Who You Are Matters More Than What You Do

What if self awareness and personal development were the ways to improve your family life?

We are uncovering this question and so many more with guest Sarah Maclaughlin!!

Sarah shares what shapes a child is a combination of genes, environment and interactions. Parenting is the resilience training, the protective layer. Who we are as individuals affects who we show up as in our parenting role!!!! YES, Sarah you came in right off the bat with some inspiring perspectives, you all will LOVE this!

Can you think of a really impactful moment? Something that just made you believe and gave you hope? Or maybe another passing comment that shook you? Anna Seewald shares a comment that influenced her to jump into music! These seemingly small moments add up!

Navigating interdependence, and how we are wired for connection. Sarah mentions Dr. Brene Brown’s work, another person if you aren’t watching and listening to, RUN! She’s incredible!

Sarah brings home the point to be observant and responsive, the constant process of recalibrating. Just as you tackle a challenge another one pops up, finding appreciation in the dynamic process versus fearing it! Empowerment of evolution as an individual, parent or child. Sarah shares the length of relationship between parent and child, and the impactful side of processing grief of phases without projecting. Such as the huge leap from being the guiding mentor to coming alongside in an adult relationship.

Her number one piece of advice, don’t be mean. Read that again, Don’t. Be. Mean. Now let’s unpack…. we all make mistakes, we all have a moment of losing our cool, she lets us in on how to find focus and REPAIR. When the rupture occurs, and it WILL, what you model through repair will shape your children.

Here are some tools to get you to repair after you’ve stomped out, yelled, or slammed the door:

-Forgive. Reconnect to yourself first. Don’t place more guilt, forgive yourself. Don’t get stuck in that negative loop!
-Apologize. Heartfelt, eye level, in a close moment, with accountability. Wait longer if need be to able to genuinely connect.

That’s it! You can do this!

This right here is the model that they will take with them. This is how they learn to be accountable and make amends. These moments of “mistakes” can be POSITIVE! Taking a deep breath, conveying you are trying your best, and modeling self regulation.

About my guest

Sarah MacLaughlin is a licensed social worker, parent educator, and author of the award-winning, bestselling book, What Not to Say: Tools for Talking with Young Children. She’s obsessed with brain science and child development, and is passionate about advocating for kids and inspiring the adults who care for them to be the parents they want to be. When moms and dads understand themselves and their children better, everyone has more fun. Sarah has worked with children, youth, and parents for over 20 years and has extensive experience with blended, foster, and adoptive families. Sarah helps caregivers and parents see the bigger picture when it comes to child behavior. She lives in the woods of Maine with her husband and son; a tweenager who gives her plenty of opportunities to take her own advice.

Resources and links

Sarah’s first book, What NOT To Say: Tools for Talking with Young Children

Sarah’s website

Follow her on Facebook

Follow her on Instagram

Support her campaign (watch her video) by pre-ordering her second book, Raising Humans with Heart

Other episodes you may like:

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With gratitude,

Anna