Modern parenting presents fresh challenges, including unrelenting time pressures, lack of support systems, and work demands, that often leave parents drained and worn-out. Erin Leyba, the mother of three young children, has been counseling parents on these issues for almost twenty years. She has developed techniques that help parents not only cope but also feel joy - in their parenting and in their relationships with their partners. Leyba draws from the latest research about child development, attachment, successful marriages, and mindfulness to create effective, doable solutions for balancing, simplifying, and communicating. She presents powerful tools that parents can use right away to de-stress, stay energized, and create more warmth and passion with loved ones. Whether new, veteran, overwhelmed, exhausted, or just interested in doing better than they are, parents will find proven help here. Simple, powerful ways to soothe parenting overwhelm from a family counselor, parenting blogger, and mother Erin Leyba, PhD, an individual and marriage counselor, specializes in helping parents of young children. In addition to her popular blogs, she speaks often to parenting and childcare groups. Leyba lives in the Chicago area. SAMPLE STRATEGIES FOR JOY PARENTS WILL LEARN FROM THIS BOOK
1. How to surprise your partner and keep the fire going
2. How to use your intuition to make good decisions for you or your child
3. How to appreciate what you do have, even when you're really struggling
4. How to make special time with a young child truly special
5. How to shift your environment or "ecology" to improve your mood
6. How to honor and work in "down time" for yourself or your children
7. How to confront comparisons if they are making you feel bad about yourself
8. How to be kind yet assertive when something upsets you
9. How to avoid drifting apart from your partner after having a baby together
10. How to alleviate guilt
11. How to talk with grandparents about their involvement in your child's life
12. How to process the changes that occur in friendships after having kids
"Joy Fixes for Weary Parents is the guide we have all been hoping for. Filled with practical ideas and research-based tips, this book will breathe new life into your parenting. Leyba is a sage whose words, wisdom, and honesty are sure to fill your days with more joy and less stress."
- Mandy Arioto, president and CEO of Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) International and author of Starry-Eyed: Seeing Grace in the Unfolding Constellation of Life and Motherhood
"What I love about Joy Fixes for Weary Parents is that it shows how to craft the life you love with your children - even during those bleary, weary parenting moments - by inviting a large dose of wisdom and humor into the equation. . . .This book gives you hope as you undertake one of the most meaningful and challenging journeys of a life well lived: parenting. Highly recommended!"
- Donald Altman, author of The Mindfulness Toolbox, One-Minute Mindfulness, and 101 Mindful Ways to Build Resilience
"A couples counselor's advice on keeping romance, humor, love, and laughter alive! What family doesn't need that?"
- Emma Seppälä, PhD, Yale University Center for Emotional Intelligence, author of The Happiness Track
