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Natural Strength Parenting™

Intentional, Mindfullness, Natural Strength Parenting™, Parenting Tips, Strengths

Parenting is Tough. We Can Help!

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Parenting is Tough! We Can Help! Being a parent is the most important and challenging job you’ll ever do! Natural Strength Parenting™ from Beech Acres Parenting Center can help you navigate these challenging times and help you enjoy parenting your child more. What is Natural Strength Parenting™? Natural Strength Parenting™ is a unique approach to parenting that encourages you to be intentional and mindful while focusing on your child’s innate strengths. Building on their strengths will increase their confidence, self-esteem, and resilience, which can lead to positive well-being. Natural Strength Parenting™ combines intentionality, the 24 character strengths, and the positive psychology of mindfulness into an effective parenting model that can profoundly impact your family. Start By Being Intentional To be intentional is to live a proactive, purposeful life instead of a reactive life on auto-pilot. Here are some simple steps to get started with intentionality: Discover Your Family’s Strengths Did you know everyone has 24 character strengths inside of them? Natural energy comes from using our top 5 – but all are inside! Human reflex is to fix what’s wrong… but brain science has taught us that encouraging your children’s strengths builds the resilience and skills to resist the negative influences surrounding them. Here are some simple steps to get started with strengths: Practice Mindfulness We can only see our child(ren)’s strengths if our minds are open to them and purposely noticing what she/he is doing. Likewise, we can only set a specific intention for the future if we are aware of our current situation. Start with these simple steps to implement mindfulness: Putting It All Together Let’s see how this all works together. Let’s say you’ve set an intention to raise a strong, independent daughter. You can reinforce this intention by making subtle changes in everyday moments. You’re in a hurry to get home after basketball practice. Your default might be to snap, “Get in the car! We’re running late. Instead, you could remember your intention and mindfully engage. You might recall that she was afraid to try out for the team. “You used your strength of bravery when you tried out for the team.” Ask a powerful question in the moment: “What new thing did you learn today that will help you be a better player? I want to hear about it on the way home, but we’ve got to gobecause we’re running late today.” See how a small change can make a big difference? That’s Natural Strength Parenting™ at work.

White graphic with a thermometer icon about Feelings
Natural Strength Parenting™, Parents

Natural Strength Parenting™ Feelings Thermometer

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Temperature Check Every day we have a variety of feelings. Sometimes they are strong, and we feel them fully. Other times, we barely notice them. Many times, we have more than one feeling at once. Learning to identify and talk about our feelings can help others understand our wants and needs. This makes us great problem solvers. Let’s get intentional about talking about our emotions! Family Follow Up Intentional talk about feelings helps us understand each other. All feelings are important. It is how we manage our feelings that is helpful or hurtful. Naming feelings can help us release emotions rather than holding emotions in. This creates better communication, understanding, and problem-solving. Try This Use this tool to help your child explore and talk about feelings every day this week. Download this activity to gauge the strength of your child’s feelings.

Pink and orange intentional icon with a hand holding a heart
Natural Strength Parenting™, Parenting, Parenting Tips, Parents

Brain Connection

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The brain is a powerful tool. Using Mindful and Strength-based practices is an intentional way to keep the brain connected and working in harmony. How does your brain help you? When all the parts of the brain work in harmony, emotions, and behaviors are expressed in helpful ways, let’s use the hand to show how this is done. DOWNSTAIRS BRAIN-AMYGDALA • Alarm center of our big emotions like anger, fear and frustration• Senses danger• Interprets the world throughfive senses• Triggers Flight, Fight, and Freeze UPSTAIRS BRAIN – PREFRONTAL CORTEX • Protects Amygdala• Allows good choices • Allows clear thinking • Manages emotions• Helps you ask for help “FLIPPING OUR LID” • The downstairs brain and the upstairs brain aren’t working together• Can’t think clearly• Not managing emotions well CONNECTED BRAIN • Brain working together in harmony • Making wise decisions• Using feelings and thinking clearly Try This The next time you start to feel worried, angry, stressed, scared or overwhelmed, say, “I’m about to ‘flip my lid’, I need a break.” Knowing when you are about to “flip your lid” allows you to reconnect the brain by using coping strategies. Once you are calm, you can talk about your feelings and needs. Download this activity and get started today!

What's On Your Plate? graphic with an image of a plate on a blue tablecloth
Natural Strength Parenting™, Parenting Tips

What’s On Your Plate?

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Parents Are Busy Parents lie you are busy. Really busy. Sometimes it can be difficult to be intentional about your parenting. The “What’s on Your Plate?” activity provides a visual way to conceptualize all of the things that fill up your life and helps you find ways to be more intentional about the things you want to fill up your life. Download the activity here and get started today. How To Use This Activity Use the front of the plate to show all the things that fill up your life. Then, like a pie, draw slices representing areas of your life. Some “slices” will be bigger and some smaller, depending on how much of your life they fill. Some examples you might choose are below – be sure to add your own.• Fun/personal enjoyment: family fun, time with friends, attending church, hobbies, volunteer activities• Home/family: house chores, parenting, managing family schedules, paying bills• Work: work activities, commute time, training or educational activities Once you’ve finished filling in your plate, take a moment to look at it and reflect on what you see. Ask yourself:• What activities do I want more of? • What activities do I want less of? Flip It Over Now use this side of the plate to show the things and people that support you in your life. Consider the areas of life you have listed on the front side. Who or what supports that area of your plate? How do you take care of yourself? Some examples you might choose are below – be sure to add your own:• Time with family or friends• Being outdoors• Playing games• Other hobbies such as puzzles or crafts Now, take one more look at your plate. Ask yourself:• What stood out to you as you completed your plate?• What “slices” of your plate would you like to explore further? • What would happen if you changed your plate? Activities like this can help you prioritize things in your life to help you lead more of the life you envision. Ready to go further with your parenting? Why not schedule a parent coaching session with one of our Parenting Specialists today?

Natural Strength Parenting™, Parenting, Parenting Tips, Parents, Uncategorized

The Parent Test…Pass or Fail? Beech Acres Parenting Center Reviews The Parent Test

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The parenting experts at Beech Acres Parenting Center work with thousands of parents every year.  Fundamentally, we believe:  A show recently premiered in prime time called The Parent Test. Based on the beliefs stated above and after viewing the show, we encourage parents to watch The Parent Test with caution. Or, better yet, avoid it altogether.  First and foremost, parenting is hard…like really hard. Beech Acres approaches parents as unique human beings with a host of innate character strengths. We avoid judging parents as judgment is often rooted in the fact that different is wrong. Our approach is to honor the wide variety of parenting styles and combinations of these styles. Viewing particular parenting styles as right or wrong is fairly judgmental. Each style can be leveraged to raise healthy and happy children.    Family values matter and can enhance parenting styles. Many parents tell us that they have never thought about or identified their own family values. Family values serve as the core of what family members do and explain how you want to live your family life. They may be passed down through generations or new to your family system. Identifying family values can help define expectations and actions for all family members. Once you choose your family’s values, think about how they align with your parenting style.  Examples of family values may include holding doors open for others; no phones at the dinner table; homework guidelines; volunteering to help others; family chores; etc.   The goal of The Parent Test is to find the most effective parenting style with an aim to “crown” the winner. Parents who watch this show may be feeling very vulnerable in comparison to other parents on the show. They may be interested in building their skills within one of the parenting styles defined on the show.  Some parents might not be able to identify with any of the named styles.  This can be really confusing and may cause some parents to feel discouraged or defeated.   Our aim is different.  We are driven to promote positive parenting by utilizing Natural Strength Parenting™, a model created at Beech Acres Parenting Center grounded in Mindful, Intentional, and Strength-based parenting.    Parents who utilize Natural Strength Parenting™ create better confidence, are more satisfied in their parent role, practice self-care routinely, and build a better parent-child relationship.  We believe that these are key drivers to being your best self as a parent.    The Parent Test claims they would like to “make kids emotionally whole.”  Children learn the most from their parents. Parents have a fantastic opportunity to serve as an example and inspiration for how you shape your child’s emotional well-being and skills to self-manage, self-determine, and self-regulate.  There is a host of parenting styles, strengths, and family values that can support your parenting journey.  There is no single approach that can be “crowned” as the best.  Set some intentions that will push you to parent on purpose and with a purpose.  Be in the moment with your kids whenever you have the opportunity to do so.  Put the phone down and play, talk, dance, and be together. Identify your top strengths and name strengths that you see in your child.  Notice how those strengths are used and build that muscle even more.  There is no specific rule book, guide, roadmap, or path to follow that guarantees healthy and happy children.  Just be you!     If you are looking for some help with Natural Strength Parenting™, Beech Acres is always there, and we always care.  Reach out to us to meet with a Parenting Specialist for some individualized coaching.   

Photo of a group of people sitting in white chairs in a classroom looking at a person giving a PowerPoint presentation in the front of the room
Natural Strength Parenting™

2022 Staff Retreat and Holiday Party

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To wrap up an exciting calendar year, Beech Acres Parenting Center staff gathered for two events this week. First, our team participated in an all-staff retreat. Team members from across the organization collaborated on team-building activities and recommitted our focus to Natural Strength Parenting™ as the core foundational tenant of all our work. Then, we celebrated! 2022 brought a lot of change and growth to our organization, and it was incredible to celebrate the holidays with our entire staff.

Photo of a child putting ornaments in a man's beard while the man is wrapped in Christmas lights
Natural Strength Parenting™, Parenting Tips, Parents

Natural Strength Parenting Holiday Survival Guide

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Your Family Can Survive the Holidays This Year. Here’s How.  You can already feel the tensions rising at your house. Each day is colder, darker, and shorter than the last. The leaves have just finished falling from the trees, but your son is still wearing cargo shorts to school every day. Your neighbor’s perfect Christmas lights are already up and come on automatically at 6:05 every night while you’re still polishing off the Snickers leftover from Halloween. The holidays are here, and you need already need a break. The holidays are an incredibly stressful time for families. And everyone is affected. Additional holiday-related responsibilities pile on to your already hectic schedule of work, homework, dance classes, basketball games, therapy sessions, teacher conferences, and housework. Now, there’s shopping, baking, holiday parties, and even more to get through. Maybe it wasn’t such a great time to start that side-hustle driving for Lyft. Don’t worry. There’s plenty you can do to survive the holidays. The holidays can be the most stressful time of the year. Still, with a little strength, mindfulness, and intentionality, they can also be one of the most fun, loving, and wondrous times of the year.

Photo of a parent's hands over their child's hands as they help them cut cookie shapes out of cookie dough on a floured table
Natural Strength Parenting™, Parent Connext™, Strengths

Use Your Strengths to Navigate the Stressful Holiday Season

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Many families feel stressed around the holidays. There are additional expenses, commitments, and expectations. Many of us have very specific expectations of ourselves and others that are difficult to fulfill and may even be conflicting. The season can be hard for children, especially very young children, or those with sensory and attention issues. Seasonal decorations may be overstimulating, and changes in routines of eating and sleeping can be disruptive. Perseverance One way your family can cope with seasonal struggles is to plan some quiet activities that all family members can participate in. Some families enjoy crafts or cooking. These can be terrific as long as they focus on the process rather than the finished product. It’s also important to understand what children are capable of at their developmental level, so the adults have realistic expectations. For example, baking cookies as a family is a beloved traditional holiday activity. Children of all ages love to help bake! Even the youngest kids can help organize, measure, and stir ingredients. They may not have the ability to roll dough out or use cookie cutters to make shapes. They may also lack the attention span to complete this task. However, they might be able to roll some dough into a ball and place those on the cookie sheet. By carefully considering the abilities of your children and matching your recipe to those, baking cookies can be a family-friendly activity that will create fond memories for everyone. Creativity There are a variety of craft kits available for the holidays to create special ornaments and decorations. These are good activities for older children. You can find these kits at craft stores such as Michaels or JOANN. Make decorations for your use around your own house or make gifts for family, friends, and neighbors. Fun tip: Using a cookie cutter on a potato makes a fun “stamp” to use with tempera paint and decorate plain gift bags with stars, bells, drills, or other seasonal figures. Save money by checking Pinterest or other craft sites for ideas that match your children’s interests, strengths, and abilities. Kindness Many families want to focus on giving rather than receiving during the holidays. A simple way to do this is with a Kindness Chain activity. Cut strips of colorful paper and keep them in a basket with a glue stick or stapler. Every day, ask each family member to think of an act of kindness they did. Have them write it on a strip and then make it a loop with glue or staples and attach to their chain. Each family member can have their own individual chain or maintain one chain for the family with each person having their own color paper. This activity is not a competition, the links are to represent the acts of kindness. The activity works even better when linked to your family values. At the end of every week, take some time to reflect on how the chain has grown. Be sure to ask if anyone wants to share a kindness given or received from a family member, and how it helped them.

Photo of a happy family sharing hot chocolate together in front of a Christmas tree and fireplace
Mindfullness, Natural Strength Parenting™, Parenting Tips, Strengths

Practicing Mindfulness With Your Family During The Holidays Is Important

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Practicing mindfulness with your family during the holidays can be difficult, but it is very important! So many parents report feelings of being stressed during this time of year. There are more holiday-related responsibilities, and with shorter days, managing changes in your children’s school schedule, stress are inevitable. To add to the stress, we are SUPPOSED to be joyful, so we push our more negative feelings aside. Here are some parenting tips for a calm and enjoyable Holiday Season: 1) Intentionally slow down to get more done. When we hurry, we become forgetful and resentful. Focus on one thing at a time, and your to-do list will be more manageable, and you will feel more accomplished. 2) Show empathy towards yourself and say ‘no’. It is o.k. to decline an invitation and replace it with alone time to read, go for a walk or take a lavender-infused bath. Self-care is a great value to model to your children. 3) Create traditions that fit your family. If baking cookies from scratch is not something you enjoy and have no time for, create another tradition that is better suited to your family. Perhaps it is watching a holiday movie and making homemade hot cocoa or chocolate-covered popcorn. 4) Delegate chores according to everyone’s strengths. Does your son love to help with cooking? Let him plan and prepare a simple dinner. Is your daughter creative? Have her help with decorating or wrapping presents. 5) Make room for Mindfulness. Create space to do mindful moments with your family. Before a meal, before bedtime, a few moments of mindful breathing can be relaxing and calming.

12 days of presence flyer with photos of different families
Natural Strength Parenting™, Strengths, Uncategorized

Twelve Days of Presence

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Be Present This Holiday Season Being intentionally present with your family this holiday season is one of the best presents you can give them. And it doesn’t cost a thing. Wind down 2020 by setting an intention to be present with these twelve ideas that were inspired by Sharon James, favorite Parent Coach, beloved mom, and dear friend. December 20th. Notice the moment. Be here now. Slow down enough to notice what is before you. Don’t miss the moment because you are rushed, thinking ahead of what’s on your task list. December 21st Remember. Make room for the glitter made up of moments from your past. Share a favorite holiday child memory with someone and ask them to do the same. December 22nd Light up your senses. Scented lit candles, the taste of chocolate, a hug, a sunrise, driving around to see decorated homes, homemade soup. Whatever it is for you, be intentional in delighting all of your senses today. December 23rd Let there be peace on earth. Let it begin with me. Tis’ the season for high emotions. Thich Nhat Hanh offers this: when we are in conflict, feeling angry or frustrated, we aren’t inclined to be ourselves as our focus is on the person, triggering the feelings. We can look after ourselves by mindfully deep breathing (peace in, anger out) so they no longer monopolize our consciousness. December 24th. Practice kindness. In what way can you brighten someone’s day? A small gift? Donation to a good cause? Offering your time? Helping in a way that makes the life load a bit easier? Whether it is a person you know, an organization that supports your values, or a stranger in line at the store, let your strength of Kindness show up. December 25th Practice Gratitude. A very powerful and well-researched strength, your overall well-being can improve just from spending one minute today practicing Gratitude. December 26th Celebrate our amazingly diverse world. At a time when our world seems so divided, the season is a time to expand your awareness and appreciation for diversity. You might choose The Comboni Missionary Nativity or visit the Freedom Center.  December 27th Smiling Energy. Smiling has the power to shift your mood. Try smiling at those you know and those you don’t. Notice other people’s smiles. What happens to how you feel? December 28th Let It Go! Try yoga or Tai-chi. Practice deep breathing and always laugh to let go of the stress that accompanies the holiday season. December 29th Mindful Eating Instead of labeling foods ‘good’ and ‘bad’, simply pay attention to when you are hungry and be conscious of how many chips, for ex., you are eating. Enjoy! December 30th Invite your Zest out to play. Embrace the cold and find something happening only this time of year. Consider the Winterfest at Kings Island, a trip around an ice-skating rink, or the Holiday Hike happening today at the Nature Center. December 31st What’s important about this season? However you and your loved ones celebrate, make it count. Today, be intentional in making time for what matters, be mindful in the way you listen and are present with others, and utilize your strengths to make this holiday season one that will become part of your ‘glitter moments’ to remember.

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