Connection Capital Imagine that your relationship with your teen was like a bank account. Every time you do something they enjoy or communicate to them that you care for and understand them you put funds into the ‘connection bank’. Conversely when you ask them to do something (like chores or cleaning their room) or they […] Read more…
No One Is ‘Broken’ And No One Needs To Be ‘Fixed’
As an AuDHD person and the mother of neurodivergent teens, who are also part of the LGBTQ+ community I often sense that the perception of us is that we are somehow ‘broken’ or ‘defective’. A common sentiment I receive is sympathy or even pity for my ‘hard life’. Common things I hear from others when […] Read more…
The Importance of Seeing Your Child as ‘Good Inside’
Connection-Focused Parenting is a parenting style that focuses on establishing a mutually trusting, respectful and reciprocal relationship with your child. The upside of this approach is your child is more likely to let down their guard around you and see you as an ally. This is important for all child-parent relationships. However, even more so for […] Read more…
What Is Connection-Focused Parenting And Why It Is Important For Your Neurodivergent Teen
I am a parent of three neurodivergent teenagers and so I know that parenting teens can be tough. For many parents, the turbulent uncharted territory of the teenage years can feel like a minefield. Your amiable, loving kid who just yesterday, couldn’t bear to be apart from you pulls away from you and starts locking […] Read more…
Shifting The Paradigm Of Neurodiversity
Autism and ADHD are something that affects approximately 15-20% of the population. The increased diagnosis of Autism and ADHD in teens and adults highlights the need for there to be more conversations that facilitate the shifting of the paradigm on how we speak about, perceive and include neurodiversity. Meet The Valentins Our family is a […] Read more…
Even ‘Good Parents’ Grieve Their Parenting Journey Sometimes
All parents experience parental grief as part of their parenting journey. There are two types of parental grief. There is the irreconcilable grief that comes from the death of a child that no parent ever truly recovers from. (If this is you I hold nothing but love and respect in my heart for your loss). […] Read more…