Parenting

Parenting my almost 3-year-old son has taught me to pause and reflect on situations from his perspective. As adults, we move through our days juggling work, relationships, and countless stressors. Life asks a lot of us, and parenting sits on top of it all. In the middle of that, it’s easy to forget that this is their first time experiencing life at their age. At the same time, it’s our first time parenting a 3-year-old, which brings its own challenges.

Here are a few areas where this mindset can help, along with alternative perspectives to consider. While these ideas may be especially useful for younger children, they can apply at any age. 

Emotions

Learning new things is hard. Honestly, it's hard even as an adult. Now imagine being a child who doesn’t yet have the words to explain how he or she feels. What we often label as a “tantrum” can be reframed as a child experiencing strong emotions and feeling overwhelmed or overstimulated. In those moments, the goal isn’t to control the behavior immediately, but to recognize what’s underneath it and respond with understanding and learn to…

Choose Your Battles

Notice what happens in your body when you say “no” repeatedly or raise your voice. It impacts your nervous system just as much as theirs. Try pausing and taking a breath before responding. Often, a “no” can be turned into a positive redirection or even something playful. 

For example, if your child needs to brush their teeth but wants to keep playing, it’s natural to repeat yourself or get louder when they don’t respond. Instead, try turning it into a game: “Can you hop like a frog to the bathroom?” or “I bet I can beat you there- let’s race!” Small shifts like this can reduce power struggles and make cooperation easier. 

Enjoy Your Kids

Don’t forget to play with your kids. Yes, we’re tired. Yes, we’re older. But we still have an inner child, too. Find joy in being with them. Teach them games you loved growing up. Create game nights or movie nights. Be silly. 

Their childhood is also your parenthood, make it meaningful and fun. You may have heard the terms “bedroom family” versus “living room family.” Bedroom families tend to stay in separate spaces with little interaction, while living room families naturally gather, connect, and spend time together. Whether through games or conversation, creating those shared moments builds stronger connections that last.