"Building reflective communities today, for our children's tomorrow."
"Building reflective communities today, for our children's tomorrow."
I was asked by a news magazine called ‘In My Area News Room’ to write something about Free Range Parenting and whether we need it or not. I was delighted to do it because they were interested in my ideas about Reflective Parenting, In brief what I say is that Free Range Parenting has a lot of positive elements and that its goal of promoting independence and resiliency are good ones. However, the Free Range approach is limited both in how it deals with parents and its unbalanced focus on independence. It is judgmental of parents and ignores the value of dependency. (more…)
Beloved relatives you rarely see. Long hours of travel spent for short social stints. Harried cooking and last-minute prepping. Starched shirts and three-inch heels. Expectations for this day to be special, to result ipicture-perfectct memories, to taste delicious.
All of these factors put heat on parents – pressure to perform for others and make Hallmark moments for their families. What will Uncle Roger think of my family? What will Grandma Irene think of my parenting? (more…)
Here is a common scenario that occurs in many families. Parents to try to have a discussion with their child about a topic that they assume will be helpful for the child. But the child balks at engaging in the discussion. The parents, feeling armed with good intentions try even harder to have the discussion, because as they say, “We are only trying to be helpful”. The parents end up being frustrated when the child continues to refuse to talk or listen. The topic differs in each family, but the underlying issue remains the same. (more…)
Social skills are what children need to succeed. That’s because social skills contain all the necessary elements that children require in order to regulate their behavior, have emotional well-being, achieve in school, and use later on to do well in the workplace. In a sense, social skills can be thought of as an ‘all-purpose’ learning tool. This idea is catching on in schools, in the form of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) programs. (more…)
I realize the issue of chores for children is controversial. Some parents are in favor and some parents believe kids have more important things to do, such as homework and extracurricular activities. I come down on side of childhood chores because a growing body of research indicates just how beneficial they are for children. In fact, these benefits are exactly what Reflective Parenting aims to help parents provide for their child.
Play is a natural way that children learn critical thinking, resilience, and social skills. Play also enhances creativity, problem solving and cooperation. The play can be with other children or with you the parent. But it must be ‘free’ play, meaning it is play where children have the chance to make things up as they go, and adults are not telling them what to do. There are so many different kinds of play: including rough and tumble physical play, outdoor running around play, playing with toys, such as blocks or pretend play. Any type will provide benefits, as long as the children are free to choose on their own what they want to do.According to a new report from the American Academy of Pediatrics, “play is not frivolous.” Play teaches children the kinds of life skills we want them to have as adults: collaboration, negotiation, conflict resolution, self-advocacy, decision-making, and leadership. Play even reduces stress and can help protect kids from growing up with toxic levels of stress due to poverty and other sources of childhood adversity. (more…)
Wondering why your teen is so emotional and risk-taking?
Your teenager is neither crazy nor stupid. No matter how emotional they are; No matter how much they seem to be making poor choices, there is a very good reason why teens are the way they are. It is not their fault or yours. It’s biology. Adolescence brings about a surge in brain growth. But the dilemma is that different brain areas grow at different rates. The novelty and fear region (Amygdala) and the reward region (Nucleus Accumbens), in the adolescent brain, mature earlier than the region involved in calming and self-control (Prefrontal cortex). Eventually, the Prefrontal Cortex does come on board, but it is a slowly occurring process that continues on into your child’s 20’s.
Teens can get really anxious as a result of their overactive amygdala
It is perfectly normal when in a new situation to have a bit of a fear response. That’s because the Amygdala gives a spurt of adrenaline when we are in unfamiliar circumstances; such as meeting a group of new people or going to a new place. (more…)
Parents and kids are super busy these days, making it particularly hard to have the time to eat meals together. However, evidence now shows that it is really worth putting in the effort to have more family meals. According to researchers at the University of Montreal, children who routinely eat their meals together with their family are more likely to experience long-term benefits, physically, emotionally and socially. The family meal serves as a relationship-based learning environment for children. This research supports Reflective Parenting’s emphasis on the importance of the parent-child relationship.
I am very enthusiastic about family meals. However, I want to reassure you. Family meals are good. But family meals are not a should. Reflective Parenting always emphasizes that there is never just one right way. So, if family meals are simply not possible for you and your children, don’t panic. (more…)
Is your teen glued to their cellphone? A recent piece by NPR journalist Rhitu Chatterjee should boost your confidence to set limits on cell phone use. She discussed a new research study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) showing an association between the development of ADHD symptoms and high cell phone use in teens.
What’s a parent to do?
KEEP THE RELATIONSHIP STRONG:
In my previous blog post, I talked about the association between too much cell phone use and symptoms of depression and anxiety in teens (July 22, 2018) and the fact that simply reducing cell phone use, does not fully protect kids from developing problems. That’s because it is life’s current dangers that are troubling teens more than anything else. Fortunately, your relationship can be a buffer against their fears and worries. (more…)
We know there is a rise in teen anxiety and suicide. Many blame an addiction to cell phone use as the cause. They cite that too much exposure to social media can cause a teen to feel envious, and inadequate; to feel rejected and left out, and even to suffer from cyber-bullying. While apps are now available that can help reduce cell phone use, this will not fully solve teen’s vulnerability to anxiety. That is because the reason teens are so anxious these days is that their lives are filled with fear and uncertainty. The excellent article by Tracy A. Dennis-Tiwary is a good resource for any parent of a teenager. Another good resource is The film Eight Grade written and directed by Bo Burnham. It illustrates what being a reflective parent of a teenager can look like. In the film, the father gives his daughter just the kind of relationship backup that every child needs. (more…)