Therapy
Mental health has such a stigma these days. If your kids are in therapy you're a bad parent. If you're in therapy you're a bad parent. That's simply just not true. Life is HARD. Being a parent is hard. I'm here today to tell you that it's ok to need the extra help.
Being a kid and having to go to therapy can seem like a death sentence. It's "embarrassing" or not "cool." I literally tell Trent all the time that only cool kids go to therapy, because there's nothing more rad than working on yourself. Just imagine how his coping skills will evolve as a teenager because of the work he's putting in at eight. He's getting to the age where he doesn't tell me everything and having a non biased person to listen to your kid talk is extremely helpful for them and you.
In fact, I might go as far to say that your whole family needs therapy. We all need therapy. Literally everyone on this entire planet should be in therapy. It can help you set boundaries, express your needs in a healthy way and build your connection as a family. Plus, if you are going to therapy your children are more likely to be comfortable to see a therapist themselves. It doesn't mean something is wrong with you. It doesn't mean you're failing. In fact, it means you're succeeding because the most successful people in the world are constantly working on themselves.
I get it. It's expensive and we all can't afford it. Call around. The schools offer therapy a lot of times and there's a lot of peer support programs. It's worth it. We aren't perfect, but working on yourself to be a better parent is going to make you a GREAT parent.
<3 Bri