Business Name
   
   County
   
   
   

Busy Bees Daycare & Family Centre Ltd. in Gurteen

Little Gems Montessori in South County Dublin

Saints and Scholars Creche in Sligo

Little Harvard Creche and Montessori in Rathnew

Whitefriars Creche, Montessori & Afterschool in Dublin 8

Rathfarnham Day Care in Dublin 14

Jackanory Childcare in Greystones

Tir Na nÓg Too @ Rainbows End in Dublin 5

Tir Na nÓg Creche & PreSchool in Dublin 5

Little Oaks Creche in Dublin 2

Lollipop Lane Creche, Montessori & After-School in Tubbercurry

Tots & Co in Dublin 9

Tots & Co in Dublin 4

Coco's Childcare in South County Dublin

Park Academy in Castlebar

Park Academy in Claremorris

Lilliput Lane Creche & Montessori in Dublin 22

Montessori Matters in West County Dublin

Little Busy Bees in Dublin 5


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Home -> Parent Info -> The Parent Coach

January 2010 : Newsletter from our Parent Coach Marian Byrne

Out with the old and in with the new!

'Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right'. Oprah Winfrey

At this time of year, our minds often turn to reflecting on the year past and looking forward to the year ahead.

If you have done it for your life in general, chances are you may have lost sight of your 'resolutions' already (studies show 71 % of people keep their New Year resolutions for two weeks, 64 % for a month and 50 % for three months).

My request/challenge is to take 10 minutes today (and just think how mad it is if you cannot take even that amount out of the 1,440 minutes there are available to you today) to reflect on the 'year that was' in a parenting context and to identify just one thing you might do or change for the year ahead.

That one change could positively impact the 525,600 minutes there are in a year.

Reflecting on 2009, in a parenting context;

  • What was your best memory?
  • What was the best decision you made?
  • What was the greatest lesson you learned?
  • What did you do really well?
  • On reflection, what was the biggest source of stress or concern?
  • What compliment would you liked to have received?
  • What compliment did you receive?
  • What one or two words sum up your 2009 experience?

Looking forward to 2010, again in a parenting context;

  • What one thing, if you did it, would have the most positive inflence or impact on your family?
  • What one or two words would you like to have as a theme for the year ahead?
  • What is the most important thing for you to keep in mind/focus as you make your way, day to day, through the year ahead?
  • What are you going to do, that you have never done before, that will make this a memorable year for you and your family?

Some suggestions?

  • Do one thing a day or week that is not on a 'list' (ie 'has' to be done)
  • Do at least one thing a week that you love to do
  • Look into their eyes and not at their ears, hair, hands etc to check them...
  • Eat ice cream
  • Go the the beach/park/wood etc (especially in autumn or winter and not just when everyone else does)
  • Sing (especially if you can't!)
  • Smile and laugh more often even (especially!) if things and times are tough
  • Remember that we only have our children for a relatively short period of time. It is over in the blink of an eye. No matter what the challenges, enjoy every minute of them!

A little girl was chatting with her mum who was reflecting about when she was a little girl herself.
'I used to sit on the swing in my garden and swing as high as I could and sing and laugh for hours'
Her daughter, without a moments hesitation replied ' I would have loved to have known you back then'.

I would love to hear from you. If you have any thoughts, stories feedback or ideas you would like to share, please forward them to me at marian@theparentcoach.ie

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