The Nurtured Heart Approach (NHA) is a profoundly beneficial way of parenting.  Developed by Howard Glasser, M.A. and Jennifer Easley, M.A., this parenting style focuses on bolstering children, empowering them, building their self-confidence…nurturing them in a very real, non-saccharin-sweet “good job, honey” way.  The NHA validates and acknowledges children in a respectful, positive way.  When I use this parenting approach with my children, it works phenomenally well.  Try it out.

Visualize your child thriving using the NHA.  See them being respectful, thoughtful, accomodating, nurturing, tolerant, appreciative, attentive, focused, optimistic, joyful.  Visualize your son putting the dishes away.  See your daughter helping her little brother in the playroom.  Envision your baby sleeping blissfully, cooing, smiling, alert and content.  Visualize your teenager being happy, active, loving, caring, thriving socially and academically.

Combine the NHA with visualization and you and your child will shine and serve as role models to others!

Another useful resource is my friend and children’s guidance counselor and school social worker, Sue Heflin, M.Ed., LCSW.  If you are in the central North Carolina area, or would consider long-distance consulting and would like parent coaching with an emphasis on the NHA, visit Sue Heflin’s web site, APACE Consulting.

If you would like more information on how to reach your parenting goals, please email Melinda Easterling at Melinda@OlivesandTulips.com.

Vision boards are a fantastic way to focus your desires.  We often have lofty goals that don’t come to fruition.  It can be very helpful to have what has been termed a vision board or dream board to stimulate some creativity and movement toward your aspirations.  Vision boards can be something as small as a corkboard or a wall covered in pictures that inspire you.  You can draw pictures, tape images from magazines, tack pictures of yourself doing something you used to do that you’d love to do again, glue inspiring quotes or write words that energize you.  For example, if you and your family have been arguing endlessly, paste a picture of your family having fun on vacation or cut out a magazine image of a family laughing and playing together.  If you want to help your community, post a picture of a soup kitchen.  Flip through old photos, magazines and newspapers to find inspiring images and ideas for your vision board.  Display it in a prominent place where you will see it several times a day, e.g., next to your bathroom sink or in your home office.  This is a fun activity and one that should evolve as your desires and goals change.  Creating a vision board is for everyone.  I helped two of my children start their own…at their request.  This is a powerful tool to help you both focus on precisely what you want and to bring it into your life.

To learn more on how to create the life you want, contact Melinda Easterling at melinda@olivesandtulips.com.