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Parenting
I Was So Mad! Teaching Assertive Anger Expression to Kids
72314 years
From the cries of infancy, to the tantrums of toddlerhood, and hopefully the self-control of school-age years, developing the delicate art of anger expression is a process for children. Some little ones seem to be born with a cool head while others show their hot-tempers right from birth. No matter what your child’s temperament, all people have choices when it comes to handling angry feelings. Parents play the crucial role in helping their children make healthy choices when it comes to anger expression. Consider (more…)
Listening Skills: The Most Powerful Relationship Tool
82114 years
My first job after graduate school was as a therapist for severely socially and emotionally disturbed (SED) adolescents living in a group setting. I was excited to learn everything I would need to know for the position from the woman who interviewed and hired me, as she had a reputation as a brilliant clinician. On my first day of work, however, I learned that she had accepted a new position and would be leaving the organization within two weeks. My opportunity to be mentored by her was suddenly reduced to a week of training and a few days of farewell celebrations.
Does Your Child Feel like an Outsider?
58014 years
Celebrities and spokespeople nationwide have been promoting the message to young people that despite the challenges and struggles of fitting in during the tween and teen (and don’t forget elementary school!) years, thing DO get better. Here’s a positive video clip from Alexandra Robbins, featuring the message that being different is awesome!
Great Advice from Sesame Workshop About How to Handle Kids’ Questions About Scary News Stories
52514 years
Sesame Street will never do you wrong. Here is a great video clip from Dr. Rosemarie Truglio, VP of Research and Education at Sesame Workshop, with wise words about the importance of parents giving kids coping skills for handling scary news and events.
http://www-tc.pbs.org/video/media/swf/PBSPlayer.swf
Watch the full episode. See more The Parent Show.
Thanks, Sarah, for sharing!
5 Ways to Parent a Perfectionist
59414 years
Some days, I wish I were more of a perfectionist. I see the splotch of paint on my bedroom ceiling and think, “Oh, I should have touched that up…nine years ago.” I notice the slightly askew picture frames on our family room wall and wish I had bothered to measure before I hammered the nails in to the wall. Then, I forget about it.
When I watch my seven-year old daughter agonize over handwriting homework and berate herself for missing one question on her
30-problem math test, I thank the gods of “good enough” that perfectionism was never my thing. And I ask those same
gods for advice on how to help my child overcome her need to be flawless.
If you, too, are the parent of a perfectionist, here are some tips that I have found to be most effective:
1. Play up personal strengths and play down competitions
In school and at home, my daughter loves to win. My husband insists that this is a great quality and I know that in many ways, her desire for excellence will serve her well. Yet I also know that too much of a good thing can be rough, especially for young kids who hold themselves to impossibly high standards. When my daughter seems singularly focused on being the ‘best” reader in
her class or getting the “highest” score in math, we try to re-focus her energies on achieving personal bests and celebrating