July 14, 2018

Quote of the Week

"The greatest gifts you can give your children are the roots of responsibility and the wings of independence." --Denis Waitley

Roots And Wings: How To Give Your Kids The Best Gift Ever

"Finding a way to give our kids both roots to keep them grounded and wings to soar, is quite possibly the best gift we parents can ever give. It begins as soon as our children start to move unaided. And it’s a paradox that will haunt many of our parenting decisions until they leave home. And beyond. Finding the balance between boundaries and freedom is key to raising strong kids who will thrive no matter what. It’s the difference between raising a child who is tentative, and one who is self-assured. One who will take life’s knock-backs hard, and one who will meet challenges with confidence. We have to remember that we are our children’s parachutes – there to let them break the fall and land softly. But in order to help our kids flourish we need also to be willing to allow a little free form skydiving before deploying the chute. The trick is to work out when to pull the cord."  This article by Cally Worden gives practical examples and tips on nurturing deep roots while building wings that foster independence for children and teens.

Reading Corner

Title: Building Resilience in Children and Teens: Giving Them Roots and Wings
By: Kenneth Ginsburg
Stage: 18 months +

"This award-winning guide from bestselling author and pediatrician Dr. Ken Ginsburg guides parents and other caring adults how to help kids from the age of 18 months to 18 years build the seven crucial "C's"--competence, confidence, connection, character, contribution, coping, and control. These are the critical ingredients young people need to bounce back from life's challenges and thrive far into the future."--Publishers

Be the Change

Think of an example from your week of when you promoted "roots" and "wings" in your relationship with your child/teen. Reflect on your own childhood experiences and how you developed your own roots and wings. What experiences were most helpful in developing them? How can you practice those in your family life?