Mia Von Scha

I want to say something that might surprise you... Repressing your anger around your children is not protecting them. It is teaching them something - just not what you intend. When we swallow our feelings down, plaster on a calm face and push through, we are sending a message that certain emotions are not acceptable. That anger is dangerous. That strong feelings should be hidden. That adults don't have them, or if they do, they certainly don't show them. None of that is true. And children...

You know the one... It's not a full meltdown. Nothing catastrophic has happened. But your child has descended into a kind of low-level misery that colours everything - they're grumpy, difficult, impossible to please, and seemingly determined to stay that way. You try to cheer them up. It doesn't work. You try logic. That makes it worse. You try ignoring it. It follows you around the house like a small grey cloud. Here's what's actually happening... Your child's nervous system has...

Imagine that one day you wake up, get dressed, and your partner takes you by the hand and pops you in the car. Except instead of dropping you at work, the car takes off and flies to Mars. You're already confused. You were expecting somewhere familiar. When you land, he helps you out, walks you over to a group of Martians and other strangers, then turns around and leaves. Everyone else seems to know exactly what's going on. They know where to go and what to do. You don't know why you're there,...