Parenting can be tough when you have wilful and opinionated teenagers in the house thinking it is their God given right to occupy a space in the home without contributing in any way.  A mother from the parenting programme Building Awesome Whanau stopped for a chat after class.  She was telling me that the days programme gave her some great tips for dealing with her child in an appropriate manner, without flipping her lid at them.  She was eager to go home and put her newfound knowledge into practice.  She realises that she is not perfect and keeping the peace in the home does not have to be at the expense of her sanity. 

She has come such a long way and I encouraged her to keep her blinkers on and not let life’s distractions knock her off course.  She told me that removing herself when things get heated has been beneficial.  This is when she heads to the park to get her feet on the ground and fresh air in her lungs.  I am very proud of this lady as she dusts herself off and focuses on keeping herself in a good space, so that losing the plot does not happen every time her teenager ticks her off.