towards the quality of life you desire.

With this in mind you can begin to explore a path towards balancing life with your family.

Find out where you can find more space in your life. How can you avoid rushing and racing around? Try strategies like adding more time for transitions and being selective in the activities you choose.

  • Decide on the qualities of interactions you would like to have with your family. They might be freedom, calm or connectedness. Then take steps to relate with these qualities.
  • Give yourself compassion when learning new skills.
  • Give yourself permission to make choices for your family based on what you value.
  • Honour you child’s emotions. You can help them identify their emotions, by witnessing them and allow them the full experience of their feelings. 
  • Begin teaching them emotional skills by: helping them identify their emotions, teaching them effective ways to express their emotions, and guiding them to regulate their emotions.
  • Help your child by practicing to listen without judgment and by avoiding giving advice. 

When you make your families emotional health a priority a harmonious family life begins to fall into place. Once a person has these skills the time that it takes to implement them is reduced because they gain a sense of control for themselves. This gets you to the heart of the matter. You will have time to be present with your family and everyone will have time to go at their own pace and enjoy life.

Kaeli Van Regan is the founder of Living Inside Out. She combines her love of life and nature with education in Child and Youth Work, Life Coaching and Energy Healing to provide coaching to expand and uplift the family unit. Check her out on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

Also check out a free discussion seminar for parents with the launch of Kaeli's new book Parenting Your Way! 

This will be a great opportunity for parents to discuss how to bring in the quality of life that they desire for their families, ask any questions about conscious parenting and even get a book signed!

Details: Wednesday June 1st (book signing starts at 6pm, with discussion at 7:30pm) at Singing Pebble Books - 202a Main Street in Ottawa