Are you a HIGH Achieving Parent
Posted on June 6, 2011 12:00:00am, by Gerrianne Clare
If you are like most high achievers, you like the title? You set the bar high and pride yourself on doing whatever it takes to accomplish your goals.
You have the education, dedication and motivation to get the job done well.
As a high achiever you have probably gone to university and received specialized training to be good at your craft.
You have a strong work ethic and manage clients, patients, employees or contractors in the course of your work. Your work life consists of phrases such as contracts, standards, rules of engagement, return on investment, cost benefit analysis, projections, goals etc.
There is a knowingness and confidence that comes with the education and experience you bring to your job.
With all of this structure and control in your life do you find it challenging to put the same kind of tenacity into parenting your kids?
If the answer is yes (but quietly for fear someone may hear), then you are not alone.
(After all, at the end of a busy day making high level decisions, running a businesss or managing employees, you may ask yourself why can’t your kids or spouse just cooperate and give you a break?)
Parenting kids is an immensely rewarding experience but can be incredibly frustrating because there are no hard and fast rules or standards to guide you. With so many experts, the fear is ever looming that you will do something that will screw up your kids.
How do you sift through all of the information to decide what is right for you and your family?
Your education, knowledge and experience guide you in your work life. Parenting, on the other hand, seems to be a combination of luck, genetics, temperament, knowledge and good old fashioned intuition.
I predict that for you, the highly motivated, educated parent, who is used to power and control,
Parenting well is your GOAL
YET
PARENTING WITH CONFIDENCE is your CHALLENGE.
Do any of these statements sound familiar?
- You love your kids but can’t believe how frustrating it is to get them to do anything around the house
- Your kids are so demanding of your time and space, how do you ever get a break?
- You are a high achiever, and your child is a low achiever,you don't know how to motivate her to do anything
- You want them to grow up to be healthy responsible adults, but right now you are dealing with the devil incarnate.
- Your child is also a high achiever, and you see an imbalance and anxiety in her that worries you. She puts so much pressure on herself.
- How do you teach them a healthy work ethic, without becoming a drill sergeant?
- How do I maintain a healthy, fun and juicy relationship with my spouse, when our time is all caught up with work and the kids?
If any of these statements ring true for you, I would love to hear your thoughts.
For those of you who have finished with kids at home, what did it take to feel that confidence in your parenting?
For those of you still in the trenches, what are you doing to thrive during these years? Do you have any advice to give?
High achievers, there is support for you to be all you want to be as parents.
Hugs
Gerrianne