I THINK JIM HENSON SAID IT BEST:
"The attitude you have as a parent is what your kids will learn from.
They don't remember what you try to teach them.
They remember what you are"
HELLO LOVELY!
I'm Moira
Founder of Teen Anxiety & You, podcast host, youth advocate and mum to one teenage boy.
Out of these things, being a mum to my son is my proudest achievement, and the source of my greatest joy. It has also been the steepest learning curve - I honestly believe that having kids is one of the biggest personal development journeys we can go on!
Our children highlight our flaws, they push our buttons, they test our patience but they also evoke a level of love we did not even know was possible.
It was for my own child that I started this work and it is for others that I continue.
How it all started...
'I'm so stupid'
'I can't do ANYTHING right'
'Why do I have to be so skinny?
Words from my 11-year-old mid-Covid...
Over the course of lockdowns, restrictions & homeschooling, I watched my son change from a bright, active boy to an anxious, self-conscious/critical, demotivated one. He started picking at the skin on his fingers until they were red raw, his nails were bitten to the quick, he would look for reassurance over the smallest of things, he found it hard to make decisions, and as for schoolwork - well, 'what was the point?'
As luck (or the Universe) would have it, I had just certified as an emotions-release practitioner (think metapsychology, somatics & mindset), so
a) I spotted the signs early, and b) I kinda knew what to do.
And I say 'kinda' because there was a lot of trial & error, spaghetti thrown at the wall (not literally thankfully!) and there were many days & nights that I simply did not know what to do for the best or if anything was actually 'working.'
But without even realising it, I was formulating, through my own experience, what was to become the 7~C's to Happy framework.
And it DID work...
Despite the challenges over the years (& there have been a few!), my son's anxiety has never returned.
And since then, we have been raising a pretty 'typical' teenager!
One that likes to push the boundaries, one who has found certain aspects of school really tough, who is glued to his phone, who wants to do his best but sometimes doubts he can, and one who has no clear vision of what he wants to do in life - let alone how he is going to get there!
But also one who has a keen sense of self & can express how he feels, who is open, communicative & emotionally attuned, who has a clear set of boundaries, values & personal standards, and one who seems to be able to navigate the turbulent, uncertain and rocky road of adolescence pretty well.
And NOT one with anxiety.
And I have never let go of the 7~C's to Happy principles. Still to this day, I weave them into every interaction I have with my son. It has become like breathing ~ natural, life-affirming and effortless (most of the time!)
And now...
3 years ago, I started supporting parents who were struggling, teaching them the principles I had used.
This led to the podcast Your Teen, Anxiety and You (ranked as one of the top anxiety podcasts in the UK), and eventually to today where I run the Teen Anxiety Parent Support Members Club -TAPS for short!
At the heart of it, the TAPS Members Club exists to empower, inspire and give hope to the thousands of parents out there that don't know what to do, who are throwing spaghetti at the wall (maybe literally), who are desperate for things to change and who just want their teen to be happy.
In essence, the TAPS Members Club is a place where parents can:
get the help they need, when they need it
feel supported, heard and validated
learn to trust themselves AND their instincts
surround themselves with others who 'get it'
make a real difference in their teens' (& their own) lives
get their teen back (and their relationship)
And literally to see their teen happy!
Join the Member's Club to get results like these:
So, in July M decided he wanted to try school again!! He completed September part-time and from October he’s being going full-time! We wanted to let you know as you were a major part of us getting us back on track. Thank you!
What a godsend! Your guidance has been invaluable to us and things have changed so much already. Thank you for all your support.
I feel like you are saving my sanity! You have really helped me better understand and to work with my daughter. We are definitely seeing the difference. She is more grounded and I am way calmer.
YOU NEED TO KNOW...
Membership only opens a few times a year!
If you're unlucky enough to miss it, sign up here to be the first to know when the doors re-open.
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