Gen Muir | Author | Parent Educator

Last week in my stories I shared a concern a beautiful mum had shared with me in our one oh one session. A fear that she might be making her kids anxious by rushing them. This is a mum who is doing an incredible job raising three small kids, parenting in a way that is different to how she was raised, naming feelings, setting boundaries without shame or threats and doing “the work”. While also getting to work, paying the bills and making it all happen. And yet it’s almost like no matter what we do it’s never enough. We know so much and we worry with one wrong move we will muck it up. I am not immune to these fears. They come for me too. But I am also positive that we don’t blow it all up with one wrong move and there just simply has to be some room for being human. I’m sharing the advice tonight I think we can ignore.. let me know if it resonates below and what the fears you have about mucking it all up below ⬇️

Meet your guide to navigating parenting's most difficult challenges... Build connection, deal with difficult behaviour, and nurture emotional resilience in your kids. LITTLE PEOPLE, BIG FEELINGS by Genevieve Muir, out 30 Jan 2024. Link in bio to pre-order.

Helping kids with social struggles is tricky! @highlowbuffalocards can help! Link in bio to order your set.

Whooo 🙌🙌🙌 so excited to be speaking on Tuesday after all about ‘Connection from Birth’ alongside the gorgeous @sarahmariefahd and @emmy__samtani This event is being put on by @kiindred_official and will be celebrating all things baby and toddler! Want to come watch?? I have a link in my stories for some lucky parents to win tickets to come along!!! See my stories for the link and hopefully see you there!

My TED talk is live 🙌 and I can’t lie, when I realised it was up there, I suddenly felt deep panic. What if it’s no good? What if I look too nervous? All of the things. But I’ve watched it, and I’m really proud to share this talk. It’s the accumulation of 17 years of work on my own parenting and of the last decade working as a parent educator with other parents. I am so passionate about the difference parent education can make….. as long as it’s done with kindness, humour and compassion. I think that comes across here. I would absolutely love for you to watch the full talk and tell me what stood out, what resonated. Comment below or DM me — the more interaction, the further this travels. 💛 🔗 Full talk: link in bio. #TEDx #TEDxSutherland @tedxsutherland_ @tedx_official @tedxsydney

Do your kids share every detail about their day? Or is it like getting blood from a stone? When we ask questions that are low pressure, and really specific kids brains can actually open up. The issue with how was your day is that kids can’t recall all the ups and downs or the funny bits. @highlowbuffalocards helps us break it down and create pockets of connection. I’ve loved hearing the difference that is making in your families… so many kids are finally spilling the tea!!!! 👊💪 Link bio to get your pack or go to @highlowbuffalocards

Continence struggles are far more common than most parents realise, yet they’re still something so many families navigate quietly. In our first conversation of the series, paediatrician @drdeblevy , parent educator Gen Muir @connectedparentingau and @kindship_au CEO Hayley Tilley unpack why so many parents feel alone when their child is experiencing bedwetting, daytime accidents, or ongoing continence challenges. What we’ve learnt is that so many families feel like they’re supposed to figure it out on their own and that they’re the only ones going through it. We’re here to open up the conversation, reduce the shame and stigma and remind parents that they are not alone and neither is their child. Thank you to @nundies_ for being such a thoughtful partner with shared values. 🙏🏼 Discover resources via the link 🔗 #confidence #nundies

We imagine our kids painting, laughing with friends and playing games when we send them off to school. But sometimes the playground feels more like Lord of the Flies 😅 Friendship struggles, exclusion, strong personalities and playground politics can leave some kids really unsure of how to stand up for themselves. And while the tips in this post can absolutely help, there’s one thing that matters before all of it. Listening first. I know that’s easier said than done, because our instinct as parents is often to jump in with solutions. But when we rush to fix it, we can accidentally skip over what our child needs most. To feel seen, heard and understood. If we move too quickly into problem-solving, kids can feel dismissed. Like we’re trying to get rid of the feeling instead of understanding it. But when we slow down and sit with them first, their nervous system settles and they become much more open to guidance and coaching (making it easier to try these tips). And importantly, it builds something bigger long term. The belief that they can come to you with hard things. Not just now, but in those tricky teenage years too! So before the advice, before the coaching, before the “here’s what you should do next time”… Pause. Listen. Connect first. THEN coach. I recently sent my email list a story about exactly what I said to my son to help him stand up to a kid who was picking on him. If you’re not on my email list yet, jump on via the link in bio And ill make sure you get my weekly email with extra tips. 💪

When Gen Muir and I ran our 'Big Emotions & Tricky Behaviours' masterclass, we got a lot of fabulous feedback from parents and carers of toddlers and tweens. As well as both being boy mums, Gen and I share a common-sense, highly practical approach to parenting and caring for kids. So this month, I’m offering $10 off the masterclass replay, making it just $25 until the end of May. If you are looking for tips for tackling those big feelings and eruptions without rupturing your connection with your child, you will love this. Link in bio…

One of the hardest things we can hear. “No one would play with me” 💔 Loved this chat with the nicest humans @davidcampbell73 @sylviajeffreys about a really heartbreaking topic for kids and parents with @thetodayshow Has your child ever struggled with friendships? All of my boys have a different times, and while there is such a strong instinct to step in and give them advice I’ve learned over the years that really stopping to listen truly makes such a difference. Let me know what your child’s friendship struggles are or if you struggle with what to do to help below 👇

Sending love to all the mums today. To all the mums missing babies and their own mums or grieving in particular. Be gentle today with yourself today and lean into it. It’s a big day and if you can take a moment for you for a quiet coffee, a walk or a moment that feels restorative I hope you take it. No matter how your day shaped up just know this: To your babies and to your kids you are their sun, their moon and their stars and you are doing so much better than you know. ✨💙