The Secret Ingredient of Joyful Parenting

Susie Walton is a speaker, author, and pioneer in parent education who has been leading seminars, hands-on workshops, full-length parenting classes, instructor trainings, teacher in-services and one-on-one coaching for over 23 years. In the following article, she talks about what she feels is missing from many people’s parenting experience today.

The Joy of Parenting

People always ask me, “What’s the secret to a joyful family?” It’s really no secret, but think about what it takes to cook your favorite dish. When you get the right balance of ingredients and you know when to use them, the result is a delicious, satisfying meal. When it comes to creating joyful families, each family will have its own recipe and distinct flavor. But the one key ingredient is love. When you learn to infuse love into everything you do, including discipline, you’ll be creating the family of your dreams.

Everything in good measure.

Julia Child, famed chef, liked to say, “With enough butter, anything is good.” When it comes to disciplining, I say, “With enough love, parenting can remain joyful and even fun!”

It’s not that we stop loving our child, it’s only that we forget to act from a place of love when we discipline our children. It’s crucial that even in discipline, our children can feel that we are on their side. If this sounds a little too “kumbaya” for you, rest assured. It is possible to be a strong parent and an approachable one at the same time.

Let me take you back to the ‘butter’ idea.

In cooking, too much butter will squelch the deliciousness of the recipe. It smothers, and does not let the true flavors shine through. Most importantly, it’s not healthy. Too little butter (or coconut oil) will not bring out the deliciousness of the recipe.

It’s the same with parenting. Loving our kids too much-- and what I mean by this is ‘doing too much for our kids’ or not allowing them to experience the ups and downs of life-- will squelch the deliciousness of the experience which is so important for their well-being. It doesn’t allow them grow into their true selves. It’s not healthy.

And when we forget to put love in while we discipline, no one gets to experience the deliciousness or the joy of the experience.

Balance is the key. Love is the secret ingredient to maintaining the joy of parenting. This is something we get to constantly work on as parents, adjusting the recipe as needed.

What I believe happens to so many of us is that we judge our joy based on our child’s behavior rather than the experience of being part of our child’s journey. The joy diminishes because we move from our hearts to our thoughts or our limiting belief on what makes parenting joyful!

Invaluable Parenting Advice

Julia Child said, “This is my invaluable advice to people: Learn how to cook, try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless and above all, have fun!”

In parenting I say, “Learn how to parent, try new tools, learn from your mistakes, be fearless and above all, have fun!”

My wish for every parent is to gain enough insight and tools to bring more joy and fun into parenting. Yes, just like with cooking, parenting is a learned skill! I encourage every parent to take a parenting course! Let’s face it, this is the most challenging and the most rewarding job you will ever have, and it doesn’t end once they graduate from high school. It is a job you will not ever retire from, as it is life-long. The benefits from it are not like anything you could ever imagine. In two words: love and joy.

Ready to take a parenting course to sharpen your skills and strengthen your family? Susie Walton’s The Joy of Parenting is a cutting-edge class for the parent who is seeking to raise children in a more conscious way; fostering the development of trust and respect between all family members.

To learn more about Susie Walton and the Joy of Parenting Course, visit www.indigovillage.com.