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.
Most American teenagers dream about growing up and moving out of their childhood home after high school, eager to experience the fun and excitement of adult independence. The reality, though, can be quite different. Twenty-first century challenges, including high student debt and housing costs, brought one in four young adults home to live again with their parents. Today’s COVID-19 pandemic, accompanied by social quarantine, university closures and high unemployment means that even more young adults are living again with their parents.... read more>>
Raindrops on roses And whiskers on kittens Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens Brown paper packages tied up with strings These are a few of my favorite things Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein (“Favorite Things,” The Sound of Music) Kids on screens past bedtime drives Daddy crazy Backpacks on floors,... read more>>
We are living in extraordinarily difficult times that raise uncomfortable, yet critically important, questions about ourselves and our country: how we treat each other, how we are protected from harm, and how we live together. The senseless deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and others named and unnamed, pain our hearts and our minds. Our emotions of sadness, frustration, anger, fear, rage, and hopelessness stem from a spectrum of issues, ranging from not knowing where to begin to solve the problem to facing the danger of being a Black person in America.... read more>>
As the parent of a high school junior, I am frequently hearing well-meaning adults suggest that our teens take full advantage of this time to learn a new hobby or start a project or some other grand idea that they can write about on their college applications. For some, this may be a welcome suggestion. My son told me to back off. He was right. Adapting to a global pandemic is a huge enough life event all on its own.... read more>>
Anyone else getting questions from your kids about seeing friends, girlfriends, going out? This is going to be a long post. Heads up, if you think scrolling to the end will reveal the answer, it won’t. I have two thoughts on this. First, there isn’t one right answer as we’re navigating a situation we’ve never encountered before, and the answer will be different for every family. Second, I wouldn’t want this to sound like a recommendation;... read more>>
With Mother’s Day right around the corner, the May 6th New York Times piece, Nearly Half of Men Say They Do Most of the Home Schooling. 3 Percent of Women Agree, felt ill-timed. The article reports on an April survey of 2,200 Americans and suggests that “pandemic-era domestic work isn’t being divided more equitably than before the lockdown.” Without any judgment about the veracity of the data or the experience of the parents reporting it,... read more>>
Dr. Michele Borba is the author of over 20 parenting books, including Unselfie: Why Empathetic Kids Succeed in Our All-About-Me World, described as “a game-changing guide showing why nurturing empathy in our children isn’t optional – it’s essential.” Based in Palm Springs, California, Dr. Borba will present a webinar as part of the Parent Encouragement Program’s Noted Author Series on Tuesday, May 5, 2020, 8 –... read more>>
If there’s one thing that’s has become abundantly clear through this pandemic, it’s that the quality of our relationships matter. There’s no shortage of articles, podcasts, and webinars for both parents and couples on how to survive, repair, endure, or maintain a good (enough) relationship during the coronavirus. Fairly early on, I recall reading a blog post from one of PEP’s Noted Parenting Authors, Julie Lythcott Haims, ... read more>>
I recently read Kelly Corrigan’s book, Tell Me More: Stories About the 12 Hardest Things I’m Learning to Say. Whether you need to laugh or cry right now, I can’t recommend this book enough; she’s smart, witty, and so relatable. In it, she talks about a parenting strategy that we often recommend at PEP, active listening. She uses the phrase, “tell me more,” and it served me well this week. ... read more>>
As the coronavirus pandemic unfolds, we know that there will be many deaths in our communities. Unfortunately, it is likely that there may be one or more deaths that impact the lives of our children. While it may be difficult to face this fact, it makes sense to be prepared to help our children through these difficult times ahead. Find Teachable Moments Children develop healthy, appropriate responses to death when parents are honest about death. When your preschooler asks about the dead squirrel in the street that was hit by a car,... read more>>
