Parenting a child with anxiety can be really challenging. Opening up a conversation about it can create a sense of connection and safety that can help your child better manage their anxiety. You can modify this script to talk to your child about their diagnosis.

Caregivers can modify this script to explain rejection sensitivity dysphoria to a child. Discussing how it works in the brain and body and understanding the strengths and struggles, can create a sense of connection and empowerment.

If you’re unsure how to talk to your child about their recent ADHD diagnosis, you can use this script to offer them a supportive, strengths-based approach to their diagnosis. This approach acknowledges that ADHD comes with unique challenges as well as strengths and talents. It focuses on building on those strengths rather than solely addressing the challenges. This can help children feel more empowered and confident in their abilities, which can lead to greater success and happiness.

Understanding and Addressing Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria in Children with ADHD: A Guide for Parents

Gentle parenting isn’t about being soft or gentle in response to boundary crossing and safety keeping. Gentle parenting is about being gentle with ourselves and our children as we learn to navigate the most difficult job in the world, being human.

Don’t give up on connected parenting because you were nice and it still didn’t work. Remember, it has nothing to do with being nice, being in control, or stopping an emotion. It’s about connecting, understanding, teaching, and learning how to work with those difficult and messy moments of being human.

Authoritative parenting* allows parents to provide structure and support while being nurturing and responsive. Behavior is modeled and mistakes become opportunities for growth. Today, science shows us that authoritative parenting is the most effective parenting method for healthy emotional growth.

Moving from punishment to discipline is really difficult, especially if you were not raised that way. We will instinctually gravitate to punishment because it can provide a quick fix to the problem while reinforcing the narrative we grew up with. However, the long term consequences of punishment aren’t worth the short term gains.