Caption: Pictured are Beth Anne Langrell, CEO, For All Seasons and local author and expert trainer Lynn Sanchez, M.Ed., who presented a free community talk, “You Have What It Takes: Surviving and Thriving as a Parent Today,” at The Avalon Theatre in Easton and streamed virtually on YouTube and Facebook Live.

For All Seasons’ Center for Learning presented a free community talk, “You Have What It Takes: Surviving and Thriving as a Parent Today”, presented by local author and expert trainer Lynn Sanchez, M.Ed. Targeting parents and caregivers with a message of empowerment, this presentation took place at The Avalon Theatre in Easton and streamed virtually on Facebook Live. The talk was part of For All Seasons Speakers Series designed to share messages that are reaching people in different ways on a variety of topics. Lynn, the author of the new book, Behind the Brussels Sprouts, used her own, often comical, parenting stories, and her decades of experience to share with parents how to relax, build their self-awareness and confidence, and most importantly, enjoy the amazing parenting journey.

“Especially during the pandemic, our parents have experienced a different way to raise children, and there have been increased stressors in our community as a result. As a behavioral health agency and rape crisis center, we wanted to shine a light on parenting,” commented Beth Anne Langrell, CEO of For All Seasons.

Participants of the talk gained a refreshing perspective, learning new tools and strategies to lighten the parenting load today. Each attendee also received a free copy of Lynn Sanchez’s book.

“I want parents to trust themselves, I want them to relax, and I want them to enjoy parenting,” Lynn stated. “There is lots of competition for children’s minds and spirits today. There are no perfect parents. Every family has its challenges. If you have a family value and you are maintaining it, you are doing a good job.”

Lynn shared some tips on parenting including handling the needs of different-aged children. “Every child is unique. We have to be as flexible as a Slinky and look at what we are doing right. We are the expert on our children,” she added.

About the subject of competition, Lynn shared that children should get three things out of participating in any activities and being able to say to their parents: 1) I came. 2) I participated. 3) I enjoyed it. She commented, “It’s not always about winning. The biggest gift you can give your child is the ability to fail and to get back up and try it again. We have to be cautious about competition and comparison. As I point out in the book, they are rough seas.”

She also shared about providing guidance to our children, stating, “Part of guidance is accountability. We have to make children accountable for their behavior. Discipline is guidance. We want children to learn how to guide their own behavior.”

Other tips she provided were to use anticipation to reduce frustration for children, use active listening with our children when they get home from school to gain insight, limit electronics to engage in family time, and have fun with your children.

The book, Behind the Brussels Sprouts, has appeal for all ages as it awakens reflections in older adults about how they were parented and how that impacted their parenting.

If you missed the talk, please tune into YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZgSkGlwwu8.

For All Seasons is your community behavioral health and rape crisis center offering therapy, psychiatry, advocacy, and education to individuals and families, regardless of one’s ability to pay. For further information, visit www.forallseasonsinc.org.