Once in a while I feel inspired to record a conversation with a fellow coach on a topic that is important to our work.
This past week I had a really great chat with my friend, Chris Loper, about how we use Meta Modeling as a core coaching strategy to model the executive functioning skills of metacognition, cognitive flexibility, emotional regulation, and future-thinking.
And while that all sounds very fancy and impressive, the strategy itself is surprisingly simple.
Meta Modeling is about modeling the mindsets and thinking strategies that help you to get through your struggles - i.e. your inner monologue. This strategy plays a significant role in how parents lead by setting a good example, rather than relying solely on giving instructions or orders.
In this short conversation (under 30 min) you will learn exactly how to use meta modeling to cultivate your child's executive function skills daily.
Chris Loper is the author of a humorous memoir titled Wood Floats and Other Brilliant Observations. He is also the creator of BecomingBetter.org, a website devoted to self-improvement that actually works. As a habit coach, he helps busy adults with behavioral change and productivity. Chris also writes a blog about learning for parents and students for Northwest Educational Services, and he is the co-creator of Parenting for Academic Success (and Parental Sanity). Here are some topics we covered in our conversation:
the middle ground between hands-off parenting and micromanaging
counteracting your automatic and unhelpful thoughts
meta strategies for cultivating motivation
compliance/defiance cycle vs. self-directed-thinking
saying less and modeling more
playing the long game
Plus some practical examples that you can start using right away. In service,
Yulia Rafailova
PS. Learn more about Chris and Greg's 6-week summer class for parents. Doors open July 5th. "If you're feeling like it's just too hard, that there's something broken, there's something wrong with you, or wrong with your kid, or wrong with your relationship. There isn't. The problems you're struggling with have been faced by millions of other people. Some of them have come up with clever solutions and strategies informed by science. You don't have to reinvent the wheel. We would love to share with you how to do it better and easier." - Chris Loper