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Reminder that sometimes the meltdown goes viral. When that happens you aren't going to be able to meet everyone's needs at once. You focus instead on minimizing the damage. Keep yourself from losing it as much as you can and focus on getting to the next thing so everyone can shift gears.
Use compassion on the outside even if you too are viral on the inside.
Hang in there parents. It's a real sh*t show some days.
A message to all fathers: keep going with your efforts to connect with your children because they desperately need to see what a healthy, connected, caring male looks like, and it will create a secure attachment that fosters resilience.
Learn how to foster secure attachment with your child by being a consistently responsive and connection-focused parent, and don't beat yourself up for not being perfect - the important thing is to focus on repairing and staying dedicated to the relationship.
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.