Good to Great Parenting

Good to Great Parenting NZ parenting coach and mum of two, helping parents trust their instincts and embrace being "enough." Founder of Good to Great Parenting. Book coming soon! šŸ“š

Parents who want to feel more relaxed and confident and understand their child better will find these skills invaluable. See my website www.gtgparenting.co.nz and Instagram for more inspiration. Email me on [email protected] to book your confidential call to learn more about how I can help you build rapport and connection and to understand your child better.

Rules help kids feel safer by letting them know we are guiding them to stay within safe limits.Structure and predictable...
04/09/2026

Rules help kids feel safer by letting them know we are guiding them to stay within safe limits.

Structure and predictable routines help kids to make better choices so they can do this on their own.

Boundaries and rules aren't just about telling them what to do and what not to do, it's also about letting them know we'll be there when things don't go to plan.

Sometimes we expect kids to know everything and it's not until they mess up that we find out which parts they need help with.

Like a lot of things in our parenting consistency is what makes the difference. A boundary only works when it's something we follow through on.

Then it's becomes a rule, rather than an idea.

Tune into the times when your child is making a bid for your attention. We're helping to build and strengthen the connec...
04/09/2026

Tune into the times when your child is making a bid for your attention. We're helping to build and strengthen the connection in those times. These moments pop up when we're busy. Often, it's the end of the day when we're all tired and you see it sometimes when they are niggling away at their sibling.

You know the times when they are acting funny, it's one of the signs they need a
top up from us. A sign through a word or a gesture that tells them we see them.

When you make a point of slowing down it helps, even when you stop for a moment.

All of these things seem to adults like they might not be meaningful.

It's the small pauses and softening in the pace that communicate that you do see and hear what they are telling you, even if it's not with their words. You know your child and you can read them better than anyone else.

28/08/2026

šŸ‘‰šŸPSA how to save your apple crumblešŸšŸ‘ˆ

Parents can end up putting everyone else's needs first. Handing out the yummiest and crispiest bits, we make sure everyo...
25/08/2026

Parents can end up putting everyone else's needs first. Handing out the yummiest and crispiest bits, we make sure everyone else is fed, happy, and sorted before we think about ourselves... which is why weā€™re drinking coffee thatā€™s been reheated three times.

Note to self: no more cold coffee.

Parents need and deserve the hot drink too.

With cream on it, and a sprinkle of chocolate too!

Self first is not selfish.

Kids bloom in their own time, and parents notice the little things that help them grow.When adults pay attention and sta...
23/08/2026

Kids bloom in their own time, and parents notice the little things that help them grow.

When adults pay attention and stay curious about what helps them (and doesn't) they can adjust some of the conditions kids need.

You see their patterns, their worries, their strengths, everything that shows you who theyā€™re becoming.

Youā€™re the one who can slow things down when theyā€™re unsure or set limits that help them feel safe.

You get to tune in and give them enough support to bloom in their own way and in their own time.

The things your kids do right now, exactly as they are, are worth appreciating. Itā€™s the way they hand out the oranges a...
21/08/2026

The things your kids do right now, exactly as they are, are worth appreciating. Itā€™s the way they hand out the oranges at half time without being asked.

A quick smile they give you when you pick them up from a party. Maybe it's a sock puppet they make to cheer up their sister.

Everyday things our kids do are easy to miss when life is busy.

They slip past.

When we start noticing these small things our kids feel seen.

It's a quiet way to strengthen connection.

We feel more balanced when weā€™re not just looking at the hard stuff.

And the more you notice them the easier it is to find more of them.

Calm down.It sounds like such a kind thing to say. When parents say ā€˜calm down,ā€™ they do it because the really want thei...
19/08/2026

Calm down.

It sounds like such a kind thing to say.

When parents say ā€˜calm down,ā€™ they do it because the really want their child to feel better. They have good intentions.

So it can be a surprise when this only adds more flames to the frustration their child already feels.

Who knows if in the history of calming down, a young person has actually calmed down because someone told them to.

I would say it works sometimes.

What parents do say is that telling an overwhelmed child to "calm down" can make things worse and that there's other ways to let them experience the full range of their emotions and to make it through to the other side.

Parents can give kids a moment to steady themselves and use other words instead of calm down, words like these -

Hmmmmm...
Oh, I can see you're upset.
Do you need a hug?

Even a small pause to acknowledge that your child's having a tough moment can make a big difference.

That's much better than telling them something they probably already know.

And you are showing up to give them the help they need to do it.

Which is exactly what you meant to do in the first place šŸ©µ



Modern life drains our energy, and family life can feel pressured. Our energy account empties fast when life feels this ...
17/08/2026

Modern life drains our energy, and family life can feel pressured. Our energy account empties fast when life feels this way.

The more deposits we make into our energy account, even tiny ones, the easier it will be to rest and fall into a routine that helps us to settle again.

What's one small shift this week that can help you find a way to rest and digest?

You can't predict the things that will happen to your child.Kids need to know they can get hurt to know how to keep them...
16/08/2026

You can't predict the things that will happen to your child.

Kids need to know they can get hurt to know how to keep themselves safe.

Giving them plenty of practice to grow and manage danger is a big part of letting them go.

What are the ways you are preparing your children for the realities in life?

You've spent years dedicated to raising your kids. You've made many, many deposits into your childā€™s bank of memories. Y...
15/08/2026

You've spent years dedicated to raising your kids. You've made many, many deposits into your childā€™s bank of memories. You knew them before the world did. So it can feel brutal when the teen years arrive and you suddenly feel them drift toward their peers.

Their friends become the mirror they look into and that mirror is often harsh and overly critical. You are still their biggest cheerleader, yet it can feel like your voice, the voice of reason, is getting drowned out.

This is exactly when your steadiness matters most. The tone you set, the example you model and your intention to stay connected matter the most.

Your child is the same one that has always been there, just in a much bigger body.

No parent loves being the one who says they cannot go to the party or get in the car at 2am or take a stack of drinks for their friends. It would be easier if they simply accepted reasonable limits. But leadership in the teen years is not about ease. It is about holding the boundary because you know they need it.

In their world what their friends say is worth one hundred points and what you say can feel like one.

That does not mean your influence is gone.

It means your leadership and your love is needed more than ever.

Your teen does not need to like a boundary for it to be good for them.

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