105. Becoming Aware Of Your Limits as a Parent and Why It Matters

Parenting Post-Wilderness: Parenting a Struggling Teen Before, During and After Treatment

Have you ever snapped at your partner or your teen over something small, not really sure why you overreacted? Or like no matter how much sleep you get or how many cups of coffee you drink, there’s still a part of you that feels completely drained?

Oof, believe me, you’re not alone. In this episode, Seth and I dive deep into a topic that resonates with every parent: understanding our limits and how to recognize when we’re stretched too thin.

We often fill our days with obligations or even fun activities that keep us busy, but rarely do we pause to ask, “How am I really doing emotionally, physically, mentally, relationally, and spiritually?”

“A lot of times when there’s emotional stress in my life, I’m giving out a ton of emotional energy, but I don’t realize the physical toll it’s taking on me.” - Seth Gottlieb

It’s a reality many of us parents face: We push ourselves beyond our physical and emotional limits without even noticing the signs our bodies are sending us.

Have you ever noticed how your energy automatically flows to your obligations? Work, your teen, … you name it. But what happens when our personal cup is empty? That’s when we tend to overreact to minor inconveniences, not because of the small things themselves, but because we are simply exhausted. And it’s hard not to let this exhaustion seep into our family dynamics, leading to unhealthy interactions.

Seth and I break down how to become more self-aware and communicate your current emotional bandwidth to your partner and children. Don’t get me wrong, this is not about always being positive or suppressing emotions. It's about recognizing what's really going on inside you and being honest about it. Because let’s be real: until we’re fully taking care of ourselves, we can’t be fully present for others.

But self-awareness takes practice. It requires us to pause and check in with ourselves regularly. Are we really okay, or are we just telling ourselves we are? What activities genuinely fill our buckets, and which ones are simply distractions?

Let’s explore this more together in today’s episode!

In this episode on becoming aware of our own limits as parents, we discuss:

• Recognizing our own physical, emotional, mental, relational, and spiritual limits as parents;
• Understanding how our capacity can impact those around us;
• The cost for ourselves and our families of Ignoring our needs as parents;
• The connection between physical and emotional energy and how this impacts our behavior and family dynamics.
• Differentiating between enjoyable and restorative activities;
• Having empathy for the energy needs of others, especially our struggling teens;
• Learning to communicate our current emotional state and limitations to our family members;
• Building healthier interactions within the family by understanding and managing our own energy levels;
• How self-regulation and self-awareness are key to being the best parent we can be.

Need support?

🗺️Need help setting healthy boundaries with your teen AND following through? My free guide will help you do so by creating your own Parent Home Plan!
🤍Influence lasting change in yourself and your struggling teen with my private coaching or parent group program specifically created for parents of struggling teens.

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