Parenting Therapy and Support

As parents, we often worry about the mental health of our children in today’s world. Our kids are under so much pressure, which can cause feelings related to anxiety and depression. It can make parents feel, at times, as though they are not doing a good enough job.

In this day and age, it is common for parents to ask themselves “Why does parenting seem so hard?” Or perhaps they want to know, “Was parenting this difficult for my parents?” Truth is, it’s far more difficult for parents today than it was back just 20 or so years ago.

This is why I provide parent coaching from my practice in Alpharetta. Parents today struggle with stress and anxiety. Fortunately, understanding the challenges of parenting in today’s age, learning how to manage it, and seeking parental support can help you become a better parent overall. It is especially important that seeking help and support is not a sign of weakness. Instead, it can be an empowering experience.

Does Parenting Have to Be This Hard?

You have to understand, first and foremost, that parenting difficulties do not define you as a bad parent. There are many factors in place that make parenting much more difficult than it used to be. For instance, advancements in technology has changed family dynamics, morals, and values today. Parents find themselves having to keep up with changes to technology and social media just to know what is going with their children.

Nowadays, it seems like most children are walking around with their eyes glued to smartphones, which has changed the way parents and their children communicate. It can seem like parents and children communicate more through text and social media than they do face-to-face. To be honest, even some parents have their eyes stuck the screen of a smartphone, which was not the case only 10 years ago.

The existence of social media means that parents also have to worry more about their children when it comes to their safety. Back before the internet, parents warned children never to talk to or take candy from strangers. Now, parents deal with stress and anxiety about cyberbullying, cyberstalking, child pornography, and identity theft, and those are just the beginning of common parental fears.

How Do You Deal with This?

There are several reasons for parents to feel the rising of stress and anxiety. Parenting is not an easy task. Not that parenting was ever easy, but it seems that is much more difficult now than it was back when our parents raised us. Still, that doesn’t mean you have to whip out your white flag to surrender. There are ways to handle today’s difficult parenting situations.

You can start by setting clear boundaries for your children, and that can begin with technology. Just because there are other children who have access to video games and mobile devices does not mean you have to do the same with your child. In fact, you can restrict gaming and mobile device time to teach your child responsibility.

Rather than allowing your child to sit for endless hours playing video games or scrolling through YouTube videos, encourage face-to-face talks. Make it a point to put all gaming and mobile devices aside for family meals. Strike up a conversation with your child and be more actively involved in his or her life. Ask questions about school, homework, and friends. Make sure you actively listen, pay attention, and show genuine interest in what your child has to say.

As part of the boundaries you set, make sure you also set up clear consequences for your child should they cross any lines you have in place. Ensuring that you have fair and reasonable consequences for your children means that they know they must respect you and do what is expected of them. There is nothing wrong with taking away privileges or otherwise grounding your child.

Finally, if you are feeling weighed down by the stress and anxiety of parenting, look into therapy that provides parental support. A trained and qualified therapist can provide you with helpful insight and advice to help you navigate through the difficulties of parenting.

If you are interested in learning more about parenting support, call my office today to schedule an appointment.