6. What About My Partner?

Struggling with a partner who parents differently than you do? You're not alone. In this vulnerable conversation, Teri and Catherine dive deep into one of the most challenging aspects of raising children: navigating different parenting approaches with a spouse or co-parent.

Drawing from their personal experiences as trauma-informed mothers and Conscious Parenting Coaches, they explore the profound tensions that arise when one parent feels they've done more inner work than the other. Both share raw accounts of their own family dynamics – from feeling like a "solo parent" despite having a partner physically present, to the frustration of wanting a spouse to take accountability for past parenting missteps.

The conversation takes a transformative turn when they discuss the concept of sovereignty – not just for our children, but for our partners as well. Can we truly accept that our co-parents have their own journey and timeline for growth? What happens when we stop trying to control how they parent and focus instead on our own conscious presence?

Teri and Catherine offer practical wisdom for communicating with partners without triggering defensiveness, including a "magic phrase" that creates space for honest sharing without implicit demands for change. They also tackle the delicate balance between allowing children to develop resilience through navigating different parenting styles versus recognizing when situations become genuinely harmful.

Whether you're feeling alone in your conscious parenting journey or simply searching for ways to bring more harmony to your family system, this episode provides both validation and practical tools to navigate one of parenting's most complex challenges. Listen, reflect, and remember: it only takes one conscious parent to make a profound difference in a child's life.

TERI
Website: https://teripotter.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teripottercoach/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teripottercoach

[e-mail]

CATHERINE
Website: https://www.collaborative-insights.com/conscious-coaching
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/collaborative_insights_coach/

[e-mail]

Resources:

- Conscious Parenting (Dr. Shefali Tsabary)
- Compassionate Inquiry (Dr. Gabor Maté, Sat Dharam Kaur)

Here are a few international resources:

• United States: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) or text HOME to 741741
• United Kingdom: Samaritans: 116 123
• Canada: Crisis Services Canada: 1-833-456-4566 or text 45645
• Australia: Lifeline Australia: 13 11 14
• International Helplines: Please visit www.suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.html for a full list of helplines worldwide.
• https://www.helpguide.org/find-help

Please remember, there is always support available, and reaching out can be the first step in finding help. You are not alone, and support is there for you and your family.