If you’re a parent who grew up in a dysfunctional family. They aren’t always volatile family, sometimes they are emotionally neglectful too – it’s very likely that you will pendulum the complete opposite way to protect your children.
Maybe unknowingly.
That’s how generational trauma works. Hopefully, you’re aware, on some level of how your upbringing made you feel invisible, bad or wrong, and consequently, how that made life hard for you growing up.
Break the cycle!
I felt deeply ashamed of myself for years because of the way I was raised, but history repeats itself, and that the only way to feel better about it was to break that generational pattern of dysfunction.
Emotional well-being for the next generation.
Hopefully, if you’re reading this, you’re educating yourself, or possibly have been to therapy to look at ways you can teach emotional literacy to your kids. You understand the importance of emotional well-being and you don’t want to run the risk of your child developing an addiction or suffering in any way with their mental health.
Support children’s emotional well-being
A good place to start if you’re new here is with a copy of my book Stuck Between Two Worlds.
I write in this blog post Why Stuck Between Two Worlds is not just another kids story book and in this one 5 Things Stuck Between Two Worlds Teaches Us About Anger.
You don’t learn how to nourish your mind, body + soul at school
Yet you need to know this stuff. It gives life more purpose and meaning which is way more fulfilling. I see that children growing up today are anxious and depressed – they are losing their connection with themselves because they are avoiding or running from their feelings. This I write about how social media influences this and why it greatly concerns me.
The magic of storytelling to educate, relate + communicate
So, here are 5 hidden coaching tools in Stuck Between Two Worlds that will nourish your child’s mental and emotional well-being. I’ve successfully used them all in my coaching work over the past decade to support Wildhearts (strong-willed, sensitive children), children who can’t sleep, children who are bullied, children who struggle with high levels of anxiety or anger and children who feel lost, lonely or left out.
Start important conversations
1. There are many tips and tricks in the book that show you and your child how their body language can determine their feelings and impact how confident they feel (and vice versa). You can have fun practising these together in front of a mirror for situations where they feel nervous, anxious or shy.
2. If you or your child are prone to jumping on the worry train, you can pay a visit to the peaceful Walled Garden where you will find your very own Clarity Cloud to dissolve your mental anguish. If you’re feeling indecisive or confused about something or somebody, you can check in with your Super Squad too who will guide you in the right direction.
3. If you or your child are prone to deep thinking (or overthinking as some people like to call it!), you can discover the positivity of the Smiley Thought Cards – yes, they make a guest appearance! This little box of magic cards help children develop a growth mindset, strengthen their emotional resilience and approach life with a ‘can do‘ attitude.
4. If you or your child tend to catastrophise (think the worst or jump to conclusions), you can learn how to use the power of your imagination to shift your busy brain and feel more positive and self-assured.
‘You can run a movie from the black screen inside your mind. Your imagination is the coolest place on earth and it’s all yours. Nobody can tell you what to think. Nobody can get in there and crawl around. It’s private and it’s fun. I prefer living in my head. That is my safe space and, I’m comforted by daydreams, drifting off to make up stories and poems.’
5. For sensitive intuitive souls, big and small, you can learn how to access your heart energy because sometimes in life you will have to feel scared AND brave at the same time as you learn, grow and explore. Learning new things and adapting to change means you need to trust the unknown and heart energy really helps with that.
At the back of the book there is a glossary of ‘Wilderness Words & Meanings’ so you can learn as you go.
And there’s more …
The book also role models a healthy blueprint for love (useful if you come from a toxic family system that is rigid and where love is conditional), how to use muscle testing (kinesiology) to make decisions or test the validity of your worries / thoughts when you’re confused and teaches sensitive kids how to protect their energy in toxic environments.
A toxic environment is when your child feels unsafe, afraid or powerless.
For Moon Child Crystal Lovers
And for all you moon lovers out there the book explains to children about the cycles of the Moon energy and how they can harness that to set goals and let go of any bad feelings or situations that are challenging them or wasting their energy. If your child is a Crystal Child – I think that’s another name for a Highly Sensitive Child (HSP) or Empath, they will delight in learning about how the energy of crystals can help them feel at ease in their bodies.
Our brain learns best when we’re relaxed + happy!|
So snuggle up and dive into the magical adventure of Stuck Between Two Worlds and discover these fun and easy ways you can feel better about yourself today. I’ve made a free read-along guide too so you can learn as you go! 👇
Enjoy this FREE Read-Along Activity Guide for those who want to put the book into action as you read. You know that confidence & self-awareness building takes practice. Pop in your details & start learning today.
Inside you’ll find coaching activities for 1:1 work, pairs or groups. Includes conversation starters, reflection questions, role plays, journal prompts, games and lots of Smiley creative fun.
