You are Not a Sh*tty Parent: How to Practice Self Compassion and Give Yourself a Break

Join local parent coach, Erika Brunwasser in conversation with best selling author, Carla Naumburg.

Wednesday, January 25th at 7:30PM on Zoom. Zoom link to be emailed upon registration. 

This event is free of charge.

 

“Naumburg’s advice is invaluable and reassuring while—it can’t be overstated—truly embracing the humor of it all. The rare parenting book that readers will want to pick up again and again.”

“It’s easy to see why Naumburg’s side-splittingly funny and relatable work
resonates so strongly during a challenging time. Essential reading.”

Book Summary

Of course you think you’re doing a sh*tty job. Every parent does. It’s pretty much a byproduct of our society, with its incessant demands coupled with the in-your-face competitiveness parents see on social media. Unfortunately, the pandemic only made things worse, as parents juggled the stresses of helping their kids navigate online schooling while they also had to work from home. All of which makes Carla Naumburg’s new book utterly necessary. Author of How to Stop Losing Your Sh*t with Your Kids, with 149,000 copies in print, Naumburg delivers her message right up front—You Are Not a Sh*tty Parent—that all parents need to hear and believe in. And she does it with her singular understanding, relatably funny voice, and keen insights.

You don’t react calmly to every situation? That doesn’t make you a sh*tty parent. You’d rather hide in the back of the closet than play dolls with your child (because you hate dolls)—nope, doesn’t mean you’re a sh*tty parent. The fact is, great parenting is not the same thing as perfect parenting. Great parenting starts with true self-compassion, the kind that means you don’t judge yourself. Harnessing this self-compassion is the key to giving yourself a break and embracing your best qualities as a parent. There are four evidence-based elements of self-compassion—noticing, connection, curiosity, and compassion of course—and Naumburg gives tangible steps for how to use each to help parents reduce their anxiety, trust their instincts, move past the guilt and become a calmer, more confident parent. Which, in the end, benefits your child as much as you.

Carla’s Bio

Carla Naumburg, PhD, is a clinical social worker and mother. She’s the author of four non-fiction books, including her international bestseller, How to Stop Losing Your Sh*t With Your Kids (Workman, 2019), as well as You Are Not a Sh*tty Parent, and the forthcoming How to Stop Freaking Out, the (completely swear-free) middle-grade adaptation of How to Stop Losing Your Sh*t With Your Kids. 

Carla’s writing has appeared in a variety of online and print publications, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, Mindful Magazine, Slate.com, Psychology Today, WBUR’s Cognoscenti Blog, Brain, Child, Motherwell, Parents.com, PsychCentral, and Today Moms. 

Carla completed a bachelor’s degree in psychology at Middlebury College, a master’s degree in social work from Smith College, and a PhD in clinical social work from Simmons College in Boston. Carla grew up in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and the Bay Area of California and she currently lives outside of Boston with her husband and two daughters.

Erika's Bio

Erika Brunwasser is a parent coach and educator in Westport, Connecticut. Erika guides parents and helps them overcome challenges and thrive in parenting and family life. She works with parents to become more connected and confident, in order to help them and their children enjoy life. Prior to becoming a parent coach, Erika was a New York City School Guidance Counselor for thousands of families. She has also helped many Fairfield county adolescents and families in various settings. Erika has a master’s degree in Education, in School Counseling from Fordham University, and a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from The Ohio State University. Erika is passionate about helping families achieve a strong connection to their children and live their best possible life.