I’m Marilupe, and I’m glad you’re here today. I am a Mexican mom living in the US with my husband and my two amazing girls.

I feel fortunate that I get to share this gem I found called Parenting by Connection with you. This approach connected me to my girls in ways I had only dreamed before I had them. I used to say, “I want my (future) children to know -in every neuron, and every cell- that I am there, TRULY there for them. No matter what.”

Then, my incredibly passionate and strong girl was born. And so were my fears, and isolation, and overwhelm. I found myself reacting, yelling in anger and crying myself to sleep thinking, “How in the world am I going to help this child?”

Little did I know that my upbringing as the youngest child in a very large family, in which death and emotional repression were present, would make it very hard for me to parent in the balanced, calm way that my girl needed.

And the strong social expectations I faced to make my baby stop crying only added to the stress. She. Just. Wouldn’t. And I felt like I was failing her.

The toddler years were no easier.

And then I discovered it. And the adventure began. I started using the tools I learned from Hand in Hand and a spark appeared in her eye. A spark I had never seen before. Suddenly, there was now room for giggles. And for tears. For her growth, and for mine. For healing. For flexibility and relaxed muscle tone. For facing fears, for conquering sibling rivalry and finally, for an embrace in which I could FEEL her as mine.

So I invite you to explore it in your family, and to be amazed by where it takes you. Yes, this approach might get messy. And hard. Because parenting CAN be hard. But using it gives me support, and tools, and hope. I wouldn’t have it any other way. Want to join me?

PRACTICAL. INCLUSIVE. JESUS-CENTERED.