Having one kid allows you to devote a lot of time and attention to the single child. When a second child comes into the mix, things become more complicated. You may find yourself juggling schedules and finding ways to give each child the appropriate amount of attention. These pressures can create a number of time management problems and give you feelings of guilt if you feel like your children are not receiving enough attention. As you cope through the extra stress of having multiple children, you can receive emotional support in parenting therapy. Therapists can guide you through different techniques to help you manage time and raise your children in a positive way.

Organizational Skills

One of the main ways that parenting therapists can help you when raising multiple children is through teaching different organizational skills. Being organized allows you to manage time properly and ensure that you are getting the most out of each day. A therapist can help you set up different routines for each child. For example, you can set up eating schedules, nap schedules, and different family activities. A therapist may provide you with printed calendars that can organize activities and ensure that your children's needs are being taken care of on a daily basis. Your home setup may also be evaluated. This includes the way that laundry and daily chores are organized. When other parts of your life are more organized, you can put more time and effort into both children.

Special Times

A therapist can also help you establish different special times with children. Not only are these occasions about spending time with your children, but they're about bonding together and doing something you will enjoy as well. A therapist can provide solutions that really help you connect with your children, instead of just being there with them. This can make a huge difference on the bonding experience and the attention that each child craves. By allocating individual times each week, the children can have one-on-one attention. Therapists can teach you methods for getting them to express their emotions or any frustrations that they are going through. This can help you be a better parent and properly serve the needs of the child.

Positive Communication

The stress of raising multiple children can lead to negative conversations or situations. Even if you're not yelling or screaming, the negative tone can have an impact on your child. For example, a child may be constantly asking you to do something when you're doing something with another child. A typical response may be something like "No" or "Not Now." A therapist can teach you how to respond positively and help the child understand the situation better. In that example, the "No" response would likely be replaced with a "I can help you with your needs in a little bit." These positive responses do not just deny the child, but they are also positive, offer clear reasoning, and can give the child something to look forward to. Every situation is different and a therapist can help you through them using multiple phrase techniques for different situations.

Parental Support System

Not all of your therapy sessions need to be one-on-one. Some therapists offer groups where you can reach out and learn with other parents. Building this parental support group can help you make friends and share stories together. Not only can you help each other in therapy, but you can network together to offer babysitting, sleepovers, and play dates with the family. This can help each parent get a little free time or special days alone with just one child. The parenting groups can be done on their own or in conjunction with your one-on-one therapy sessions. It all depends on the help and guidance that you seek.

Contact a parent therapist for a consultation meeting. These meetings can set up expectations and an understanding of how the therapy process will work. Click here for more info about parenting therapy.