Many parenting approaches exist, and
many of them are very successful – meeting the needs of the
parents, children and the family as a whole. But when parents make
child-rearing choices that are outside the mainstream, it can be
difficult to find professionals who understand those choices and the
context in which they are made. This in turn can be hard on families
who would like some support or guidance but are concerned that the
counselor may not approve of or be comfortable with their approach to
parenting.
Some parents enter their new role with
lots of good ideas about how to proceed as a parent, only to discover
that their temperament or their child's is ill-suited to the approach
that they have chosen. Other parents, further down the road, find
that they need to shift their perspective and focus from something
that used to work well but has not grown along with their child.
These and other parenting concerns are often what bring families to
seek my help.
My practice is friendly to all sorts of
parenting choices, from the traditional to the avant-garde, and
everything in between. I have personal experience with a wide range
of approaches. I have breast-fed a toddler and slept with my child. I
have worked on setting boundaries and limits, providing positive
discipline and using behavior modification (though I will admit this
is not my personal favorite). I have first-hand knowledge of what it
means to be different than some of the other parents in school or
church, and how to deal with feedback about the choices my family has
made.
Ultimately, every family is different,
and every parent needs to come to their own conclusions about what
works for them. Sometimes this is easy, and other times getting some
support, feedback and guidance is really helpful. I work closely with
families to create a warm and friendly environment where all
questions about child rearing can be considered and discussed,
whatever they may be.
If you are wondering about whether I
can be of help to your family, you can contact me at mikag@pacbell.net . You can also call for a free consultation, at 408-375-9635
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