One of my favorite people (and (soul) big brothers), Dan Siegel, wrote a great book called “Parenting from the Inside Out.” (No. I’m not a parent yet but getting ready..3-5 years my Goddess says. :)
The Big Idea?
Researchers can measure the health of a child by looking at the child’s “attachment” to his/her mom and dad. The attachment can be unhealthy or healthy. Whether or not it is healthy is one of the strongest predictors of the child’s well-being.
Now, the cool part is that the strongest predictor of the child’s attachment is the PARENT’s emotional health!
Specifically, whether or not the parent has a “coherent narrative”—a coherent, integrated sense of themselves that can be measured in a simple interview process with a researcher.
Isn’t that AMAZING.
Another reason to “know ourselves” and integrate the challenges and dreams of our lives into a coherent narrative.