You're listening to 3 in 30 takeaways for moms episode 136.

Why and how to set loving limits with our children?

Welcome to 3 in 30, a podcast for moms who want to create more meaning in motherhood.

Each 30-minute episode will feature three doable takeaways for you to try at home with your family this week.

I'm your host Rachel Nielsen. Thank you so much for being here.

From the beginning of my children's lives, I've cared deeply about being a loving, empathetic, positive parent.

I've read lots of books about parenting without shame and focusing on the good with my kids.

And I feel like I do that well. But as my kids have gotten older, I'm starting to recognize more and more that an area I struggle with is setting limits with my kids.

I like to think that I'm a consistent parent that I'm not too much of a pushover. But then sometimes I see the ways that my children behave out in the world and I cringe.

Realizing that I have definitely been too permissive and honestly, that's not fair to my kids.

They need a parent who has insisted upon respectful limits.

So is it possible to be both a positive parent who guides my children without shame and a firm parent who holds them to consistent and important boundaries?

Of course it is, but it's so much easier said than done. And I feel like this is an area that isn't all that clearly flushed out within the literature on positive parenting.

That's why I'm thrilled to have my dear friend back on the podcast today, clinical psychologist Dr. Katie Penry.

Katie specializes in early childhood attachment, development, and psychoanalytic theory.

She's just released her first book called The Parenting Toddlers Workbook, Manage Your Childs, Mood, Potential, and Wellbeing.

And her book is fabulous, truly.

As I read through my advance copy, the portions that really jumped out at me were about setting loving limits with your toddler.

I've been in Katie's home and I've watched her parent and her two young children using these tools. And frankly, it's pretty amazing.

I can't help but think that if I had known these strategies when my kids were younger, I could have done a better job at it too.

And that's why I believe this book is a gift to parents of littles and I hope you'll grab a copy for yourself.

And also enjoy this conversation today where we will be breaking down why having limits is so important and how to do that in a loving way.

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