Peaceful Parenting
What does it mean to be a Peaceful Parent?
No human is always peaceful. Peaceful Parenting just means that we work on ourselves first, so that we aren't taking our own emotions out on our children.
- We take responsibility for regulating our own emotions, so we can stay as calm as possible with our children.
- We set limits with empathy.
- We reflect before we react, looking for the reason behind our child's behavior.
- We connect before we correct.
- We try to accept our child's "big" emotions with compassion, which helps the child move past them.
- We apologize and repair when we mess up.
- We take responsibility for keeping our own "love cups" full, so we can pour our appreciation, acceptance and unconditional love into our child.
And we end up with more peaceful homes and hearts, a lot less drama, and a lot more love.
Start Here:
The Neurobiology of Peaceful Parenting
Four videos of Dr. Laura Markham's parenting hacks to work with your child's nervous system (and your own!) for optimal brain development & a more peaceful home.
Read More
Why Peaceful Parenting?
Peaceful parenting raises an emotionally healthy child who WANTS to cooperate, without yelling, threats, bribes or punishment.
Read More
Mindful Parenting: Your #1 Responsibility as a Parent
If we can stay mindful—meaning we notice our emotions and consciously CHOOSE how to act on them—we model emotional regulation, and our children learn from watching us.
Read More
13 Tips to Transition to Peaceful Parenting
You Can Be That Peaceful Parent. Here's your plan.
Read More
Does Peaceful Parenting Mean Letting Kids Do Whatever They Want?
Parents can get confused about peaceful parenting, thinking it means their child will do whatever he wants. But here's how to stay in charge...peacefully.
Read More
The surprise side benefit of regulating your own emotions
Would you work harder to stay calm, if you knew it would change your child's brain?
Read More
Healing Yourself So You Can Be a More Peaceful Parent
The truth is that virtually all of us were wounded as children, and if we don't heal those wounds, they prevent us from parenting our children optimally.
Read More
Staying Calm When One Child Hurts the Other
Most parents say that when one child hurts another, it’s the hardest time for them to self-regulate. The truth is, the reason you “lose it” is that you feel powerless and the rage makes you feel better.
Read More
Teen's Perspective: What Peaceful Parenting Taught Me
I often get questions from parents unconvinced of the effectiveness of my parenting techniques. I have a treat for you--a first-hand account from a peacefully parented young adult.
Read More
"I read your Toddler tips yesterday and tried each suggestion, and LO! My daughter has not been fighting me! Like some kind of magic it just works!"
Karina
Dr. Laura is a parent whisperer! - Liz McIntosh
Liz McIntosh
Dr. Laura's parenting advice completely changed my relationship with my daughter, improved her self-esteem, and transformed our lives. Providing my daughter with acknowledgement of her feelings and point of view reduced her oppositional behaviors and emotional meltdowns to nearly none. - Jodie Tokatlian
Dr. Laura, you have created miracles, large and small, in so many lives and our children thank you.
Folks, she's brilliant. It's wonderful to have parenting experts who don't see the child as the enemy in a locked combat, for one thing. I recommend it.
"I'd really recommend Laura Markham's Aha! parenting books and website for brilliantly practical ways to parent with kindness instead of punishment." - Makchoon
Makchoon
I have seen amazing improvement in my *very* angry 17 year-old son after acknowledging that there was a reason he was so angry and acting out. We have had several heartfelt conversations and I have seen a real change in how he treats his younger brother, and how he treats me.
I know that I am a better parent thanks to Dr. Laura's inspirational words and suggestions.
I love AhaParenting because there is always a "pick yourself up and try again" to it. - Chantal Harrison
Chantal Harrison
It's like these emails were meant for me. - Caroline Henry
"Just wanted to say how much I appreciate receiving your regular emails. They've improved my parenting (and me as a person!) and made my children's lives better. Thank you!" - Andrei
Andrei
My daughter reacts so much better when I empathize and stay patient. And now I get to model that behavior instead of letting my frustration get the better of me.
Thank YOU so much for your encouraging weekly newsletters and your Facebook posts. Since I began following your approach, I have noticed a difference in the compassion I show to myself, and how much more that helps me connect with my kids. We are all feeling a lot more overall peace!
Thank you for your weekly emails and your books. They're a life line for me when I really need support during a rough patch. - Lisa Fernandez
Lisa Fernandez
Today I say thank you, tears streaming from my face, so proud of my little boy and all he will become. Thank you. - Jennifer B.
Jennifer B
Yes. It works. And the more rest I get, the more patience I have. It makes a difference.
Dear Dr. Laura Markham! I am a mother of 2 boys - 16 and 7 years old. I am extremely grateful for all the emotional and relational education that you provide us and also for your incredible loving energy to support our evolution as parents, as human beings. I took your course 3 years ago. Although the challenges of the parent-child relationship change almost every year, your parenting principles are equally valuable and effective. It's hard to reprogram the emotional-behavioral pattern learned in my own childhood... so I find it very helpful to go back to your teachings to regain trust and patience as a parent every time new challenges trigger my anxiety. To have more clarity, to reset my energy. Thank you!!
Janina-Madalina Dobrescu
Your philosophies are the only tools we've come across which offer practical advice grounded in clearly laid out lay terminology. Our family life day-to-day is nothing short of a miracle, thanks to you! - Dana Questad
Dana Questad
