Parenting Thought

Five thoughts about growing up:

1. It is normal to want and not want things at the same time.

   • We want a delicious piece of cake, but we also want to fit in our designer jeans.

   • We want to take a promotion at work, but we also want more family time.

2. Grown-ups don’t want to give up being taken care of just so they can be responsible adults and the best parents they can be.

   • We don’t want to lose all of our “me” time.

   • We want people to remember we like massages.

   • We want someone to fix us a hot meal once in awhile.

3. Grown-ups want to be responsible and independent, but they also want to be taken care of by someone they love – they want to be both independent and dependent at the same time.

4. The more grown-ups find ways to let people take care of them, including taking care of themselves, the better grown ups they can be.

5. Children want to grow-up too, but they really don’t want to give up everything about being young.

   • They don’t want to give up snuggling in a cozy bed – with special things like stuffed animals, ipods, or computers.

   • They never want to give up being loved and taken care of. They don’t want to lose all their baby things just so they can grow-up.

(See Teaching Kids to Wait – Part 1 for more about wanting two things at one time.)

Spring’s Picture Books

We have been amazed at how much good parenting information is in children’s picture books – books that we hope you are reading everyday to the children in your lives – your own, your class, those you take care of.  For each book, we are noting there is something in it to remind you of how to be the parent you want to be.

• STARS by Mary Lyn Ray and Marla Frazee

A reminder that your child has a star within him, and you can help it shine.

• STOP THIEF by Adam J. B. Lane

A reminder that you can help your children with sad and frustrated feelings when they can’t have everything they want.

• TIA ISA WANTS A CAR by Meg Medina

A reminder how important it is for your children to learn to wait.

• ELLA SARAH GETS DRESSED by Margaret Chodos-Irvine

A reminder about what it means when your child says no and how important your response can be.

• KING ARTHUR’S VERY GREAT GRANDSON by Kenneth Kraegel

A reminder that it is important to help your child handle his or her aggression.

• THE CHANDELIERS by Vincent X. Kirsch

A reminder of how important it is for your child to have your attention.

Read All About It:

Your Child Is a Star!

SELF-ESTEEM A FAMILY AFFAIR, Jean Illsley Clarke

GROWING UP AGAIN: PARENTING OURSELVES, PARENTING OUR CHILDREN, Jean Illsley Clarke and Connie Dawson

Surf the Internet:

ambivalence

regression

interdependence

nurture

responsibility in children