This workbook, part of the Grounded Parent course, guides parents through a deep, reflective process aimed at healing their own inner child and understanding the origins of their parenting patterns. It is divided into four sequential parts: (1) Meeting My Inner Child – participants locate a childhood photo, assign a name, and describe the emotional atmosphere, lessons learned, and feelings of their younger self, using checklists and free‑write prompts; (2) What Was Modelled to Me – users examine the emotional culture of their family, exploring how emotions, conflict, anger, tears, needs, and mistakes were handled, and identify invisible rules they absorbed; (3) The Protector I Built – the workbook introduces common protective personas (People Pleaser, Perfectionist, etc.) and asks participants to recognize which pattern they embody, what it protects them from, and to write a compassionate note to that protector; (4) Why I Make Sense – participants trace a recent parenting trigger back to its childhood root, using compassion reframe statements and a step‑by‑step “trace a trigger” worksheet. The material emphasizes non‑judgment, self‑compassion, and preparation for a live group session where participants share their inner child photo, name, learned lessons, and identified protector. Throughout, the tone is instructional yet gentle, encouraging honest reflection, emotional awareness, and the integration of the inner child’s needs into present parenting.
Topics
Part 1 – Naming and Visualizing the Inner Child
Guides participants to locate a childhood photo, assign a name, and articulate the felt atmosphere, lessons about emotions, needs, anger, and tears, and to map an emotional‑landscape checklist.
Part 3 – Identifying the Protective Persona
Introduces common protector patterns (People Pleaser, Perfectionist, etc.), asks participants to check resonant patterns, explore what the protector shields them from, and write a compassionate note to that protector.
Part 4 – Compassionate Reframe & Trigger Tracing
Provides a step‑by‑step worksheet to connect a present parenting trigger to its childhood root, using “if… then of course” reframes and bodily awareness prompts.