Sparkle Weekly Wonderings: The Nurtured Heart Approach
Would you like to hear about a new parenting tool?
(Am I hearing a chorus of “nooooooo’s”?)
I know, I know, parenting tools abound, and with each new suggestion of “how to parent better,” our anxiety grows. At least mine does, because I assume I’m “not doing enough.”
Hang with me, because I think I have a good one. When I was first introduced to this concept at a lecture here in Austin, I got whole-body goosebumps. And that’s a sure sign that I’m onto a really good thing.
What is it? The Nurtured Heart Approach. I talk about it in this blog post, but here’s my nutshell version:
It was built for spirited, intense kiddos. It’s all about relentlessly energizing the positive (a.k.a. “appreciating”), while declining to engage in the negative. And it’s very, very straightforward and satisfying to use.
The best part is the intention behind the Nurtured Heart Approach: to build the inner strength of each child through directing your attention, appreciation, and love. (There’s boundary-setting in there too, but first there’s relentless positivity.)
I was so moved by this approach that I asked David to write a collection of stories using the themes. David crafted them into a dear narrative that kids can understand, set in the Junkyard with our favorite Junkyard friends. Our version is slightly different from the actual Nurtured Heart’s definition, but we’ve adapted it for simplicity and children’s ears.
You’ll find all of the stories below. Give it a listen, read our post, or visit the Nurtured Heart Approach’s website—- their six-hour course is excellent.
About the Author
Lisabeth Sewell
Lisabeth Sewell has worn many hats at Sparkle over the years, from Sparkle Kitchen Blogger to Editorial Director to Doer of All Odd Jobs. Her primary role is as CEO.
