Hey, I'm Mark,
Dad of a son. I have been a freelance content creator on Instagram since 2019 and write as @mark.my.thoughts about honest parenting, responsive parenting, giftedness and neurodivergence - especially Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA). At the end of 2023, I decided to pass on my knowledge from extensive self-study, participation in numerous workshops and training courses as well as my own experience in the form of my own workshops, webinars and individual consultations in order to be able to support even more parents on their journey.
I originally studied electrical engineering and information technology and received my doctorate in 2019. With the birth of our son, I started to take an interest in various topics relating to parenthood. I am particularly interested in the (biological) background: Why does a child behave the way it does? Why does one particular parenting method work and another doesn't? And why is responsive parenting the recommended parenting method according to current research – and authoritarian parenting potentially harmful for bonding and basic trust? In my opinion, we can best get to the bottom of these and other questions by combining scientific findings, studies and correlations with real-life observations and experiences.
My areas of expertise
-
responsive parenting
Responsive parenting assumes that every person - regardless of their age - is of equal value. So instead of raising children from above, parents guide their children at eye level. The focus here is on needs: children never deliberately act against their parents, but always "for themselves". This means that their behavior always has a reason and is an expression of an inner need.
-
Giftedness
"I think my child is gifted." When parents dare to say this out loud, they usually don't do so with pride, but with a certain amount of fear. It is not a triumphant exclamation, but rather an attempt to apologize to a society that still finds it difficult to accept or even appreciate and encourage deviations from the norm. But that is exactly what we should do! As the name suggests: Giftedness is a "gift".
-
Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA)
Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) or Pervasive Drive for Autonomy is a profile in the autism spectrum that is still relatively unknown, especially in Europe. PDA is characterized by a survival drive for autonomy, control and equality, which can even override other survival instincts.
What other parents say
-
"I've been following Mark for a while now and am very impressed by the respectful way he treats his child. Responsive parenting at eye level, that's what Mark is all about. I always learn something new from him."
Marco, father of two
-
"I can absolutely recommend Mark as a parental coach. You can tell that he has a great deal of expertise and applies it individually to each family. He not only convinces with new impulses and approaches, but also with his sympathetic, empathetic manner."
Karla, mother of a son
