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.
“If you help clean the garage, I will give you 10 dollars!” “Avery, your room is a hot mess! If you don’t clean it up, I’m going to toss all your junk out the window!” “If I catch you sneaking candy again, you won’t get any dessert for two weeks!” “Isabella, you will wear that jacket to school whether you like it or not! It’s cold out there!” If these phrases sound familiar,... read more>>
At the playground recently, I watched a mom try to convince her 6- or 7-year-old daughter to leave behind a collection of sticks and twigs she had been playing with. The mom’s patience finally ran out, and she spoke firmly: “Sarah, you heard me. No sticks in the car. It’s time to go.” Her daughter instantly exploded with rage. Screaming in protest, she flung the sticks at the car, burst into tears and ran off to the opposite side of the playground to sulk.... read more>>
“Courage is about something magical that happens on the inside that helps us push through fear, self-doubt, and anxiety; not something magical that happens inside us to make us suddenly brave.” – Jeff Ludlum In the 1990s, when my first child was growing up in our small town, one of her fears was making new friends. Painfully shy, she preferred staying in the classroom with her teachers during recess to avoid being alone on the playground.... read more>>
If you’re the parent of an introverted child, you might find this article enlightening and potentially useful. If you’re the extroverted parent of an introverted child, you – or potentially future-you – could write this article. Me, I’m an introvert. Nothing better than curling up by the fire with a good book and a hot cup of tea. My husband, he’s an extrovert with a capital “E.” His car radio: always on.... read more>>
KENSINGTON, MD (February 1, 2022) – PEP (the Parent Encouragement Program), a leading nonprofit educational organization based in Kensington, Maryland, partnering with MHP, a private nonprofit dedicated to providing access to quality affordable housing, based in Silver Spring, Maryland, has received a $72,576 grant from the Children’s Opportunity Fund of the Greater Washington Community Foundation. The grant will be used to strengthen the resiliency, mental wellness and school readiness of children who reside in MHP housing by providing parenting education and support to their parents and caregivers.... read more>>
KENSINGTON, MD (May 11, 2020) – PEP (the Parent Encouragement Program), a leading non-profit educational organization based in Kensington, Maryland, has signed a multi-year contract to provide its award-winning Parent Education Program to the employees of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) based in Washington, D.C., and around the world. PEP is working under the leadership of KonTerra, a leading provider of staff care and organizational resilience services. KonTerra has been providing services to the USAID global workforce since the inception of USAID’s Staff Care ... read more>>
“Dear Carolyn: My son, 11, has been acting up in school: not doing his homework, talking during class, picking on younger kids, getting detentions and just being an all-around brat. At home, he’s picking on his siblings and talking back to me and his dad. We’ve had him tested by both his pediatrician and the school psychologist, and no underlying health issues of any kind have been identified. Every other year,... read more>>
Segments including sexting and spanking, respectively. View the recording from the “Should parents still spank their children?” ... read more>>
“Q: I have a delightful 6-month-old daughter. She’s the only grandchild in my extended family and has been spoiled so far with love, attention and (even as I try to prevent the rising tide) toys. It’s gotten a little better, but I still have several relatives who bring gifts every time they see her, which is frequently. On my husband’s side of the family, it isn’t quite as extreme. Recently we spent time with family friends whom I had not seen in years,... read more>>
“Dear Carolyn: I live in a home with two indoor house cats with a litter box. My 8th-grade daughter is supposed to be responsible for sweeping and scooping litter but does a terrible, lackadaisical job. It’s in my laundry room, where I smell and step all over scattered litter. Half the time the litter appears untouched despite my constant pleas. I’m sick of constantly reminding and chiding her to clean. I secretly want the cats gone,... read more>>
