Posts tagged parenting

Words to Live By

538
14 years
by in Being a Mom, building self-esteem in girls, bullying, Parenting

“Do not forget small kindnesses and do not remember small faults.”–Chinese Proverb.

A Role Model of Imperfection

1060
14 years
by in Uncategorized

A clean house is a waste of my daughters’ childhood…and other important lessons role modeled by my Mom. Please check out:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/signe-whitson/mom-role-models_b_1017660.html

Girl Scouts Know How to Be Friends Indeed!

919
14 years
by in anger, assertiveness, Being a Mom, building self-esteem in girls, bullying, cyberbullying, friends, kids, Parenting

This morning, I had the GREAT honor and pleasure of doing a workshop for about 120 Girl Scouts and their moms (ages 5-11), based on some of the lessons and activities in Friendship & Other Weapons.  We focused on specific ways that the girls can become allies to someone who is being bullied both before, during, and after bullying situations.  In less than 10 minutes, the amazing girls came up with over 60 ways to be a friend to someone who is being bullied!  They also learned that:

It is never OK to do nothing about bullying!

Here are a few of the “How to Be a Friend” and “Stop Bullying” posters they left with me to share with you.  Please check the Bullying in Elementary School link to see more and to find out how to schedule a Friendship & Other Weapons workshop for your group of girls.

 



How Friendship & Other Weapons Came to Life

159
14 years
by in anger, assertiveness, Being a Mom, building self-esteem in girls, bullying, cyberbullying, friends, kids, media messages, online, Parenting, parents, passive aggression by children

This morning, an interviewer asked me how the idea for Friendship & Other Weapons came to be.  Thought it was worth sharing with you as well…

 

My previous book, How to Be Angry, started with the fundamental premise that anger is OK; its 15-session curriculum is all about giving children, tweens and teens specific assertive skills to express their anger in constructive, relationship-building ways.  After writing the book, it became obvious to me that there is a large group of young people who are shut out from this basic presupposition that anger is a normal, natural human experience.   Millions of young girls in the United States grow up immersed in a social universe in which “being angry” is equated with “being bad” or, at best, not “being nice.”  (more…)

Loving the Challenging Child

443
14 years
by in Being a Mom, building self-esteem in girls, Parenting

Sometimes, you read just the right article at just the right time.  Tonight was my night for that.

I adore Maggie Lamond Simone’s writing.  She seems to always take exactly what I am thinking and say it in a way that is hilarious and poignant and touching all at once.  For any Mom or Dad who loves a child whose strengths  are also exactly what makes him a challenge, please check out her post:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/maggie-lamond-simone/loving-the-problem-child_b_1001376.html

From “Happy to Be Me” to Insecurity

0
14 years
by in Being a Mom, building self-esteem in girls, bullying, cyberbullying, media messages, online, Parenting

I was a big fan of Sesame Street as a kid and am a bigger fan now, as a Mom.  Check out how the show is approaching the problem of bullying with young children–focusing on prevention (where we have a prayer) rather than relying on intervention (where we constantly swim upstream).    LOVE it!

 

Sesame Street Takes On Bullying in Shows, Talking Points

Thinner, Sexier, Hotter: 3 Ways to Help Your Daughter Resist Media Pressures

194
14 years
by in Being a Mom, building self-esteem in girls, internet, media messages

How many times have you heard your daughter singing along to a popular song on the radio and innocently belting out the kind of lyrics that would otherwise get her sent to her room? In the moment, you believe (desperately want to believe!) that she is unaware of the innuendo and unaffected by its explicit content. But messages embedded in song lyrics, along with video imagery, and advertising influence do have an impact on the ways girls think about themselves and their relationships with others. Without having to resort to a full-on pop music ban or complete shunning of media, you can help your daughters-and other young girls-become aware of media messages that violate values and degrade girls.

Please check out my article at Huff Post for ideas on talking to girls about media pressures:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/signe-whitson/thinner-sexier-hotter-3-w_b_1007496.html?ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false#sb=1751110,b=facebook

Miss Representation: How Girls are Influenced by the Media

1234
14 years
by in Being a Mom, building self-esteem in girls, media messages, movies, MTV, online, Parenting

Wow. Some things you know intuitively, but you don’t take the time to consider how astounding they are until someone puts all of the pieces together like this filmmaker did.   In Friendship & Other Weapons, parents and professionals have three chapters devoted to helping kids examine media influences and pressures, knowing that awareness can build resistance.

Please check out this amazing short film–with your daughter!

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=2349117563337

The Agony of Victory and the Defeat of Healthy Communication

855
14 years
by in anger, angry smile, assertiveness, Being a Mom, family members, Parenting, passive aggression, passive aggression by children, passive aggression in families, passive aggression in girls, passive aggressive, passive aggressive behavior in families

Dealing with passive aggressive communication in your household?  Check out my post on Psychology Today:

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/passive-aggressive-diaries/201110/the-agony-victory-and-the-defeat-healthy-communication

Is Empathy Enough? What Motivates You to Do Good?

28
14 years
by in Being a Mom, Parenting

As a social worker, I’m all about empathy and the importance of teaching this “skill” to young kids.  This NY Times article brings up some interesting points about the importance of empathy, while also pointing out that empathy alone is not nearly enough:

“If you want to make the world a better place, help people debate, understand, reform, revere and enact their codes. Accept that codes conflict.”   

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/30/opinion/brooks-the-limits-of-empathy.html?_r=1&emc=eta1

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