#GratefulFor

Clothing company Athleta launched their holiday campaign earlier this month with the hashtag #GratefulFor on their website, catalogs and social media.  Their goal is to “ignite a chain of positivity by sharing stories of gratitude.”  The #GratefulFor story titles are not necessarily ones you would expect, among them are #GratefulFor “feeling small”, “horrible ideas”, “acting my age” and “checking out”.  This week in the States, we’re reminded of all the things we are grateful for as we gather to celebrate Thanksgiving. 

I’m sure all of us could make a very long list of things we are #GratefulFor, many of which would involve our families, friends and especially our children.

This week, ask your child what they are thankful for.  I’m sure you’ll get a few superficial answers like toys, screen time and favorite TV shows, but as they often do, I’m sure at least one of their answers will surprise you.  Most children express the things they are thankful for with a thoughtfulness and innocence most adults can’t tap into.  They recognize the simplicity of what is truly important.  It is in these moments we learn so much from them. 

Our children challenge us to be better parents and better humans.  They make us think twice about our beliefs and they can turn a simple, three-letter word – why -  into an equation even a Noble prize-winning scientist couldn’t explain.  Our children challenge our communication skills.  We live twenty plus years honing our communication and suddenly this little human comes along, and we feel like we’re speaking another language.  We bumble our way through this foreign land and figure out a new way to communicate.  First through sign language and then words, we create a communication dance to get everyone’s needs met.  And then one day, what worked yesterday, doesn’t work anymore.  Emotional outbursts come out of nowhere as the struggle to express themselves resurfaces. 

The one thing you can count on as your child grows up, is that your communication style is going to grow along with them.  Even when you are communicating effectively with your kids there are always improvements that can be made to reinforce your relationship.  For this reason, I created my online course, Communicating through Connection and starting today I am offering the class for only $47!  The feedback I’ve received has been phenomenal and parents have seen immediate improvements.  The audio classes are short (all under 15 minutes) so it’s easy to find time to listen throughout your day.  The examples in the course are geared towards preteens, but the basic tenants behind the examples can be applied to any age, from 5 – 25 (yes really, one student of the class applied the tips in communicating with their 25-year-old and saw a change in their relationship). 

This year I am #GratefulFor the opportunity to share what I’ve learned.  Being a parent is not easy and you certainly never have everything figured out.  The relationship you have with your child is a life-long partnership.  A partnership that is strengthened by open and honest lines of communication where you both can hear and appreciate each other’s point of view.  We can all use a little help sharpening our skills and if what I’ve learned can help you and your child, then that is something I will always be #GratefulFor.
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Heart-FULLy Yours,    
Kacey
 
If have questions about the class, feel free reach out to me on Facebook or send me an email balancedheartcoaching@gmail.com.  Follow this link to get the special price or enter JOY1750 at check-out.