Episode 58: Positive Parenting with Wendy Snyder from Fresh Start Family
Today I am having a conversation with Wendy Snyder, from Fresh Start Family. Wendy Snyder is a Positive Parenting Teacher & Family Coach, helping families parent with great purpose and intention by creating healthy, respectful & cooperative relationships. She is certified in Redirecting Children's Behavior & The Joy of Parenting Program.
Wendy founded her online business, Fresh Start Family, so that she could spread the message of positive parenting across the world. She is the developer of a variety of online positive parenting courses and also has a monthly membership program to further support families.
In this episode:
Who is Wendy: As a first time parent, Wendy was blessed with what she calls a strong willed child. In her own words: “Time outs were a jokes, spankings were not working, everything about parenting was such drama and I hit rock bottom. I found a positive parenting class, and was able to add knew tools to my tool belt. I suddenly had options and everything changed.”
I’ve now been in this work for about a decade, I help parents expand their parenting toolkits, so they can really be “at choice”. We do that through teaching a lot of positive parenting tools, mindset shifts, work on limiting beliefs, and a lot of work with the parents, and of course having self compassion.
Why do you do what you do? I had a thousand horror stories from when my daughter was a toddler. And now she is just a dream kid and we have the BEST relationship, I’m able to be the mom and have the relationship with my kids that I want. Because of finding Positive Parenting.
What is POSITIVE PARENTING: Finding the middle ground between too firm (my way or the highway) and being too kind ( kids walk all over the parents and get away with a lot). Finding the balance between firm and kind. Learning how to set strong boundaries with consistency and everything is based in positive psychology. It’s also all about assuming positive intent in our children.
“A misbehaving child = a communicating child.”
- Wendy Snyder, Fresh Start Family
Positive Parenting Payoffs: Putting in the work now will help create strong, positive relationships with our kids well into teenage and adult years.
Rules + Relationship = Respect
Rules- Relationship= Rebellion
This conversation is full of so much GOLD!
Here are a few more ideas we cover in this episode:
-How humility helps you parent better and gain respect.
-How to handle power struggles.
-True Power vs. Force
-Creating a “team environment” in your family.
-Shifting away from Fear, Force, Bribes, and Rewards.
-Finding a Positive Parenting Educator.
-Courage to start learning and stepping into something new.
-Dealing with struggles, shame and blame.
-The power of being vulnerable about parenting challenges.
- The work is WORTH IT
Resources from Wendy :
Find Wendy on Instagram and Slide into her DM’s
Guide to raising strong willed kids
Power Struggles Workshop
Fresh Start Family Podcast
Bonfire Membership Program