Most families have rules. Sometimes the bases for those rules are clear and sometimes those rules are made and held for... No specific reason. That lack of clarity can create challenges that make parenting feel overwhelming rather than grounded. The cracks really begin to show when your child is pushing back against a rule or is struggling to follow it or you move into a new cultural context and your child's peers have a whole different set of rules and now you're the bad cop. In those cases, when you're called to hold a boundary you've got to REALLY believe in it if you're going to do it well and in a way that is as conflict free as possible.
Furthermore, belonging is key for children's emotional safety and wrapped up in that is a child's own sense of identity. A child draws their identity from that of their family, their culture, their parents' behaviours, etc.
For international school students this challenge is even greater and makes a solid case for a defined, family unit with a clear identity. Not only does that help an international school child find their own individual identity, but it also contributes to the creation of a family unit that can weather the storms of transitions, cultural heterogeneity and conflicting traditions.
A lack of clarity around rules, identity and belonging what leads to self-doubt. This free toolkit will provide you with all that you need to build a solid parenting foundation by identifying the values and principles that shape your family’s identity and rules.
Below you will find the link to your Anchor Your Parenting Toolkit. Parenting isn’t something you can BS your way through - and you already know that. You can't make it up as you go along. Your child will know. If you're struggling with knowing what rules to cling on to and what rules to drop. If you are afraid that you are raising a child who thinks bad behaviour is rewarded. If you worry that others think your child is a brat.