[Christina Bartholic]

The most valuable take away for me is the realization that, without truly understanding these milestones of development, we can easily expect too much or not enough from the children we work with. Finding that balance of challenging a client in something that they can do without having unrealistic expectations…that is the goal! Helping parents to find that balance is equally important. Parents can want to rush ahead, all the while missing amazing things that their children are doing right now! I was guilty of that as well! I want to celebrate those milestones that are being met while still pressing forward to grow.

[Christina Bartholic]

As I am reminded of everything that happens from birth to age 5, I feel sentimental about my own children. Probably like so many parents, I was too busy surviving the days to really stop and consider what was happening developmentally. I wish that I could go back and tell myself to slow down and enjoy each stage, because each milestone is a miracle! I feel that I have life experience that allows me to help parents understand that “this too shall pass”. Having watched my 3-4 year old go through the loss of a parent, I also understand what can happen when life is disrupted because of stress or illness. I am in awe of the resilience…both that of children and their parents.

[Christina Bartholic]

Stephanie,
I love that you brought up being authentic with children. Sometimes I can feel that if I act the part, that I’m “fooling” a child. But if I am distracted or upset, or just not present, I do believe the child can sense that. They cannot articulate that something is amiss, but they definitely don’t feel the same sense of connection. Our focus, presence and the ability to “hold space” for a child to learn/grow is so important. The ability to be authentic and present is integral for every relationship. I am curious about how other therapists manage to keep that sense of authenticity/presence during times of ongoing stress or illness. We owe it to our clients to do this, but we are human too!

[Author]

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