A mother’s view of her positive parenting journey
Whether you call it "special time, together time, us [...]
About Danielle
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Feeling overwhelmed by parenting? Tired of barely surviving at home, rather than thriving.
I’ve created a simple, repeatable parenting framework. It is not about scripts and tips that only work once in a blue moon. It is method that you can implement in any situation (potty training, bedtime routines, sibling conflict, tantrums). The C.L.E.A.R. Method can be personalized to nurture stronger, more joyful relationships with your unique child.
Hi! I’m MegAnne Ford, a early childhood teacher turned Parenting Coach after parents kept on asking “How did you get them to do that?” My life passion is connecting parents with kids without fear based punishments. The C.L.E.A.R. method is your key to unlocking a family that will grow together, stronger and kinder, even in the toughest moment.
From the parents I have worked with…
I wasn’t sure how or why, but I had drifted apart from my 5 yo and felt very little connection to her. I was either scared of or resented her. I didn’t know how to “control” her-What do you do when your child, for no apparent reason, lies down in the middle of a grocery store kicking, screaming, and crying?
I asked her incredible preschool teachers and other trusted parents for help to deal with her tantrums and meltdowns over the years, but all of the well-intentioned advice only provided piecemeal, temporary solutions; nothing stuck. But I felt stuck and defeated and was in tears when I had my consultation with MegAnne.
MegAnne listened to me without judgment that day and at the end, she said something that turned a light switch on for me: “If your daughter is given the right tools, she will be unstoppable.” Right then, I understood that it was my job to help cultivate and nurture my daughter’s growth into an emotionally and socially responsible adult. It wasn’t about
“controlling” her but understanding her and her many complicated feelings, and providing her a safe and trusted environment to come into her own.
It is not dramatic to say that working with MegAnne changed our family’s lives. We no longer just survive but thrive and feel like an emotionally-connected team. There are still tantrums and strong feelings, but it’s incredibly empowering as a parent to help your child work through them so she can come out stronger, and become a more understanding and compassionate person, on the other side. I cannot recommend Be Kind Coaching enough. Every parent and child deserves to have a coach in their corner!
We can’t say enough amazing things about Be Kind Coaching.
My husband and I were at a breaking point when we reached out to MegAnne. Our five-year-old son’s out-of-control behavior was exhausting and scary. Every little thing was cause for a meltdown, and his anxiety and anger left us feeling defeated and resentful. We didn’t know what to do and were worried we had waited too long to ask for help.
Enter Be Kind Coaching. Through weekly meetings and chats, MegAnne was able to help us understand the “why” behind the behavior and develop strategies to help each other and our son. MegAnne is a fantastic listener and is never judgmental or pushy. The sessions were tailored to our parenting styles and personalities.
She wasn’t there to “save the day” but to empower us. I used to feel like it was us vs. our five-year-old. Now, I feel like the three of us are a team. Thank you, MegAnne!
My son (5) was easy. My daughter (3) has a big personality. We had a summer that was filled with fun adventures/vacations, and I came back depleted and defeated. My hope of spending positive time with my kids was actually spent fighting with them. I started working with MegAnne to stop fighting my kids and start coming up with new strategies for enjoying our family time.
At first, it did not make sense to me to give a three-year-old a choice, but I learned she is strong and wants to feel validated. She did not, before. But now, when she feels big emotions, she just says, “Mommy, I am sorry – I need a hug!”
After working together, we now have a much healthier- equal relationship. I thought I had to be the hammer. Now, we give them choices with natural consequences. It is so much more equitable. It is not perfect, but it has given the kids a voice. Even my husband is learning tactics that work for him.
I LOVED the fact that I never felt judged. MegAnne does not have hard and fast rules for anything. She taught me to appreciate my family, all of them for who they are. And I learned about myself, too.
I feel like I am a better mother because of MegAnne, and I appreciate everything. The good, the bad, and the ugly – I know if I love the kids and help them feel heard, then we will be OK!
Our biggest challenge before calling MegAnne was the daily struggle of battling our strong-willed son. Daily struggle leads to a life of feeling defeated and sad.
After working with MegAnne, our family is able to take daily struggles and approach them from a more successful angle. We still have battles- as every family, but we are now able to be more positive and quicker to address things.
When I feel like we are moving backward, MegAnne is right there to hold space, enabling us to get back to the right mindset – I love that we still have ongoing support from her.
Since the first day we met MegAnne, I have been such a huge fan. Her knowledge and big heart amaze me whenever I talk to her or listen to her videos. I feel like our family is now better off spending time with her. I could never thank MegAnne enough for her knowledge.
Our family was at a very low point with daily fights, making us feel like we were out of answers.
When I first called her, I knew she got me. There was never a situation or struggle that she couldn’t help us learn from. I pray that other families will find MegAnne.
MegAnne came into our family’s lives at a difficult time. She proved a force of positivity and joy and offered a wealth of resources and experience just when we needed it most. To provide context, at the time, we were first-time parents of a one-year-old and balancing two careers. Our daughter was transitioning from babyhood to toddlerhood. For us, this meant learning to discipline in loving ways that fit our overall parenting approach of connecting with our daughter, listening to her, and setting respectful limits.
The changes we saw in our daughter as MegAnne cared for her were evident. MegAnne respectfully modeled ways for young toddlers to learn skills such as cleaning up, gentle touch, and clear communication.
Through example rather than preaching, MegAnne taught the whole family skills to work through trigger points of disagreement. For example, our daughter struggled with being washed after eating; MegAnne involved her in the process, and the fight dematerialized. Our babysitter also noted the “miraculous” changes in our daughter’s approach to difficult situations. These miracles were simply the results of MegAnne’s work!
MegAnne was also a useful sounding board for first-time parents and came equipped with a wealth of resources to pass along in gentle ways. Her approach was to begin at the place of strength she saw in our family, respectfully listening to our daughter, which helped me see what we do well. MegAnne’s modeling of behavior then enabled me to see where I needed to draw more limits to help my daughter be liberated from impending chaos.
In the brief three and a half months we worked together, she supported the family emotionally, physically, and with rich resources. She is gifted, hardworking, and devoted to helping healthy family relationships blossom. She is also among the kindest people I have known, which is to say, she practices what her business promises!
The Be Kind Coaching Online Parenting Classes are life-changing!
MegAnne is positive and real, and from the very first class, I felt encouraged and empowered. I have read many parenting books and blogs, and I find it hard to translate them into daily practice within our family. However, through her parenting courses, we got to work through our examples using the information and the strategies that MegAnne teaches – her delivery of the material has been far more effective for me than anything else I have tried.
This class came to me at the time when I needed it the most. My child was having some difficulties at school, and a friend posted about how amazing MegAnne is, so I took the leap and couldn’t be happier that I did
MegAnne does such a great job of facilitating the online group sessions with people I have never met and who live half the world away from me; it felt like a supportive family. Many, many thanks to my friend who posted about the class, to MegAnne, whose impact is already being strongly felt in our family and will continue to be, and to my classmates for sharing and caring.
Where to begin… I was in the midst of a lot of life chaos and struggling with how to parent and help my little one manage her emotions while I was so overwhelmed with my own. Big revelation:
PARENTS ARE PEOPLE! They have their own stuff going on AND have to make sure they keep a small human alive (at minimum) and ideally help turn them into a really fantastic big human. That’s a pretty tall order!
I have been following Be Kind Coaching on IG and FB and found the content so engaging, practical, and encouraging. One particularly rough morning, one of MegAnne’s posts resonated so hard that I reached out and scheduled a 1-on-1 session. It was everything I never knew I needed! She dropped so much knowledge that I almost thought I had everything figured out!
Then… the next morning, the usual rush out the door and school drop-off dramatics happened, and I found myself doing the same old thing yet expecting different results. In case you didn’t know, this is actually the definition of insanity. And I felt every bit of it.
I have gotten (and still get) so much value out of the online parenting classes she offers and the tools provided. I was SO excited to have the opportunity to have a sense of community and accountability with ongoing coaching. When I am able to participate, it is so comforting to share in the experience with other parents who were also putting themselves out there and saying, “Help! What I’m doing is not working! And it’s making me feel like shit!”
Finding MegAnne and Be Kind Coaching has basically proven to me that people come into your life for a reason. It was what I needed when I needed it. It provides me another level of confidence, patience, and forgiveness – not just in my parenting but in myself simply as a person.
I guess this is my long-winded way of saying… YOU SHOULD DO THIS. If you are visiting this page, you are probably feeling frustrated or overwhelmed or guilty or (likely) all of the above (and then some). Let Be Kind Coaching into your life and learn how much stronger you and your family can become.
© 2012 - 2024 Be Kind Coaching Designed by Dani Rast
© 2012 - 2024 Be Kind Coaching Designed by Dani Rast