Back to School Blues

 

I feel you, coming back after the holidays can be straight up rough.

 

Stomachs are in knots. 

 

Tears flowing non-stop. 

 

Changes wreck the body and mind alike.

 

And after relaxing with family over winter break too? Forget about it.

 

Parents were probably praying for Christmas magic to last a little longer, anxiously awaiting the daily meltdowns school will no doubt bring.

 

The morning routines were tense enough getting out the door before vacation mode.

 

But now? 

 

Schedules are shredded, routines ripped to pieces, schedules all twisted six ways from Sunday.

 

Just as you finally fell into a groove too.

 

Bam - it comes crashing down with school only days away from starting up again.

 

Wasn't the whole point of break to kick back and recharge your batteries?

 

Now who has the mental stamina for this level of madness at the crack of dawn every weekday?

 

Going from full dictator parent to walking...

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They Stopped the Cycle of 5 Meltdowns a Day!

Are you tired of feeling frustrated and helpless when it comes to your child's aggressive behavior? 

Do you feel like you've tried everything from traditional parenting techniques to yelling and rewards, but nothing seems to work?

Here at MTC we understand how difficult and stressful it can be to deal with a child who is exhibiting aggressive behavior. 

It can take a toll on your relationship with your child and with your partner, causing arguments and tension. 

But there is hope.

Just look at what happened with Jamie and John and their 7-year-old HSC. 

They had tried everything they could think of (sticker charts, rewards, yelling, counting to 3…), but nothing seemed to work. 

They were struggling to manage his aggressive behavior and meltdowns, and they found themselves constantly arguing with each other about how to handle the situation. 

It was especially difficult for them because their HSC’s twin sister was managing her emotions much...

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Rachel & Ash: They Reduced Suicidal Thoughts by 90% in Just 8 Weeks!

 

Parenthood is an incredible journey filled with both heartwarming moments and immense challenges. 

We understand that firsthand here at MTC because we've been there ourselves. 

We know that when your child is facing mental health issues, it can shake you to your core and leave you feeling utterly overwhelmed.

If you're reading this, it means you're 

likely in a situation similar to what Rachel and Ash went through with their own HSC. Their little one was battling dark thoughts, expressing a desire to end their own life, and exhibiting behaviors like yelling, shutting down, and refusing to attend school. 

Rachel and Ash tried everything—they searched for the right therapists, experimented with various approaches, but nothing seemed to make a difference. 

The situation had pushed them to their breaking point, leaving them feeling helpless and unsure of what steps to take next. 

Their child's safety and well-being weighed heavily on their minds, and...

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How to Get Your Child to Open Up (It's simple...just LISTEN!)

Opening up can be difficult for kids, especially those who are highly sensitive. 

 

Creating a safe space is key to helping highly sensitive kids feel comfortable opening up. 

 

But how do you actually do that?

 

Here are some transformative tips that I’ve cultivated over the years after working with hundreds of families:

 

#1 Active Listening is Key

 

Make sure to face your child, maintain eye contact and put other distractions aside when they talk. 

 

Have you ever spilled your heart out to a friend only to look up and see them scrolling on their phone? Or giving you basic “mmhmm” responses?

 

You know they’re not listening and it doesn’t feel great.

 

Imagine your highly sensitive child experiencing the same thing but way more intensely.

 

Body language and eye contact are so important.

 

It’s also helpful to repeat back what they said to show you understand. 

 

Ask...

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Is Your Highly Sensitive Child's Distress Destroying Your Family? There's A Simple Solution

 

Relationships strained to the breaking point. 

And you feel powerless, like nothing works to manage your HSC’s intense emotions.

As a parent, few things cause more pain than seeing your child struggle emotionally.

Dealing with intense meltdowns, withdrawal, or overwhelming emotions, you know the toll this takes on the entire family.

Highly sensitive children experience the world differently than others.

Every sound, sight, touch or change can feel amplified, if they do not have the skills to regulate their emotions, & this can cause disruptions to the peace of your home.

Even if you try to validate their feelings, your reactions and consequences seem to only make things worse without a process…

Something we hear so often at MTC is that family relationships often become strained and chaos grows, which leaves you doubting your abilities.

I have to tell you - this chaos is not your fault.

However, it is your responsibility. 

Your HSC’s sensitivity is...

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Embarrassed by Your Kid’s Meltdowns?

No matter how much we love our children... they can embarrass us.

 

Whether screaming in stores or rude behavior, it's difficult to watch.

 

On one hand, you never want your child to feel like they've disappointed you. 

 

You obviously don’t want your child to know you’re embarrassed of them. 

 

Yet harsh looks from other parents burn, and meltdowns in public feel like you’re put in a spotlight for the way you parent..

 

Take a breath. 

 

Acceptance is key. 

 

Feeling embarrassed is normal and human - forgive yourself as you forgive your kid for having the meltdown. 

 

What matters is your HSCs wellbeing, not others' perception of you. 

 

It is also true that it doesn’t have to be this way.

 

You can accept the emotions you are feeling.

 

You don’t have to accept the meltdown that is a result of a lack of skill to manage the emotions.

 

Your kid can learn how to...

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Preparing for the Holidays or Holding Your Breath?

 

The holidays are a glorious time of food, family and gratitude! 

But for parents of HSCs, getting to that table brings worries and anxiety.

Last year plays on an endless loop - the dread building each November.

Canceled plans, disrupted meals, stress ruining moments meant for bonding.

Maybe you're still trying to coax your reluctant social butterfly out from their room to mingle. 

Or perhaps getting shoes on causes a meltdown because your highly sensitive child struggles with transitions.

Maybe that fall sweater Nana made doesn’t feel just right, so now there's threats to wear it and tears and screaming ensue.

Wherever you feel stuck in the holiday meltdown cycle, know you're not alone. 

Major changes in routine layer on stress, and highly sensitive kids feel it doubly. 

The meltdowns make family time a minefield.

Have you missed treasured traditions due to pre-meal meltdowns? 

Missing out on a food drive at your place of worship, where valuable...

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Calm in the Storm: Navigating the Preteen Years

Ugh, sometimes it feels like your kiddos age a decade overnight!

It's wild how fast they seem to grow up before your eyes.

One day they're having fun coloring books and playing pretend, and suddenly they're declaring it all "babyish" and "lame"?

It's so confusing trying to keep up with where they're at.

And strategies that used to soothe them when they were younger just don't cut it anymore.

When they're upset about something, the usual response, "it'll be okay" gets them more worked up instead of calming them down like it used to.

But stepping in too heavy-handedly to try and fix things for them also often backfires and drives them away from you.

So what’s a parent to do?!

How do you continue supporting them through the hard and confusing feelings of growing up without inadvertently making it all worse?

It's downright scary not knowing if as they get older, they'll still be willing to open up to you about what's really bothering them. 

Or if they'll prefer to handle...

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I Refuse For My Kid To Grow Up Like I Did

 

Feeling inadequate as a parent of a highly sensitive child?

Fearing you’re failing at this crucial role?

The struggles of handling daily meltdowns, power struggles, and misbehavior are real.

Yelling might seem like the only solution, but guilt follows.

As a parent of a highly sensitive child, I know how exhausting it can be to feel like you’re failing at every turn.

Let me re-introduce myself.

My name is Megghan Thompson. I’m a retired child play therapist and transformational parenting coach with over 14 years of experience.

It was a long personal journey to become an expert, and I’ve made it my mission to shorten everyone else’s path to emotion regulation, resilience, and psychological safety in the home.

My team has helped over 700 families learn how to end daily meltdowns in a gentle, compassionate way…

…without yelling, punishing or coddling.

Parents hire us to teach them 5 emotionally intelligent shifts they need to make to help...

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Halloween's Over Tonight and You’re Left Holding the (Candy) Bag

I'm not a doctor, but I do understand that what goes into your body affects how you feel. 

Kids are especially sensitive.

Mealtimes can be so hard to manage for HSCs, but keeping nutrition balanced is key for behavior and focus. 

As Halloween nears, many parents worry.

In my Facebook group the questions pile up:

"My son loves Halloween but crashes after all the candy - how can I avoid a meltdown?"

"Should I let them trick or treat if the sugar will trigger a meltdown?"

"We try limiting sugar normally but Halloween is tough. Do I risk a meltdown saying no or risk a meltdown from overload?"

It's a real dilemma. 

If your kiddo struggles after just a small treat, imagine their reaction after a whole bucket of candy!

Here's what I recommend - 

Talk to them about expectations. 

Set clear guidelines for how much they can have and make a verbal deal.

Even if more comes home, ration it out to prevent overload. 

This may not be ideal nutritionally, but it avoids...

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