# How to Parent Without Losing Yourself in Guilt

**Creator:** Dr. Shefali
**Platform:** youtube
**Duration:** 1m
**Source:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgnPSzvypf4

## Summary

This episode addresses the struggles of parents feeling overwhelmed and fearful about their parenting abilities, particularly in the context of communication and emotional support for their children. It emphasizes the importance of balancing safety with exploration and encourages open discussions about fears and hopes within the family.

- Many parents feel they are failing and are hard on themselves.
- Fear can manifest in parenting, especially with energetic children.
- Communication challenges can arise after significant life changes, like divorce.
- Parents often hover and micromanage out of fear for their children's safety.
- It's crucial to acknowledge and communicate both fears and hopes within the family.
- Striving for children's happiness can lead to avoidance of confronting struggles.
- Encouraging exploration while maintaining safety is essential for healthy development.

## Transcript

[[0:00]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgnPSzvypf4&t=0s)
If you are a parent who's struggling believing that they're just not getting it right and they're bearing hard on themselves because they think they're failing at this job, then trust me, this episode is going to ring true for you. I am extremely fearful around my son. He's almost three and he's got so much energy. He's scared to poop in front of me and I think I've messed him up for life. After being married for quite a long time and then having a divorce, my two daughters were facing challenges communicating. How do I be less fearful?

[[0:36]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgnPSzvypf4&t=36s)
And how do I let him explore at the same time keep him safe? Because you're constantly hovering, micromanaging, over producing, overdirecting, overs supervising. Do you think you could live with you? They are probably going through an emotional turmoil. How do we communicate our fears and also what we hope for our family during a time like that? We as parents have an instinct to try to make our children feel happy and not deal or confront the struggles. So, the way to do better is to type the word follow to get a link to my