Meet Tammy Afriat

 

We recently connected with Tammy Afriat and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Tammy, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?

As Bob Proctor suggests, having a clear image of my vision helps me navigate challenges and persevere in my professional life.
I envision parents attending my workshops, leaving with smiles, thinking, “Now we get what healthy boundaries look like, how to set them realistically, and how to create a harmonious home.”
This vision motivates and inspires me. 😊

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

As a mother of three, I’ve learned more about communication than I ever thought possible. When my oldest child, at 1.5 years old, began expressing strong opinions about what to eat or how to dress, While I sometimes wished for a more “compliant” child, I was fascinated by her ability to communicate her needs and wants so clearly, even without a fully developed language.

My background as an engineer taught me the value of logic and analysis. However, as a parent, I discovered the equally important role of emotional intelligence and effective communication. My daughter’s assertiveness inspired me to reevaluate my boundaries-setting and communication skills.

As I delved into and learned about parenting, I noticed that many parents struggle to find the right balance between an enabling approach that minimizes conflict with children, encourages negotiation, and is very child-centered until it reaches the point the parent is exhausted —and shift to a stricter style characterized by temporary rigid rules and harsh consequences (no more sweets and screen time!). This swing between permissive and rigid parenting often leaves parents feeling guilty, creating a cycle of extremes. Ultimately, it comes down to setting boundaries for your child and figuring out a healthy and effective way to communicate those boundaries.

With this realization and the desire to help parents, I transitioned from engineering to becoming a podcaster (called Playground Talks) and a certified professional coach specializing in parent coaching.
Today, I aim to empower parents to use love and limits to create a harmonious home.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Reflecting on my journey, I realized that three qualities—compassion, curiosity, and active listening—led me to become a professional coach and establish Bonding Boost.

A friend once observed, “You have a natural ability to show empathy and understand other people’s needs.” This compassionate nature has been essential and propelled me to transition from engineering to providing coaching services to individuals, specifically parents.

Another critical quality is an endless curiosity and desire for learning. Personal and professional growth fuels my commitment to staying updated on parenting trends, research, and best practices.

Lastly, since my teenage years, I’ve naturally been inclined to engage in meaningful conversations, even with strangers. On bus rides, I would naturally talk to fellow passengers and attentively listen as they shared personal details. This ability to actively listen without judgment is a testament to my curiosity and has been invaluable in my professional coaching career.

These qualities of compassion, curiosity, and active listening, along with my commitment to seeing fundamental changes in people’s lives, have been vital in my journey as a compassionate parenting coach. I feel fulfilled having meaningful connections with parents, understanding their unique challenges, and offering personalized support.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

Yes, I am excited to connect with parents, parenting educators, mental health professionals, childcare providers, daycares, and organizations who like the idea of redefining boundaries with love and limits.

I offer engaging 60-90 minute online and in-person workshops (Austin area).

Perfect for parents and caregivers of children ages 2-8, this workshop delves into:
Identifying who needs boundaries set
Recognizing crucial boundaries for your child
Establishing what healthy boundaries look like
Clarifying effective communication style

Participants receive a comprehensive parental guide and practical tools to implement healthy boundaries in their homes immediately.

If you want to bring this workshop to your child’s PTAs (PTOs), daycares , or elementary schools, please email me at TammyAfriat@gmail.com to discuss a collaboration opportunity (more info on my website under services).

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Gosia Domas Photographer

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