Amy Morin’s 13 Things Mentally Strong Parents Don’t Do is a must-read for parents and parents to be. It’s easy to read, well-written, and points out 13 key pillars that parents of our generation have moved away from. This book has created a clear delineation of my role as a parent while helping me separate out the discomforts of parenting that tap into my own insecurities as a person.
My favorite “thing” of the “13 things” that Amy points out is avoiding the victim mentality. It’s one that is easy to fall into for all of us, of all ages and genders, and especially for children and adolescents who are anxious. Instead of becoming subject to circumstances, Amy points out how we, as parents, can shape our circumstances so that they serve us. Instead of feeling badly for ourselves, it’s taking the current situation and turning it into what we want it to be. I just love how she also gives us permission, as parents, to hold our children to higher standards, and to hold them accountable to those standards. It’s not that simple, I know, but if we as parents can model this for our children and use this language in our daily conversations, we will create children who are good problem solvers, leaders, and innovators.
As a Child & Adolescent Psychologist, I can attest to how these strategies and exercises will help you to raise a resilient child who is confident, self-sufficient, and ultimately, happy.