Your Parenting GPS: Using Emotions as Guides

Never give advice. This is the first rule of thumb I learned when I began working as a life coach over a decade ago. The principle is based on the understanding that each of us comes equipped with our own guidance system – like an internal GPS – that, when followed, will guide us naturally toward the highest outcomes for ourselves and our children. Our inner GPS communicates to us through our emotions: Feelings like enthusiasm, passion, and anticipation indicate that we’re heading in the right direction; unpleasant emotions like anxiety, frustration, or impatience are signs that our choices may lead to conflict.

Ultimately, our job as conscious, loving parents is not to seek out the “right” advice, but to become skilled in fine tuning our intuition. The rush of excitement we feel when we come upon a choice that we know is right; the inexplicable feeling of trepidation that nags us to pay attention to a situation that could be harmful to our children… both are important messengers that help guide us to the appropriate course of action. The Enlightened Kid Program does not offer advice for the simple reason that looking outside ourselves for answers disconnects us from the very wisdom we need to chart our own course. What it offers instead is a series of proven processes, each one designed to help you clarify what you desire in relation to your children, and to allow your emotions to tell you in each moment where you are in relation to fulfilling those desires.

You have everything within you to be the conscious and loving parent you want to be. The more fluent you are in the language of your own feelings, the more skillful you’ll become at navigating any situation and adjusting your course to meet the changing needs of your child.