Raising Kids in the Digital Age
Research shows what pediatricians already know: the level of stress children are experiencing is increasing. Because of cultural shifts that both affect kids directly and have caused parents to parent differently, many kids today lack confidence, emotional resilience, grit, and imagination, all crucial to normal child development. This results in stress.
Fortunately, there are ways to mitigate this stress and anxiety. Kids are hard-wired the same way they have always been, with the same needs for support, limits, and independence. However, today’s students need to be taught things that came naturally a generation or two ago. My programs for parents both raise awareness of the problem and also give parents specific techniques to help them reduce this stress and increase constructive communication with their children.
The goal here is to get parents on board so the child’s “holding environment” becomes safe and supportive and encourages growing independence in consistent ways. Using a mixture of group discussion, lectures, and music, we explain how parents can lessen the scrapes and bruises involved in parenting today. Some of the issues covered include:
- Responding skillfully to being tested by your teen(s)
- Walking the fine line between supporting and enabling
- Learning some basics of child development to make sure parenting is in step
- Learning when and how to seek help
- Self-care for parents
- Recognizing issues of substance abuse
- Dealing effectively with frustration and anger
- Smoothing out communication
- Letting go: stop micromanaging your child!
- Disconnecting from devices
Parents enjoy relaxing, laughing, and sharing their experiences and challenges, plus get tips for how to effectively raise kids in today’s world.
All of my programs are customized for each practice: I can present this together with a member of your staff or present it on my own. This can be a one-off or a series of programs. Program comes with an email newsletter, if desired.
I would be happy to discuss how my programs can best meet your practice’s needs. Give me a call at 603-496-0305 or use the contact form below.