June 27, 2020

Quote of the Week

"It's not only children who grow. Parents do too. As much as we watch to see what our children do with their lives, they are watching us to see what we do with ours. I can't tell my children to reach for the sun. All I can do is reach for it, myself." -- Joyce Maynard

Want To Raise Well-Adjusted Children? Psychology Says Let Them See You Doing These 10 Things

"We aren't raising children, we're raising adults," says family therapist, psychotherapist, and author Susan Stiffelman. What we do as parents creates our kids' sense of normal, which ingrains habits and behaviors that carry into adulthood.

Of course, we want the best for our children--for them to have a lifetime of happiness, to be prepared for the real world, or to simply do better in school. Most often we want them to succeed, and so we search for advice to pass on.

But the best help here comes from what you show, not tell. Stiffelman told Parenting there are specific things parents can role-model to most effectively foster well-adjusted, successful young adults, which I've blended here with personal experiences. [read more]

Reading Corner

On Being Podcast for Parents: On Being Grounded in Your Body to Reduce Stress
With: Krista Tippett and Dacher Keltner
Listen/Read: 17-minute podcast

"As host of the award-winning radio show and podcast On Being, Krista Tippett has inspired listeners for years with her thoughtful discussions of faith, meaning, and morality. But even she can succumb to intense stress. And as she learned, that kind of toxic stress can wreak havoc on our minds and bodies. On each episode of our show, we have a guest try out a practice designed to boost happiness, resilience, kindness or connection. And then we explore the science behind it." -- Dacher Keltner, Founding Director of Greater Good Science Center

Be the Change

Tune into this week's podcast offering and experiment with a body scan yourself to become grounded in your body. Perhaps you can invite your children to join you next time too!