Ep 150: Recognizing and Managing Stress Triggers as Parents

Parenting with Impact

Listen to this Parenting With Impact episode with Elaine Taylor-Klaus and Diane Dempster about parental well-being.

Ten Self Care Tips for Parents

Do you give and give until you give yourself away? You’re not alone! In this FREE

guide for caring (and exhausted!) parents, you may recognize some of the key tips -- but it’s always good to have a reminder! And then there will be some new ideas to help you put yourself back on your list and find a little more peace and joy in family life. Sure, your kids may need more than other kids. But that doesn’t mean you don’t deserve the care you need to keep helping your kids!

Here is what to expect on this week’s show:

• Parenting challenges can significantly impact the well-being and emotions of parents. Diane and Elaine explore the theme that parents often become stressed, overwhelmed, and experience a range of emotions due to their focus on their children. They emphasize the importance of parents taking care of themselves in order to effectively engage with their children. They discuss the need for parents to be in a good mental state to problem solve and navigate the complexities of parenting.
• Diane shares her personal experience of realizing her stress while watching home videos. She struggled to control the chaos in her life. Elaine adds that stress can lead to offensive or defensive approaches, such as shutting down or becoming aggressive. Diane explains the stages of dysregulation, where emotions and logical thinking compete in the brain. This often happens when parents feel overwhelmed, worried, or burdened by guilt or perfectionism. Elaine emphasizes that parents may react to stress in various ways, including internalizing, engaging in unhealthy behaviors, or resorting to explosions, blaming, and micromanaging.
• Prevention is crucial for maintaining emotional well-being and avoiding reactive behaviors. Diane and Elaine discuss the importance of recognizing triggers and staying aware to prevent escalation. Elaine shares an interesting perspective about how children and adults may already be in a triggered state, making explosive reactions more likely.
• Emotional regulation is a crucial skill that helps individuals manage their emotions and respond to challenging situations in a healthy manner. According to Diane and Elaine, it's important to be gentle with oneself when it comes to emotional regulation. They suggest taking a moment to breathe, reclaim your brain, and figure out what you need in that moment. They also highlight the importance of finding strategies that work for you, such as taking a walk or engaging in self-care activities. Ultimately, emotional regulation is about noticing and navigating your emotions.

Links:

Self-Awareness, Self-Regulation, & Self-Management

What Story are You Telling Yourself?

RESENTMENT! Understanding, Managing, and Overcoming It

What Story are You Telling Yourself?

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