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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!

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.   

divorce, Parenting Tips, Parents, Parents & Partners Divorcing

Helping Your Children Cope With Divorce: Tips For Co-Parenting

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NEW! Welcome to Talking to Your Kids About Divorce, brought to you by the team at Beech Acres Parenting Center! In this FREE course, you’ll be given a brief introduction to talking to your children about divorce and how to keep them informed throughout the process. Helping Your Children Cope With Divorce Once your divorce is finalized, it is critical to be on the same page with the other parent about raising and loving your children. Accept that, while the marriage is over, you will be parents together forever. The family is not ending; it is being reorganized. Tips For Co-Parenting Maintaining a parental relationship after divorce requires the ability to communicate. A clear co-parenting plan helps establish the boundaries in which you will parent your child together. Build from the ground up. Do not assume old patterns; establish new ones with your child’s best interests in mind. Clarify the expectations of the new relationship. Be intentional about how you behave with your former spouse. They are now your business partner in raising your children. Be Intentional Start with a clear plan that keeps your child’s well-being front and center. Make all agreements and arrangements clear. Use written agreements or digital calendars to stay organized. Be clear and complete in your communications. When creating schedules, always include times, places, and various needs (clothes, dinner, etc.). Schedule appointments to talk about your children when they are not present. Having this dedicated time to discuss issues related to raising your children will help keep you on the same page. Raising your child together “on purpose” helps increase stability for you and your child. Be Strong Your mutual concern is the well-being of your children. Establish a partnership that recognizes your reorganized family’s strengths. Lead with love always, but be prepared to flex your strengths of teamwork, judgment, and sometimes forgiveness. Be aware of and appreciate your own strengths as a parent and human being, and recognize the strengths of your co-parent. This allows you to see and grow your child’s natural gifts. Show appreciation for the other parent whenever possible in front of your children. Seeing you express appreciation, no matter how small, contributes to the greater success of the parenting partnership, which puts your children at ease. Be Mindful Being present, fully engaged, and accepting in each moment you spend with your child is so important. You cannot control what happens at the parent’s home beyond trying to establish clear guidelines for your co-parenting plan. Do not focus on or compare households, rather spend your time with your child the best way that you can. Listen to what they have to say and respect their feelings. This will create a loving, caring atmosphere in your home that reminds your child that they are loved and safe. Co-parenting using an intentional, strengths-based, and mindful approach gives you a blueprint for success. Staying on the same page, respecting each other, and being flexible whenever possible creates a strong, unified experience that shows your child that you love them and have their best interests at heart. More in this series: Telling Your Kids Working Through Custody Together

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 mother opening a present with a surprised look on her face as her husband and two kids smile and cheer
Holidays, Parent Connext™, Parenting Tips, Parents

December is National Stress-Free Family Holidays Month

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December is National Stress-Free Family Holidays Month December is National Stress-Free Family Holidays Month. Yeah, right. A stress-free family holiday may sound like a fantasy. In fact, for many families, the additional stress of the holidays can feel overwhelming. We can help your family navigate this unusually stressful time. Set An Intention to Have a Stress-Free Holiday Season Setting intentions helps you manifest what you want to accomplish. By simply agreeing as a family to work towards a stress-free holiday season, you’ve already changed your family’s mindset and decreased your chances of becoming overwhelmed. Use Your Strengths to Navigate the Stressful Holiday Season Start by using your family’s strengths to help you navigate the busy holiday season. Leaning into your family’s strengths can help mitigate stress. Perseverance, Creativity, and Kindness can help you unlock a stress-free holiday. Find something for the whole family to do together. Bake some holiday treats. Find and complete a holiday-themed craft or puzzle. Sign our Kindness pledge and start spreading kindness in your family, your community, and the world. Practice Mindfulness Practicing mindfulness is a proven way to reduce stress. Mindfulness can be implemented in easy ways. Subscribe to our YouTube page and watch our short mindful minute videos. These brief exercises can help calm your mind and your body and help you release stress during the busy holiday season. The holidays can be stressful. But by setting intentions, leveraging your family’s strengths, and practicing mindfulness, your family can survive the busy holiday season and maybe even have a little fun. Need more support this year? Contact us today to schedule a parent coaching session with one of our Parent Connext® Parenting Specialists.

Graphic of a family sitting together on a couch with text that says "November is National Gratitude Month! How Can You Celebrate Gratitude With Your Family? More on our blog..."
Gratitude, Parent Connext™, Parenting Tips, Parents

November Is National Gratitude Month!

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A child’s gratitude naturally grows from a loving, mindful connection to their parents. When you listen and actively engage with your kids, you are planting the seeds of gratitude. The message is that they matter and that you are grateful for the love and time that you share. What is Gratitude?  Gratitude, as an individual character strength, is defined as “I appreciate the good things that happen to me.” Appreciating the good things that happen to you, both big and small, can have an exponentially positive effect on your mood and your life. How can you celebrate Gratitude with your family? Begin by modeling Gratitude. Your children are always watching you and, more importantly, looking up to you. The things you do and say will impact them and influence how they behave. An easy way to model gratitude in your daily routine is to tell your kids “Thank you” any time they cooperate or do something you ask them to. Really reinforce this by thanking them if they do something without being told.  Next, notice any time your child expresses gratitude. When a child says “thank you,” they are expressing their gratitude. Whether they are saying it in response to a gift, a hug, or picking them up from basketball practice-make, note of this. Try saying, “I love what a grateful spirit you have,” or, “thanks so much for always remembering to say thank you.” It will make a difference. You may even hear them say thank you more often! Wouldn’t that be nice? Show gratitude for who they are as a unique individual and all of the wonderful strengths and personality traits they exhibit.  Focus on what they are doing right much more than what they are doing wrong. Make gratitude part of your family’s routine. This can be daily, monthly or annually. An easy way to do this daily is to have everyone share one thing they are grateful for at dinnertime. Too busy to have dinner together? We get it. Set an intention to find time each day to share what you are grateful for. From breakfast to bedtime, there’s always time for a moment of gratitude. You can further integrate gratitude into your family by planning a day each month to volunteer for a cause that is important to your family. Helping others deepens your feeling of gratitude as it makes you more grateful for the things you do have. Go even further with a big annual gesture; run a 5k as a family that supports a cause you love, volunteer at a food bank during the holidays, find something BIG to give back to the community. What If My Child Struggles To Express Gratitude? When children seem ungrateful, it is most important to get curious about the need and feeling underneath their behavior. Addressing the root cause of their feelings compassionately will usually resolve the issue.  Need more help? Schedule a parent coaching session today!

Graphic of a doctor listening to the heartbeat of a baby sitting on its mother's lap
Parent Connext™, Parenting Tips, Parents, Pediatrician

Tips For New Parents on Selecting a Pediatrician 

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Becoming a parent is such a huge life-changing event. Everything about becoming a parent can be overwhelming; from choosing the right pediatrician to selecting a name they may live with forever; parenting is full of tough choices.  One of those choices includes selecting the right pediatrician for your child. This can be overwhelming and stressful. Here are some things to look for when considering pediatric offices.  Location, Location, Location Choosing a convenient location may seem simple, but choosing a pediatric office that is easy to access for your family is important. This does not necessarily mean you should select the pediatric office closest to your home; there are other factors to consider but knowing you can easily and quickly get your sick child to the doctor is important.  Consider that in the first year of your child’s life, you will regularly visit your pediatrician for well-child visits. As your child gets older, these regular check-ups will likely be annual if your child is generally healthy. Still, there are sick visits, scheduled vaccinations, clinics, and sports medical forms-you may be at your pediatrician more often than you realize. And if you have multiple children, these visits increase.  Office Logistics  When looking at the location of your pediatrician, make sure you also understand their hours and availability. Here are some questions to consider; What is your and your partner’s work schedule? How do they schedule appointments? How long does it take to get in for sick and well visits? What is the off-hour schedule? What about weekend and evening availability? Do they offer on-call access to a physician?  Other things that may be important to you may be online scheduling and online access to your child’s medical records. Newsletters or social media presence with updates on the office, parenting tips, and other information may be something you are looking for to research a pediatrician or stay connected with the office.  If you have private insurance, make sure the office accepts your insurance, and you understand their policies on payments, co-pays, and prescriptions. These office logistics are just as important as the location of your doctor.  Culture  Trying to gauge the culture of an office may be more difficult, but if you visit this office at least once a year for 18 years, you want to make sure it’s a good fit for your family. Does the staff seem friendly? Are there indications that the practice’s values align with your family’s values? Parents should intentionally sit down to identify your family’s values and use those to help guide you in important decisions like this. This could include your point of view on healthcare and whether the provider aligns with those values.  Does the practice have specific philosophies on things such as parenting, sleep, circumcision, feeding, vaccines, potty training, and antibiotics? You may find philosophical differences between your family’s values and the pediatricians’ philosophies that may be indicative that this may not be a good fit.  Credentials, Certifications and Reputation Where did your pediatrician attend medical school? How long have they been practicing? Are they up to date on certifications and the latest science as it relates to child development? It’s ok to ask these questions and confirm their authenticity. You may think that a seasoned doctor who has been practicing medicine for years will have the experience to make the best decisions and recommendations about the health of your child. Or you may believe a new physician, fresh off their rotations, may bring a fresh and modern perspective to raising a healthy child. Look for degrees, certifications, and other documentation around the office.  Everyone has an opinion and the ability to share that online. Parents are likely to be vocal if they love their pediatrician, or if they have specific issues with a practice. While you certainly should not base your decision just on online reviews, checking out the practices online reputation and simply talking to people in your community can help you better understand the experiences parents before you had with this practice.  Other Important Considerations  We’ve covered some if the major considerations you should think about when selecting a pediatrician, but there are many other things that may be important to you or influence your decision. Are sick patients separated from well patients in the waiting room? Are virtual visits an option? Does your doctor have plans to retire soon? What hospitals if any is the practice affiliated with? There are so many questions to ask to make sure you make an informed decision about your child’s healthcare.  Listen to your gut—if the provider isn’t really listening to your concerns or questions, or you just don’t feel like it’s a good fit, trust that intuition. This person will likely be caring for your child for at least 18 years, so you want to make sure it’s a good fit & that you feel comfortable not only with him/her but also with other staff as well.  Finding the right pediatrician can be a stressful proposition. Proper planning, asking the right questions, and thoroughly vetting each practice will help ensure you make the right decision for your family.  Download this resource here.

Graphic of a classroom full of students with the teacher sitting in the center and reading a book aloud
Parenting Tips, Parents

Tips For Finding A Daycare

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Tips for New Parents on Finding A Daycare Becoming a parent is such a huge life-changing event. Everything about becoming a parent can be overwhelming; from choosing the right pediatrician to selecting a name that they may live with forever; parenting is full of tough choices. One of those choices may be finding the right childcare for your newborn. This can be overwhelming and stressful. Here are some things to look for when considering childcare providers. Carefully Consider Your Options There are many different options for childcare. Finding the one that works for your family is critically important. Here are some options available to you as a new parent seeking childcare. In-home care. Finding an in-home childcare provider can be expensive but may be the right choice for your family. In-home options include afull or part-time nanny or au pair, babysitters, or even a close relative or friends. If grandma and grandpa live nearby and are capable and healthy, they may be excited at the opportunity to help. If that’s not an option a well-vetted and reviewed professional may be a good option for your child. You may also consider partnering with another family or two in order to start a nanny share in one or both of your homes. This arrangement can be more cost-effective, while also providing more individualized care. Out of-home care. Out-of-home childcare options may include a local daycare center or an individual who provides care in their home. For either option, make sure the provider has safe facilities, proper paperwork if applicable and positive references or reviews. Creative options. It may be timeto think “outside the box” when searching for the right childcare option for your family. Explore local childcare swap or co-ops or find out what sorts of flexible scheduling options may be available through your employer. Raising a child requires your strength of Creativity, so might your childcare search. Options for older or school-age children. Your older children may have a variety of options available for them. These might include before or after-school clubs or camps, summer camps, or volunteer opportunities. Check with your local library to see what options may be a good fit for your older children. Other Important Considerations There are several other things to keep in mind as you seek out the right childcare option for your family. Obviously, and most importantly, is safety. How safe is the facility or home you are leaving your child at every day? These providers should be able to provide you with safety information and protocols to help you make an informed decision. How many other children are being cared for in the same place? A daycare or in-home caregiver that has too many children under their supervision may lead to your child not getting the appropriate time, care, or attention. Does the philosophy of the facility or caregiver align with your values and child-raising philosophy? Ask for examples of their philosophy and how that is implemented into their day-to-day routines. Looking for your own parenting philosophy? Learn more about Natural Strength Parenting™, our unique approach to parenting.  You may also be interested in howthe caregiver communicates issues and how responsive they are to your questions. This can give you an idea of how well they may or may not communicate with you in the future. Are their cameras so you can check in on your child virtually? A safe outdoor play area? You probably have so many questions, it’s a good idea to plan ahead for your search. Write down all the questions you may have and make sure you receive satisfactory answers to them before you continue. Finding the right childcare provider can be a stressful proposition. Planning ahead, asking the right questions, and thoroughly vetting each prospect will help ensure you make the right decision for your family. Download this resource here. Additional Resources www.4cforchildren.org https://jfs.ohio.gov/cdc/ StepUpFamily.stm

Graphic for Parent Connext® with a photo of a dad and son fist bumping each other
character strengths, Mindfullness, Natural Strength Parenting™, Parent Connext™, Parenting Tips, Parents

Let’s Get Started With Natural Strength Parenting™

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Parenting Is Hard! Being a parent is the most important and challenging job you’ll ever do! Natural Strength Parenting™ can help you navigate the challenging times and enjoy 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 in your parenting while focusing on your child’s innate strengths. Building on their strengths will increase their confidence, self-esteem, and resilience, all of which 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 have a profound impact on 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. • Stop asking your children, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ ask them ‘Who do you want to be when you grow up? What type of adult?’• Take a moment to contemplate what you want your children to say about you in your eulogy.Bigger Steps:• Write down your values as a family. Here is a true story of one family.• Color a family crest together from the Natural Strength Parenting™ Starter Kit. 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’s reflex is to fix what’s wrong… but brain science has taught us by 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. • Try replacing the phrase ‘good job’ with something more specific. ‘It was brave of you to sign-up for that activity without knowing anyone.’ ‘You really persevered working through that social studies project.’ You are strength-spotting! Bigger Steps: • Either take the complete VIA Character Strength survey at their website or try the shorter version in our ‘starter kit’ and then plot out your family in the table! 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. • Take a breath.• Play and put down the smartphone – try the Forest app Bigger Steps: • Teach your kids, S.T.O.P. and encourage them to use it before MAP tests, their next game; music recitals… or when they are about to lose it with a sibling. Putting It All Together You 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 thecar. 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?

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