Today we’d like to introduce you to Darlynn Childress.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
When my sons were 4 and 2, I was really struggling as a mom. There were a lot of bad moments. Times when I yelled with such fervor that spittle shot from my mouth. Moments when I grabbed a scrawny shoulder too hard and saw pain and confusion cloud my little one’s face. Quiet afternoons replaced with anger-filled threats. Boys sent to their rooms with an edge in my voice that pierced their hearts with fear. Icy stares. Cold shoulders. No goodnight kisses. Those were hard years.
One night, while tucking my 4-year-old son in bed, I gently said to him, “I love you so much.” And he replied, “I know you do, but I just don’t think you like me very much.”
My heart broke into a million pieces. It was at that moment that I knew I needed to find a new way to parent.
I started with parenting books and I tried every traditional parenting strategy…
Counting down
Time out
Take-way
Threats
Bribes
Sticker charts
Lectures
Yelling
All of which only made my kid’s behavior worse…and left me feeling like a failure.
So over the next few years I…
– Went to parenting workshops
– Read parenting books
– Hired a parent coach
– Took courses
– Went on retreats
– Completed parent-coach certification programs (2 different ones!)
And…
– Tried many non-traditional parenting strategies
Within a few weeks…I noticed something that changed my family forever.
When I stopped doing time-out.
When I stopped taking away toys.
When I stopped making threats.
When I stopped lecturing.
When I stopped yelling.
When I stopped trying to control my children.
My children’s behavior improved.
When I replaced traditional parenting strategies with a calm and compassionate approach to misbehavior there was much more peace in my home. Our family went from chaos to calm.
This transformation didn’t happen overnight. In fact, it took a few years to crack the code on parenting because there wasn’t a model for compassionate parenting that was easy to navigate.
The parenting model I needed didn’t exist…So I developed my own parenting model.
I developed a simple parenting model that I could use every day to manage the tricky parenting moments that came up daily (Sometimes hourly! Sometimes every 10 minutes!).
I call this model “The Parenting Path”
With my parenting model, I saw tremendous improvement in several areas of our family life.
My children’s behavior improved.
I felt calmer.
We were kinder to each other.
We talked more.
We yelled less.
In less than six years, I have taught hundreds of parents The Parenting Path. In my private coaching program, I have watched dozens and dozens of families transformed…
…From chaos to calm
…From anger to compassion
…From confusion to clarity
Helping parents is my absolute favorite thing!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Being a female entrepreneur, I’ve found it difficult to strike a balance between the physical and emotional labor women carry, particularly mothers. Early in my career, I found it difficult to prioritize my time. I was constantly pulled between the needs of my young children and my business goals. Housework, child care, holidays, birthday parties, school events, and extended family obligations were an ever-present distraction.
In terms of business, it took me a while to find the right business model for my coaching practice. I started out working with small-groups; teaching group classes live and in person, at churches, schools, community centers, and in private homes. This business model was hard because parents often needed one-on-one coaching and the group didn’t lend itself to that kind of support. In addition, I was driving all around Los Angeles and even Orange County to teach these classes, and the travel time was unsustainable.
Once I transitioned my practice to one-on-one over video conferencing, things really started to hum. I meet my clients exactly where they were and offer the type of individualized coaching they need to become the parents they want to be.
I still teach at live events at schools and parenting groups, but all of my private coaching is done online.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
I specialize in helping parents feel calm. There are a lot of parenting programs that teach strategies for getting kids to listen. Those programs are very focused on the child’s behavior. My parenting model helps parents with managing misbehavior. But that’s not where I start.
I always start with the parents; their thoughts and feelings and actions. Because what I know for sure is that even when parents have the best strategies in the world, if they are feeling angry, anxious or stressed, they won’t apply them.
I teach parents practical strategies to feel and stay calm, no matter what their kids are doing. I have created unique tools, like “Pause and Reset”, “Coach Yourself To Calm”, and “Trust Your Vision”, that give parents quick and accessible strategies to implement in the moment, so they don’t create more chaos or disconnection with their kids.
A peaceful home starts when parents feel calm. From there, all the other parenting strategies for ‘getting kids to listen’ are simple to learn and put into practice.
I am proud that the moms that I work with walk away from our three months together, feeling calm and confident.
What were you like growing up?
Growing up, I loved to plan and organize. I was always cooking up something for my siblings and friends; a lemonade stand, a sleepover, an elaborate game of tag, or a long bike ride. Being part of a group or team made me happy as a kid, so I joined lots of classes, sports, and activities.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.darlynnchildress.com
- Email: darlynn@darlynnchildress.com
- Instagram: @darlynnchildress
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/becomingcalmmamas
- Twitter: @darchildress
Image Credit:
Emily Torres
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