Compassionate Parenting: Help Children Grow Self-Compassion
Let’s be honest. Parenting kids can be really hard! We want to offer our children the best in the ways of self-compassion, but sometimes we don’t know what it looks like! And if we had imperfect childhoods (as we all do), sometimes that affects us as well. Not to mention the constant depletion of being a parent in today’s day and age. How do we care for ourselves AND our children?
You are not alone with these challenges. This course is designed to help you discover the tools for showing up for your children and yourself so that you can develop a compassionate and self-compassionate family culture. If you are aspiring to become a Self-Compassion for Children and Caregivers trained teacher, this course will give you a foundation for facilitating compassionate and self-compassionate parent-child interactions.
Compassionate Parenting (aka Compassionate Presence training) was developed by child self-compassion expert and certified Mindful Self-Compassion trainer, Jamie Lynn Tatera. This program builds upon the foundation established in Mindful Self-Compassion training (a prerequisite for this course) to help parents and caregivers learn to apply self-compassion to their parenting and understand how to help children develop their inner compassionate voice. We use the book, The Power of Showing Up,* written by Tina Payne-Bryson and Daniel Siegel, as a foundation for understanding children’s development. This course links the 4 “S’s” of attachment (seen, safe, soothed, and secure) to the practice of self-compassion. In addition to exploring parenting, participants are also invited to reflect on their own childhood. The class has therapeutic value, but it is not therapy.
Numerous research studies show that compassionate parenting provides a strong foundation for the development of self-compassion in children. Self-compassion is strongly associated with emotional wellbeing, coping with life challenges, lower levels of anxiety and depression, and more satisfying personal relationships.
In this course, you will learn to:
- Establish a foundation of safety for yourself and your child
- Balance compassion for self and compassion for children
- Identify the underlying causes of our children’s (and our own) behavior
- Balance comforting our children and encouraging them to learn and grow
- Develop strategies to soothe our children when they are distressed
- Help children develop their own self-compassionate voice
This is an advanced eight-week online class designed for Mindful Self-Compassion graduates. This course features exclusive interviews with the co-developers of Mindful Self-Compassion: Kristin Neff on parenting and fierce self-compassion and Chris Germer on shame and self-compassion for parents and caregivers.
*Participants are responsible for purchasing the book (or audiobook), The Power of Showing Up by Daniel Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson.
Are there any prerequisites for this training?
Yes. This class is open to parents and caregivers who have previously taken self-compassion training. If you have taken Mindful Self-Compassion training or a parent-child or a parent-teen Self-Compassion class (or related self-compassion training), then you can take this training.
What if I have not yet taken any formal self-compassion training?
Now’s a great time! This training does not teach the fundamentals of self-compassion, but rather it teaches us to apply self-compassion to our parenting/interactions with children. See Jamie Lynn’s self-compassion classes for adults and families for opportunities to learn self-compassion.
I want my children to learn self-compassion. Will this class help?
Yes. This class will help you understand how children acquire self-compassion, which is largely through how you treat yourself (modeling self-compassion) and how you treat your children.
I’m really busy. What are the different ways that I can take this course?
This class is often offered online asynchronously with live-online Q&A sessions. The Q&A sessions are enriching but not required, so you can fit this class into your busy lifestyle.
I want to learn to teach self-compassion to children. Do I need to take this class?
This class will teach you how children develop self-compassion, and how your own self-compassion practice influences your children’s development. See the “FAQs for Aspiring Teachers” tab to learn more about training options for teaching self-compassion to children.
Are there any prerequisites for this training?
Yes. If you would like to teach self-compassion to children, you need to take Mindful Self-Compassion training before you enroll in this course.
I am a classroom teacher, and I would like to teach/integrate self-compassion in my classroom. Do I need to take this class?
This class is recommended but optional for classroom teachers who would like to teach resilience and self-compassion “mini-lessons” in their classrooms. See the teacher training pathway to find out more.
I would like to teach self-compassion classes to groups of children or families. Do I need to take this class?
Yes. This class is a required prerequisite for participating in the Self-Compassion for Children and Caregivers Teacher Training. See the Teacher Training pathway to find out more.
The live-online Q&A dates don’t work for my schedule. Can I still take this training?
The Q&A sessions are enriching but not required, so you can fit this class into your schedule. Individuals who take the class asynchronously as a prerequisite for the Self-Compassion for Children and Caregivers teacher training will need to submit a document with brief reflections on the sessions.
Can I take this class for graduate-level credits or receive continuing education credits for taking this training?
When taken live-online, this course is available for 12 CE credits (for an additional fee). The asynchronous course is not available for CE credits, however, educators can take either version of this course for graduate level continuing education credits for an additional fee. Contact Jamie Lynn for details.
Upcoming Classes with LIVE Q&A Sessions
Compassionate Parenting: Help Children Grow Self-Compassion
8-week* online training for parents, caregivers, and aspiring self-compassion for children teachers who would like to both deepen their own self-compassion practice and foster self-compassion in children. This is an advanced training designed for graduates of the Mindful Self-Compassion program.
*The recommended time-frame for completing this course is 8 weeks, but you will have access to the training modules for one full year.
Standard Fee: $245 Supported Fee: $195*
Mindfulness and Self-Compassion for Children and Caregivers (MSC-CC) Informational Session
December 4, 2024 from 12:30-1:15pm CT / 10:30 am PT / 1:30pm ET / 6:30pm GMT Convert to your time zone
This free intro session is designed for caregivers of children. You will be provided with an introduction and overview of the 6-session Parent-Child Mindfulness and Self-Compassion class as well as tips on how to help children (and yourself) acquire self-compassion. Those who would like to stay on for the last 15 minutes will receive a road map for the Mindfulness and Self-Compassion for Children and Caregivers Teacher Training program.
Course Objectives
- Discuss theory and research about the influence of childhood attachment on the development of self-compassion
- Assess and manage challenging emotions that can arise in caregiving situations with greater acceptance and self-kindness
- Develop and apply self-compassion practices to help caregivers and children respond to failure with compassion and encouragement rather than criticism
- Understand and explain how caregivers’ self-compassion levels influence children’s self-compassion levels through the process of social modeling
- Learn and apply strategies for cultivating the 4 Ss in caregiving situations
- Transform difficulties between parents and children through understanding, acceptance and compassion
- Utilize gratitude and appreciation to balance the negativity bias in caregiving situations
- Demonstrate simple self-compassion practices for children and caregivers
Continuing Education Credits
This information pertains to the Live Online Compassionate Parenting training only. Continuing Education Credits will be offered for US certified psychologists, therapists and nurses. (Please see the list below for details.)
In order to receive CE credits, you must attend all the Compassionate Parenting Sessions. No credit is given for partial attendance. You will also need to fill out the online Evaluation after the training completes. CE Certificates will be emailed about a month after the program completes.
Psychologists: Continuing Education Credit for this program is provided by UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness. The UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness maintains responsibility for this program and its content. This course offers 12.0 hours of CE Credit.
California licensed MFTs, LPCCs, LEPs, LCSWs: Continuing Education Credit for this program is provided by UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness. The UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. 12.0 hours of CE Credit may be applied to your license renewal through the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. For those licensed outside California, please check with your local licensing board to determine if CE Credit is accepted.
Nurses: UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number CEP16351, for 12.0 contact hours.
Please submit the $60 USD fee when registering.
Please contact Jamie Lynn Tatera with any questions regarding CE credits.
Required Reading
Participants need to purchase the book or audiobook, The Power of Showing Up by Daniel Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson. Participants will read a chapter of the book before attending most class sessions in order to receive full benefit from the course. A reading schedule will be provided with the welcome email.
Related Testimonials
“The Compassionate Parenting course has been both nourishing and motivating. The strategies have helped me grow self-compassion with the intent to show up more fully with children and others.” -Caroline R., Compassionate Parenting participant
“The Compassionate Parenting course has been both nourishing and motivating. The strategies have helped me grow self-compassion with the intent to show up more fully with children and others.” -Laura H., Compassionate Parenting participant
