Parenting can be so challenging, and it is the most incredible experience that I would not trade for anything. Sarah MacLaughlin and I met through Megan Jo Wilson’s Rockstar Camp. Her work is centered on being a Rockstar in the parenting world, helping parents connect at deeper relational levels with their children. She is truly a wealth of insight and resources. Sarah is also a social worker, parent educator, and author of another award-winning bestselling book, "What Not To Say: Tools for Talking With Young Children." Her new book, "Raising Humans With Heart: Not a How-To Manual," was written during the pandemic, when it seemed more important than ever for parents and children to have the tools and skills to communicate deeply and authentically. She works full-time as a writer, trainer, and content expert for ZERO TO THREE, a national nonprofit dedicated to ensuring that all babies and toddlers have a strong start in life. Sarah writes the Parenting Toolbox column for Portland, Maine's Parent & Family magazine and her writing has been featured online at The Huffington Post and The Good Men Project Truth exists mainly in paradoxes where situations can be both hard and soft, difficult and easy, and it’s great to remember to soften when we are finding ourselves in a polarizing place as parents with our children. When we are raising humans with heart, we have to remember to open our own and model what it looks like to be vulnerable and loving. It’s when we stop being in our heads and get into our hearts and speak to our children from the heart. Children learn more from who we are and what we model, not from what we say or teach. Get curious about your child's behavior. Get curious about your reaction to your child's behavior. Get curious about the story you're telling yourself about that dynamic because there are always multiple things going on at any given moment that can be revealed and that give us access to tenderness, compassion, and love. Do you know your ACE score? Aces Too High is an adverse childhood experiences quiz that can tell you a lot about your level of childhood trauma, even if you don’t think you have any- prepare to be surprised. The more we can learn to tune into ourselves and the unaddressed wounds we might still carry, the more we can effectively guide and nurture our children in a loving way. Practicing transparency and accountability with our children is key to raising humans with heart. Learn how to foster creativity, inclusivity, and community with your kids with an eye toward eliminating bias. Learn the #1 thing you can do when your very last nerve is shot and you want to center before you speak or act.