Raising a child is like growing a tree.

We plant seeds of trust, comfort, and security and hope it grows strong roots. As it grows, we provide food, water, love, and light. We begin to notice the blooms of our child’s unique personality and try to nurture it. Once they are teens, the tree grows a lot on its own, yet still needs watering, but it can be hard to know how much. While the tree at some point usually no longer needs our daily care, we proudly remain a source of support for the tree, even as it stands on its own.

However, in times when we think the tree seems a bit off centre – this is where we look for solutions to help the tree, for support so we can help it grow strong and sturdy, with roots of love and blossoming branches.

We become parents with hope and excitement, charged with guiding a new life in the world.

What started as hard – the baby years – changes as the child grows, with new challenges and opportunities for us as parents.

I know. I’m a parent of two. One is grown, finished college, and working full-time while the other is in the last year of high school. I’ve been there, from the sleepless nights of babyhood, to the challenging rambunctious toddler years to school ages and middle to the push-pull independent-striving high school years. Each of these ages come with their own fun, and challenges.

You may find some stages more tricky to navigate than others. This is normal. Some years can be trickier for us, some can bring up feelings about our own childhoods and what we wish was different. And as our child approaches emerging adulthood (about 18-20 years old), we want to be sure they have the best tools and opportunities so they can launch.

You may ask yourself: How can I best support my child right now?

Your relationship with your child is central to your child’s ability to live a fulfilling life, in being able to make and maintain healthy relationships and make decisions that support their growth and interests.

Raising children brings its own rewards – and it can bring up issues long buried. I enjoy working with parents to help them feel better about how they parent their kids and teens. I also like helping teens figure out who they are and help them develop the tools they need to succeed in school, work, and relationships so they can have fulfilled and happy lives.