Welcome to PEPTalk! This blog is all about parenting – including tips, great articles and updates on our class offerings. The conversation is for parents and others who want to raise healthy, cooperative, thriving children. Raising children to thrive isn’t easy, especially when those children regularly mess up our plans for their success. We learn the art of parenting from each other, and our PEPTalk blog is here to help—with tips, tools, talk and encouragement—as well as updates about PEP’s many educational programs.
Our bloggers are like our class leaders (many of them are class leaders)—parents who have found at PEP support, inspiration and a sensible road map for the journey. They’ll share their unique perspectives and experiences, connected by their deep commitment to helping you be the parent you want to be. We invite you to join the conversation.
With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season well underway, it’s not unusual for parents and kids alike to feel stressed. Parents are tired of the prepping and schlepping, kids may be ready for a break from the routine of homework and school, and everyone is keeping a busier-than usual social schedule. Despite what you see on your Facebook or Instagram feed, all families feel stress. Remember, social media posts are the highlight reel;... read more>>
Here at PEP, one activity we do early on in many of our classes is the “Out of the Nest” exercise. In this group exercise, parents brainstorm a list of qualities they might like their children to have by the age of 18. Below is an actual list generated by one class. It’s typical of those brainstormed by most parents — whether they’re parenting preschoolers, school age children or teens. Independent Cooperative Kind Healthy Self-Confident Resilient Have self-worth Happy Use good judgment Curious Responsible Apparently,... read more>>
Middle School is full of angst, for our kids and for us! As parents, we are suddenly filled with self-doubt. Should I stay involved and continue to volunteer at school? Do I chaperone field trips — my kid LOVED that in 3rd grade? Alternatively, do I totally back-off and give them lots of space? Are sleepovers okay if I haven’t met the parents? What about devices and social media? How much homework help do I give them?... read more>>
Where did the fall go?! Here in Montgomery County, Maryland, Friday marks the end of the first marking period for county school students. This presents parents the opportunity to practice our encouragement skills as we consider how we’ve handled report cards in the past and how we might do so a little differently this time. Keeping in mind that kids are excellent observers but poor interpreters,... read more>>
Editor’s Note: This list was excerpted from an article, It’s My Life — But My Parents Won’t Butt Out! that appeared in Washington Parent magazine in September 2019. After you finish chuckling, read the article to learn how to help your tween or teen navigate their social life! Are you looking for the fastest way to build a wedge as large as a crater between you and your child?... read more>>
Have you ever dressed your 4-year-old because you can do it faster, or told your 7- year-old she has to wear a coat when she says she isn’t cold? Can I get a show of hands of other parents who have “helped” their fifth grader on a Science Fair tri-fold board because we can cut straighter and center the background paper more evenly? Who can join me in having our tween’s long-term assignments on OUR calendar?... read more>>
Over the past 6 months, PEP has reached out to a variety of stakeholders to learn how we can more effectively reach, and meet the needs of, today’s parents. We conducted surveys and held numerous meetings with school, community and business partners, parents, and PEP parent educators and volunteers. We learned a lot. We learned there is a large diversity of needs among parents and families, both in terms of issues they seek help with,... read more>>
Your toddler son clears out a grocery store aisle with an hour-long tantrum when his favorite cereal is sold out. Your kindergarten daughter loses points in class for nudging classmates on the carpet, bolting out of line and generally behaving impulsively. Your tween routinely forgets to turn in homework and can filibuster for hours when confronted with a simple parental request to clean his room or set the dinner table. These are the extra-challenging kids who can send their parents into spirals of despair and discouragement.... read more>>
To my 12-year-old daughter, Now that you’re almost a teenager, it’s more and more obvious to me that you are beautiful inside and out. I hope I tell you this often, since it’s frequently on my mind. You and I may be driving to or from a seventh grade party, and you are shining in a new dress, singing your favorite new songs. I take it all in, listening. I like the song “Most Girls”... read more>>
Seven-year-old Amanda pensively chews on a lock of her hair, absorbed by her parents’ rising voices. Meanwhile, her 5-year-old brother stares deeply into his bowl, using his spoon to whip the cornflakes into a mushy blur. “You can’t just toast her another waffle when she doesn’t like the first one you made! You have to be firm, or she’ll walk all over you!” “But the pediatrician said her weight is on the low side.... read more>>
