The most important thing you do as a parent is to CONNECT with your children.
To show up and BE.
Play and stay.
Reach and hold.
Model not mold.
Your relationship is the most important resource they can possibly have as they navigate through the ups and downs present in every person's life journey.
The difference between consequences and punishment is important to understand, as consequences are the natural outcome of an action and necessary for learning, while punishments are intentional pain inflicted to control behavior, which can damage the parent-child relationship and hinder a child's growth towards internal security.
Learn how to teach your kids the difference between insults and feedback, empowering them to take accountability for their actions and establish boundaries with bullies in this insightful video.
The most helpful way for a child to understand boundaries is to model it for them, and as parents, we should also honor some of our children's boundaries as well to protect connection and safety, not power.