Parenting Coach and Educator Says Unconditional Love is Rare, But Can Be Learned
In What They Don't Teach in Prenatal Class: The Key to Raising Trouble-Free Kids and Teens, Anne Andrew offers a parent's guide to unconditional love
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 7, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Parenting is often stressful and unpredictable, and parents may inadvertently give children the message that love is conditional on good grades or good behavior. What passes for love is often bargaining or obligation, says Anne Andrew, Ph.D., author of the new book, What They Don't Teach in Prenatal Class: The Key to Raising Trouble-Free Kids and Teens.
"It can be a comfortable arrangement, but may fall apart when someone or something changes," she says. "We can't give what we don't have, and most of us don't love ourselves much at all."
The problem is that most people have subconscious negative beliefs that they have carried around since they were very young. For example, that they are stupid, bad, not good enough, incapable, or flawed; such beliefs act as barriers to love. The solution, Anne says, is to get rid of those barriers, and she can explain how to do that on your show.
In an interview, Anne offers strategies to help parents:
- Fall in love with themselves by owning their inherent worth.
- Improve communication and banish blame.
- Strengthen all their relationships (not just with their children).
- Apply the Choose Again Six-Step Process to turn off their hot buttons and deescalate conflict.
- Be a love-finder rather than a fault-finder.
Anne wrote What They Don't Teach in Prenatal Class because of her experience as the mother of a troubled teenager. In seeking a way to help her daughter, she learned valuable insights she wished she'd known when her children were still young. Although the book is written for parents of children of any age, it is particularly useful for those who worry about a family history of depression or addiction.
Praise for What They Don't Teach in Prenatal Class
"Read this book, reread this book and practice the steps Anne Andrew teaches here and you will find that child rearing becomes in so many ways a perfect vehicle for self-healing."— Diederik Wolsak, founder, Choose Again, author Choose Again: Six Steps to Freedom
"This book will provide you with Anne's toolbox of strategies that I have used with my wild and energetic boys. I now have a more loving approach to both my family and myself and we have all blossomed as a result."—Roanna Glickman, parent and teacher
"This is a profound and authentic book that can change your life. Because Anne Andrew had the courage to see her child's behavior problems as 'cries for love,' they became opportunities for growth for both her and her child. Here are wise words from someone who learned the hard way how to raise a child with an inherent sense of worth."—Peggy O'Mara, founder and editor of Mothering magazine and www.peggyomara.com
About the Author
Anne Andrew spent 20 years as a school principal at Temple Sholom in Vancouver, Canada. She is a Choose Again facilitator, parenting coach and speaker who presents workshops in the U.S., Canada and Europe. Find out more about her at www.anneandrew.com.
Contact: Anne Andrew, (604) 263-8751 (home) and (604) 720-2776 (mobile); [email protected]
SOURCE Anne Andrew
Share this article