Alison Smith Coaching

12/25/2025

Yes!!

09/23/2025

PSA
You are a good parent!

Credit: Unbiased Science Podcast

05/29/2025

When kids have big emotions, we tend to think they are overly sensitive, that they need more resilience. Most of the time, it is because there is a lot happening for the child that we can't see and don't know, that is pushing them beyond their means of coping. Instead, we can change the response from they are overreacting to seeing a child who has a lot happen for them. They are doing the best they can. They need our help, not judgement.

More information in my book

Guidance from The Therapist Parent

Available on my website www.thetherapistparent.com and Amazon

05/17/2025

We stand in solidarity on the Day of Awareness for Child Rights and Transphobia.

Every child—regardless of their gender identity—has the right to safety, dignity, education, and love. Trans and gender-diverse children deserve the freedom to grow up in a world that affirms who they are, not one that punishes them for it.

Transphobia harms kids. It fuels bullying, discrimination, family rejection, and even legislation that strips away their basic rights.

Let’s choose compassion. Let’s protect every child’s right to live as their true selves, free from fear. Support. Protect. Empower.

05/05/2025

This right here. Boom. 😆

04/29/2025

Yes! Keep digging.

Dig deeper!

via Greg Santucci, Occupational Therapist

04/27/2025

Credit:

Correction is part of parenting. But when a child doesn’t feel connected to you, correction can feel like rejection. When connection is built before correction is ever needed, it makes those harder moments easier to navigate.

That’s why connection needs to happen long before correction ever does.

Build it in the calm, everyday moments:
✔️ Ask to join them in their play—before they even invite you.
✔️ Sit beside them while they color and say, “Tell me about this one.”
✔️ Make eye contact and smile when they walk in the room.
✔️ Share a laugh, a snack, or a story—even for just 5 minutes.

These small choices tell your child: “You matter to me—even when nothing’s wrong.”

Then, when something does go wrong:
✔️ Sit down at their level and say, “I’m here to help you through this.”
✔️ Ask, “Can you tell me what happened?”
✔️ Remind them, “You’re not in trouble. You’re learning. I’ll walk with you through it.”

Because when your child feels secure in your presence, they can handle your correction without feeling rejected.

Connection isn’t a reward for good behavior. It’s the foundation that makes growth possible.

04/14/2025

Believe her. Help her.

Parenting is hard work!

When a mom says, “I’m losing my mind. I need help,”
and the response is, “You got this,”
that’s not support. That’s dismissal.

She just told you she’s not okay.
She doesn’t need a cheerleader. She needs backup.
She’s exhausted, touched out, overwhelmed, and still doing it all.

Telling her she’s strong doesn’t lighten the load.
Showing up for her does.

Hold the baby, bring the food, sit with her while she cries on the kitchen floor.

Listen when she says she’s struggling.
Believe her. Help her. Don’t wait until she breaks to take it seriously.

04/08/2025

I love this. We can't rush feelings. "Feel them through."

03/09/2025

03/09/2025

This is said so well. Be the place your kids WANT to come home to. ❤

Gen Z is not going to come visit us out of obligation.

Let me repeat.....we have not raised adults who are going to come back home to visit just because they "owe it to us". Just because we are their parents. Just because they "should".

Gen Z pays attention to how they feel when they are with you. They pay attention to the tone of the house and if it's enjoyable to be at home. They've been trained to do this.

So....if you are letting the unhealthiest person in the home set the tone and everyone tries to manage their own emotions around that...you're in for a rude awakening.

Remember that old saying...."if mama ain't happy no one is happy".

It's bu****it.

If mama ain't happy....mama better do some work on herself and learn to understand her own needs.She better get busy learning how to meet her own needs and how to ask for the needs that are to be met by her partner. She better learn what behavior comes from her when her needs aren't met and get busy being apologetic and accountable for how she shows up. She better take such good care of herself that the people around don't feel like they have to walk on eggshells to keep mama happy.

How about that?!

And guess what......same goes for papa!

Papa better figure out how to feel his emotions and take really good care of them. He better figure out how to speak with curiosity and compassion and find a soft place for himself and others. Papa needs to take such good care of that little boy inside of him that he shows up with emotional intelligence and emotional maturity.

This habit of letting the surliest member of the family set the tone for get togethers or even day to day life is done.

You want a great relationship with your adult kids.....get busy looking in the mirror.

You want a great relationship with your adult kids....you better be a likable person...someone they want to be around.

How do you show up?
What is the tone of your house?
Are you good at regulating your own emotions or do you emote on those around you.
Do you fill your own needs or sit back angry they aren't being filled?

I grew up in a home with a lot of negativity....so I chose joy for the tone of my house.....the tone of the family.

I do my best to show up joyful.

That doesn't mean I fake it when I'm not feeling joyful. It means I notice that part of me....show her curiosity and compassion....love the hell out of her and regulate. It means it's the tone of our house....so we do our best to maintain it. It means I take such good care of myself that joy is the top emotion I feel on most days. It means I engage in things from my joy list (dopamine menu) on a weekly basis. It means we choose joy as often as possible.

I do this...so my kids don't have to hold my emotions. They are holding enough on their own.

I do this...so my kids don't feel the need to take care of me.

I do this...so home is an emotionally safe space.

I do this...because home feels so much better with joy inside of it.

I do this...so that when our family grows...it's our home they want to share it with...our home they come back to...our home we celebrate in.

What is the tone of your home?