Every time I hear a parent brag that her child is her best friend, I cringe and think, “Well, that’s too bad.” The job description of parent is mighty long—nurturer, teacher, advisor, consultant, guide, spotter, disciplinarian, consoler, cheerleader. But I am quite sure “friend” is not on the list. I fully believe that you really like your child, that there are times when you get along like peas and carrots, that you say you can read each other’s minds. But your child, whether young or … [Read more...] about A Parent Should Be A Parent…Not A Friend
saying NO
Knowing if a movie is okay for your child..and for you
In my last post, I addressed balancing a child's media diet--how much and when. As challenging as that issue is, it is almost easier to address than the question of content-- what media is okay for your child. In today's world of so much, so young, deciding what is okay and what isn't can be daunting. Remember how many of you thought Baby Einstein was a good idea? Now parents are scrambling for a refund. Who knew? (By the way, I did, and I have been steering parents away from Baby … [Read more...] about Knowing if a movie is okay for your child..and for you
Balancing Your Child’s Media Diet
Would you allow your child to eat and eat and eat, whatever and whenever he wanted? Of course not. It’s not much different with a child’s media intake. Just like a parent implements portion and quality control with food, so must he implement the same controls with media. It is a child’s rightful job to try to get the very most of whatever he likes the most, be it candy, television, computer time. It takes many years for a child to develop the ability to see the big picture, thinking about … [Read more...] about Balancing Your Child’s Media Diet