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Habit #12 – Ask for Help

December 14, 2016

The WISE family realizes there is a time to ask for help.  No one and no family is 100% healthy all the time.  Every family runs into times or situations or issues that they can’t handle well.  It may be a problem with one or more of the kids.  Or maybe a time of conflict between you and your parenting partner.  Or a situation from outside the family that causes significant stress.  Any or all of these can lead to problems that can cause enough stress to put even the most put-together-looking family out of balance.  When you can’t handle something in your family, reach out to those who can help.

Wise Families nurture positive (5)

There is no shame in doing this.  No one expects you to deal with everything that happens in or to your family by yourself (cough cough – except you!).  There is no amount of training you can get as parents that will tell you the best thing to do in every situation.

There are no magic answers in parenting.

Even professionals sometimes have to just do the best they can with their training. Not everything works with every situation a family finds itself in.  But a professional will have the tactics and techniques in his/her arsenal to help you with just about any situation.  A great FIRST STOP is a fellow parent.  Ask who they recommend for a particular problem or if they know of families going through similar issues.  If you don’t have a fellow parent to get support from, make an appointment with your child’s Pediatrician.  More and more pediatrician’s offices across the country are becoming comprehensive resources for both physical and emotional/mental health!  A very exciting trend!

Your child’s school can also be an amazing source of information and support.  And you won’t have to sit in the principal’s office to get it – just stop in and talk to the front office staff – it is my sincere belief that people don’t work in education for the pay – they are there because they LOVE kids!  Really!

Of course, you can always hop on Facebook and go to Wise Families and message me – I once had a fantasy about giving all of my friends advice, remember – you’d be helping me live out my purpose!

It will take work.  Many, many families come to my office hoping to get “fixed” – but problems don’t make themselves overnight – and neither do solutions. Not much is easy when you and your family are going through trials.  But it will be worth it.

The decision to seek help is tough to make.  If this becomes necessary, do it.  You’re showing your kids the importance you place on your family and their well-being by doing so.  And, you are normalizing the experience of getting support when you need it – something you want them to be able to do as they grow and spend more time in the big, wide world!

Until next week, Be Wise!

Amy