Heartfelt Parenting
Brain science tells us that children develop better when parents can regulate and express their own emotions effectively; are present and attentive - rather than in 'autopilot' mode; and can combine warmth, empathy and compassion with an appropriate level of authority. In this book, psychologist and mother of two, Shelly Chauhan, uses powerful and insightful neuroscience to show you how and why you regulate emotions as you do, how this affects your ability to connect with your children, and how this shapes their growing minds, behaviour, resilience and relationships. In this time of relentless mental overload, busy schedules and constant stimulation, parents know only too well how difficult it can be to stay open, warm and connected to their children. This book will show you how to feel relaxed, accessible and compassionate when you are around your children, even when life is at its busiest. It will help reduce the stress and complexity that modern parenting seems to involve and turn it into the intuitive, natural and enjoyable process it is meant to be.
Shelly Chauhan, a chartered psychologist and executive coach, has coached and trained a large number of clients in the corporate world over the past eighteen years on issues such as resilience, stress management and emotional intelligence. In sessions with clients, the conversation regularly turned to parenting as they sought to discover how they could manage their stress levels to be better parents. Having two young children herself, Shelly was only too aware of the challenges of parenting and how parenting guilt and worry could affect other areas of one's life. Over the years she came to realise that at the heart of many of these clients' difficulties was their struggle to notice and regulate their emotional states, and how deeply this affected their ability to connect with, influence and feel genuine empathy for other people, including their children. Based on years of meticulous research into the neuroscience of emotional regulation, stress and human connection, Shelly was inspired to translate this complex research into a methodology combining brain science with practical exercises to help clients enhance their capacity for emotional regulation, wellbeing and connection. Feedback from clients highlights the power of this approach to transform parenting and increase resilience, empathy and general wellbeing both in children and parents. Shelly has a deep sense of compassion towards children. She is committed to helping parents understand how powerful an impact loving connection has on the growing brains of their children and how their need to be loved, understood and accepted is hardwired into us all. Shelly lives in Surrey, England, with her husband and two children, aged ten and seven.
This book will show you how to nurture your child's brain for life-long emotional resilience, authenticity and well-being.