Nearly every parent of school-age kids nowadays feels they’re busy. This world pushes information and demands on you 24/7 and pulls you in umpteen different directions.
But how busy is too busy? How would you know? Are you living a fulfilling life or an overly full one? Take this quick quiz to see what your Parent Wellness Quotient is (PWQ).
On a Scale from 1 (Not At All True) to 10 (Totally True) rate yourself on the following parenting skills. Remember, be true to yourself – the only right answers are honest ones! Write down your number ratings as you go, then add up your Total Score at the end.
1. I’m aware of my family’s strengths, struggles, needs, and goals. I keep a “big picture perspective” about my life that brings me peace and clarity.
2. I live each day putting my priorities first, with plenty of time for what matters most.
3. I feel fully energized in body, mind, and spirit.
4. My child and I openly communicate about our thoughts and feelings with each other.
5. My child and I regularly share fun experiences – enjoying daily routines and family traditions together.
6. My child and I often participate in community organizations or events together that reflect our shared values.
7. I provide clear, realistic expectations for behavior, and my child regularly meets those expectations, without argument or attitude.
8. I mostly focus on what my child is doing well, rather than what he or she is doing wrong. My child hears far more positive comments from me than negative.
9. I consistently follow through with effective consequences that get my child to listen and cooperate, both respectfully and responsibly.
10. I know my child and I are deserving of support from others. We’re getting the help we need to ensure we’re thriving, not just surviving.
MY PWQ (Total Score) = .
Now, some fun food for thought – check out your score compared to many of the families I work with, and see if this sounds familiar…. (NOTE: this is not a scientifically validated assessment instrument. It’s simply some guidelines that the parents I coach have found meaningful and useful.)
If your Total Score is 80-100, you’re doing amazing! You are generally happy and satisfied with your family life. For the most part, you’re taking care of yourself and your kids in ways that are highly rewarding. You still see some areas you want to improve, or wish you could do more consistently and easily.
If your Total Score is 60-79, you’re like many busy parents – doing well in some areas and not so well in others. You appreciate the gifts of your children, and have wonderful moments with them, but wish you could have more of the good stuff, with a lot less of the hassles. You still feel frustrated and stressed too often, and want to find ways to be happier and get along better with your kids.
If your Total Score is 30-59, you’re feeling too busy and too stressed right now. You love and care about your kids, but find parenting extremely draining these days. Your children too often back-talk, argue, or ignore you. You don’t have the fun together and closeness you used to. And you can’t find nearly enough “me time” to recharge your batteries. You need help rediscovering the strengths you and your kids have buried inside, under all the busyness and stress.
If your Total Score is 10-29, you’re struggling and in a lot of pain right now. You’re feeling way more angry, anxious, or depressed than you want to be. Both you and your children are suffering from daily fights and frustrations, and you’re overwhelmed with stress. You and your kids probably need professional therapeutic help right away to get back on track – to get where you want to be and deserve to be.
If you’re a busy parent with a PWQ in the 30 to 80 range, and you’re eager to find more ways to be happier and get along better with your kids, then you may want to participate in an exciting new parenting program – the “Timechoicing for Busy Parents” Bootcamp.
This intensive 6-week parent coaching program guides you through a step-by-step system that gives you more Time Off to recharge your batteries, more Time In to reconnect with your family, and more Time Out to resolve parent-child conflicts.
If that sounds good to you, read more about it below (and pay special attention to the scholarship offers), or check it out now at www.timechoicing.com/bootcamp.
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