Episode 34: Five Tips to Better Connect with Your Toddler: Interview with Taryn Rioseco

In today’s episode I am talking to Taryn Rioseco about building a strong parent-child connection. Taryn is a certified Hand and Hand Parenting educator and she is here today to explain what Parenting by Connection is and she is going to give us five tips on how to better connect with your toddler. 

In this episode we discussed: 

• How she got started with supporting parents at A Mother’s Haven in Los Angeles

• What is Parenting By Connection?

  • When a child is having a hard time, like having a temper tantrum for example, the Parenting By Connection model helps your child feel more connected to you. When a child is in an escalated emotional state, they need their parents help them regulate their emotions and they need a parents presence and support.

• Parenting experts that Taryn and I recommend:

  • Janet Lansbery

  • Dr. Laura Markham

  • Alfie Kohn

  • Lawrence Cohen

  • Dr. Harvey Karp

  Five tips on how to connect better with your toddler

1. Stay Listening: listening to your childs upset all the way through. Hear them out and let them know that you are there to support them through that hard moment.

   • i.e. I can see that you are really upset I am going to sit here with you and I that it is really hard when you feel upset.

2. Setting Limits: creating boundaries with support and not letting your child walk all over you.

3. Play Listening: focusing on playful parenting. The goal is laughter, a way to turn a hard moment around into a playful, funny moment.

4. Special Time: a short period of time that you have with your child with no distractions. Set a timer, put your phone/computer away and give them your full attention for 10-15 minutes.

5. Listening Partnerships: this is a parent to parent tool. Find someone you don’t know super well to take turns weekly to vent to each other about whatever is going on in your life. This is not therapy, your listening partner is just there to listen, not give advice. Set a timer and take turns sharing/venting. Find out more:

   • https://www.facebook.com/groups/1737277509854586/

   • https://www.handinhandparenting.org/2016/01/how-to-find-a-listening-partner/

• How to get in touch with Taryn:

  • Instagram: @herewegrowatl

  • Website: http://www.here-we-grow.com/

  • Family music classes

Thank you so much for listening to the show today. Please feel free to reach out to Taryn on Instagram or via her website!

Also, I would love to hear from listeners, please send me a DM on Instagram @FindingYourVillage.